DEAN’S ALL LOVED UP

said Smith, who comes from a family of diehard Villa fans. “I have a really special connection with Jack.

“He’s been through a lot in his career and some people have this perception of him lying in a road when he was 17 or 18 years old when he’s just been thrust into the limelight as a young kid playing in the FA Cup Final.

“But I had no qualms about giving him the captaincy and he has taken on the responsibility admirably.

“The potential of the club is massive. This is a Premier League club – that’s not me speaking with a side. But none of them outshone a veteran with 805 games on the clock, including his 107 England caps.

Derby boss Lampard (above with Cole) said: “It’s up to Ash whether he wants to carry on playing. But for him to train for only four days, and play the way he did, was really special.

“Considering he is 38, his performance was immense.”

Lamps’ own future, with a potential return to Chelsea tugging at his heart-strings, is as clear as a pea souper.

The platoon of loan kids – Fikayo Tomori, Mason Mount, Harry Wilson – may return to Pride Park only in the visitors’ dressing room. And wagons are circling among disaffected rivals, notably Middlesbrough, who claim Derby’s promotion bid drove a coach and horses through financial rules.

Lampard plans talks with club owner Mel Morris to discuss the way ahead. But for Cole, carried out on his shield, the final curtain may have fallen. supporters’ head on, history tells you that. We had fallen on hard times. Last season was tough for everyone who went through the defeat here against Fulham, so the players and the owners deserve what we are going to get.”

Smith revealed a poignant moment he shared with his father, Ron, who is living with dementia and doesn’t even know his son is manager of Villa.

Smith added: “He is in a care home – when I went to see him on Friday, he opened his eyes for two minutes and I told him, ‘Next time to see you, I’ll be a Premier League manager’. He looked at me and smiled.”