Shaun Derry admits he was a proud man after clocking up his 500th league and cup appearance at the weekend - but hopes his career highlight is yet to come at Crystal Palace.

Derry celebrated his milestone by setting up Darren Ambrose’s winner as the Eagles finally earned their first home win of the campaign by seeing off Derby County 1-0 on Saturday.

And the combative midfielder, who started out as a teenager at Notts County back in 1995, insists it is club glory first, personal glory second.

Derry said: “First and foremost we got the win and that was so important after the week we had had leading up to it.

“But after the game I sat down and the realisation sank in and I am very proud of that.

“As a young player you do not really even think about getting to that many games as you just want to play football.

“I remember as a young player a few older pros taking me to one side and telling me to enjoy every game as it is such a short career, and that is something I have always tried to do.

“I only actually found out about it when the club historian contacted Selhurst Park, and for the past three or four games I have been praying I didn’t get injured so I could get to the total.

“If I’m pushed for a highlight so far it would have to be winning the play-off final against West Ham in 2004, but I’m really hoping the best is yet to come - perhaps even this year!”

Ambrose’s winner ended a week of soul-searching for Neil Warnock’s men after their 4-0 pasting by Scunthorpe, and Derry was delighted to hit back at the critics.

The 31-year-old added: “It was great to get the monkey off our backs.

“There were a lot of eyes on us and a lot of people pointing fingers at us - not the Palace faithful but people outside the club, and it was great to come up with that response.

“I think the performance epitomised the spirit at the club and hopefully we can take that forward.”

Things get no easier for Palace though when they head to table-topping West Brom this weekend.

And Derry accepts the Eagles will have to be at their best to pick up something at the Hawthorns.

He added: “West Brom are a great side and they are obviously high on confidence.

“To be honest they are in effect a Premiership side and they have a lot of Premiership-quality players.

“But I think people need to realise just how tight this division is, and how on any day any side can turn you over.

“We lose at home to Scunthorpe and everyone is having a go at us, but West Brom win 5-0 at Middlesbrough and everyone is patting them on the back.

“But we will go there in confident mood ourselves and if we play like we know we can we can definitely get a result.”