Corey Blackett-Taylor has addressed his departure from Derby County after completing a loan move to Sky Bet League One side Bolton Wanderers until the end of the season.
The 28-year-old will spend the remainder of the 2025/26 campaign with the Whites, who currently sit third in League One, as Ian Evatt’s side continue their push for promotion.
Blackett-Taylor becomes the fourth player to leave the Rams this month, with the club continuing to evolve its squad ahead of the transfer deadline.
Speaking after sealing the move, the winger said joining Bolton was an easy decision and described the club as the right step at this stage of his career.
“Once I heard that the interest was there, and the size of this club, I just felt that this was the right step for me to take,” Blackett-Taylor said.
“For me, it’s one of the clubs that you look at and it’s definitely a big club, a bigger club in this league, and definitely a club that’s got good history. You almost see them as a Championship club.”
“You see the stadium, you see the fans and the turnout that they have and how passionate they are.“
You always know there are one or two clubs that are probably bigger than where they are now and it’s only going to be a matter of time until they’re back where they should be.”
Blackett-Taylor completed his loan switch earlier this week and was already present at the Toughsheet Community Stadium on Tuesday night, watching from the stands as Bolton recorded a victory over Burton Albion.
He is expected to be available for selection immediately as the Whites look to maintain their momentum.
The winger joined Derby in January 2024, arriving from Charlton Athletic on an initial loan deal before making the move permanent that summer.
He went on to make 35 appearances for the Rams and played his part in the club’s promotion from League One, adding pace and directness out wide during the run-in.
However, his second season at Pride Park proved more challenging. Blackett-Taylor was forced off with a hamstring injury during Derby’s opening fixture of the campaign away at Stoke City, sidelining him for several weeks.
Since returning to action in October, he has struggled to nail down a regular starting role under John Eustace, making limited appearances amid strong competition in wide areas.
Derby’s ongoing squad reshaping under Eustace has seen movement in the January window, with Blackett-Taylor’s temporary departure forming part of a broader strategy to ensure players maintain match sharpness.
With Bolton firmly in the promotion picture, Blackett-Taylor believes the move allows him to compete at the level he expects in League One.
“You’ve got to be in the play-offs, you’ve got to be fighting for promotion, you’ve got to be winning most games,” he said.
“Luckily for me, the clubs that I have played for in League One have been those kind of clubs and I feel it’s no different here.“
“That’s what also helped my decision to join because I knew I’d be coming in at the back end of the season and playing for something, and there’s definitely something there to be achieved.”
“I’m coming here to play games, which is what I want, but I’m playing games knowing that I can help the team achieve what they want to achieve, and I want to be a part of that.”
Bolton face a tough task in their bid for automatic promotion, with Cardiff City and Lincoln City currently occupying the top two spots.
Despite that, Blackett-Taylor is motivated by the opportunity to contribute during a decisive phase of the campaign.
The winger remains under contract at Derby County, with his performances during the loan spell likely to factor into planning ahead of next season as both clubs look to achieve their respective objectives.
