Martyn Waghorn has explained his decision to turn down a move to Middlesbrough in favour of a controversial Derby County switch which resulted in a later legal battle between the clubs.

In August 2018, the Sunderland academy graduate was the subject of a bid from Boro. The striker admits he spoke to then-Boro boss Tony Pulis and had almost agreed a move to the Riverside from Ipswich Town when the Rams entered the race late and scuppered Boro’s move.

It proved costly for Boro, with Waghorn’s Derby pipping Boro to a play-off spot, ultimately resulting in the end of Pulis’ time in charge at the Riverside. Waghorn would score nine goals to help Derby finish in the top-six ahead of Boro.

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Speaking to the Sunderland Echo after announcing his retirement earlier this month, Waghorn said: “I had my year at Ipswich, and it was before I was signing for Derby. I spoke to Tony Pulis at the time. Everything was kind of agreed, really, and then Derby were in as well. So, I believe it was Sheffield United, Middlesbrough and Derby were kind of all in and around it, and then I just chose Derby at the end of the day.

“That's how simple it was. It was like, take your pick, and obviously, the lure of Lampard, to be honest, was massive, and playing, seeing this team, the project that was going on, and, yeah, I wanted to be a part of that team. The move to Middlesbrough was very close. I believe everything was agreed. I just had to make a decision within a split instance because the time was running out as well.”

The battle for the final play-off spot went right to the final day, and though Boro beat Rotherham, Derby’s 3-1 win over West Brom - in which Waghorn scored - meant they pipped Boro to the final play-off spot.

The two clubs would subsequently end up in a legal battle over that season, with Steve Gibson seeking, and ultimately receiving, compensation from former Derby owner Mel Morris for lost play-off revenue when it emerged that the Rams, in signing Waghorn and many others that season, had broken Championship FFP rules. Later financial records revealed that Boro received £2.7m from Morris ahead of the clash between Boro and Derby at the Riverside two years ago.

The two sides meet again on Teesside on Saturday afternoon for the first time since that ill-tempered affair. And Waghorn says ahead of it that he was the subject of Boro fan ‘abuse’ from the moment he moved to Pride Park.

He continued: “I feel like over the last few years I got a lot of stick from Boro fans regarding that and I don't know where that kind of materialised from. I don't know what was going on behind the scenes or whatever, but I got a lot of abuse going back there for choosing Derby over them.

“I don't know how it's come from that. It's just there was a player link with the club and I chose to go to a different one. It's probably obviously the way it went, but I think there's a lot to do with the playoffs and how it finished at the end of the year and they missed out and we got in. So, I think there's a lot of needle going on, obviously, with stuff behind the scenes that I'm unaware of. I got abuse for a few years with that.”