NOT everyone was overly impressed when Malcolm Christie was plucked from non-League obscurity by Premiership side Derby County two years ago.

Many wondered whether the 19-year-old Nuneaton Borough striker would make the grade in the Premiership, not least 'Bailz', a not-so-friendly contributer to the Malcolm Christie message board.

Bailz wrote: 'I used to mark you out of the game, Christie. You were rubbish,' along with other comments that aren't so printable.

Now 21, Peterbrough-born Christie is making his mark and proving the doubters wrong.

He is the Premiership strugglers' top scorer this season with ten league and cup goals.

Jim Smith paid £50,000 to take him to Pride Park in November 1998 and he spent a year in Derby's reserves before getting his first team chance against Middlesbrough just over a year ago.

He scored twice that day and has never looked back. He got just three more last season but this year he's leading the Derby goal-scoring charts with 10 goals from 27 league and cup games.

"I set out this season hoping to get 15 goals so I am well on the way," he said. "Once I get 15 then I'll start looking for 20."

Christie has earmarked the Derby record for number of goals scored in a season since the club reached the Premiership, an honour currently held by Manchester City's Paulo Wanchope with 13 goals. Christie currently has six in the league.

At just 5ft 6in, Christie prefers to play off a main striker, so may struggle against Rovers without Branko Strupar, the £3million Belgian forward who is out with a thigh injury.

"It is going to be a very tough game at Blackburn because they are absolutely flying in Division One," he said.

"They have got some good young players there and are obviously pushing for promotion into the Premiership, so we will have to be on our toes."

Derby have major selection problems ahead of tomorrow's game, with Craig Burley and Chris Riggott suspended, Deon Burton and Darryl Powell away with Jamaica, Taribo West on international duty with Nigeria and Seth Johnson, Strupar and Giorgi Kinkladze out injured.

"There will be a lot of players missing for us but we will still go there with confidence and give it our best shot," said Christie. "We all want a good cup run as it would be a great boost but we just have to deal with the fact that some players are not going to be able to play either because of suspensions or injury.

"It's just one of those things that happens from time to time and you just have to deal with it because you can never compensate for that kind of thing."

Christie, Derby's young player of the year last season, has suffered from a throat and chest complaint over the last few weeks and was forced to play in last week's 1-1 draw against Manchester City.

"I still wasn't 100 per cent over my illness for the game against Manchester City but I'm feeling much better now," he said.

"I just want to keep plugging away at battling for the cause because I want to do my bit to help the team progress.

"Some of the injuries have affected key players like Branko Strupar and Giorgi Kinkladze and that has been frustrating.

"It has been particularly disappointing not to have Branko back because I know what a good player he is and I enjoy playing alongside him.

"Hopefully it won't be too long now before he is back in the team."

And then Christie can get on with breaking that goalscoring record and proving those doubters wrong.