SHAUN Derry reckons he's proved his doubters wrong â now he wants to defy the odds again and keep QPR in the Premier League. The 34-year-old was written off when Rangers were promoted to the top-flight, but is one of just a handful of survivors from QPR's Championship-winning side. Mark Hughes's men are still one of the favourites for the drop, despite Saturday's stunning victory against in-form Arsenal. But veteran midfielder Derry, who was rewarded with a new two-year contract earlier this season, is determined to bash the bookies and help the Rs to safety. He said: âWe read the press, see all the media exposure. Before the Arsenal game we were written off, of course we were. âWe approached it with no-one expecting us to get anything, and we threw a spanner in the works.â Derry has waited his whole career for a crack at the top-flight. But the former Leeds and Crystal Palace midfielder reckons QPR's old guard have proved their worth in the Premier League survival scrap. âIt's a great sense of pride to know that I can perform at this level,â he added. âUntil you have been given a chance you don't know how you're going to do, and I think I have taken my chance with both hands. âClint [Hill] has been a credit, outstanding when he has been called upon.â He continued: âI would like to think that whoever has watched me this season and last would see that I play with a lot of passion and desire. âI pride myself on that, I always have done. I'm a novice at this level. It's a learning curve for me as well and I want to continue learning.â*
