We all know the story — so far — of Mason Bennett: the extravagantly talented Derbyshire-born striker who has seemed ready to take the game by storm from his earliest days at Derby County.

Mason made his debut at Middlesbrough when only fifteen years and a few months old; the youngest Rams player to do so. He also became the Rams youngest ever senior goal scorer in an FA Cup match against Tranmere in early 2013, when sixteen years and a few months old.

Things were looking just as bright for Mason when Steve McClaren became Head Coach; Bennett appeared in McClaren’s first eight Championship matches (including the Ipswich match when Steve Mac was not officially in charge); making one start and appearing as a substitute seven times.

But then things started to slow down a bit for Mason: between early December of 2013 and mid-March, he made just three more sub appearances for the Rams in the Championship.

In March he was sent on a one-month loan to Chesterfield, then heading for promotion from League Two. This looked at the time as though it could be the next step up, but Bennett made just one start and four sub appearances without scoring, in what was a largely unsuccessful stint.

Things have not improved for Mason Bennett this season. It began in August with a loan spell at Bradford which was to last until January, which again seemed as though it could be a stepping stone to bigger things, but it was not to be.

Mason had four starts and seven subs in League One, with one goal; there were also a start in the League Cup and a sub in the JP Trophy, before the loan was terminated and the player returned to Derby in mid-October.

Only a month or so after returning to Derby, Mason suffered a serious knee injury resulting in a lengthy absence. He has just recently returned to action for the Under 21’s, but it is beginning to look as though this could be a largely lost season unless something spectacular happens soon.

There have still not been any appearances for the first team, not even on the bench. Kwame Thomas, currently on loan at Notts County, looks to have passed Mason for first team consideration.

It’s not all bad news, of course. Mason Bennett remains an extremely talented player, and it’s easy to forget he is still only eighteen, and will not be nineteen until July. But this remains a crucial season for Mason; especially as he will be out of contract in June.

It may be that a new contract is being worked on; it is also true that he is now allowed to talk to other clubs. Mason Bennett may yet make the next big move upwards in football, but it could be that it will not happen at Derby.

Another young Rams player who faces an uncertain future is Mark O’Brien. O’Brien once looked a certainty for the Rams first team, but his career was sidetracked by health issues and injuries.

Currently on loan at Motherwell until the end of the season, he is also out of contract in June. It is unlikely that anything is certain yet, but there has to be a question as to whether we will see Mark O’Brien in a Rams shirt again.

The stories of Mason Bennett and Mark O’Brien should make us all realise, that no matter how talented a player may be, the road to becoming a first team player in the Football League is rarely smooth.

It also underlines how much credit belongs to those on the Rams coaching staff who brought Will Hughes and Jeff Hendrick through the system to become not just talented youngsters, but highly productive first team players.

Photo: Action Images

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