 After being linked with a move away from Motherwell to clubs including Heart of Midlothian, Huddersfield Town, Cardiff City, Sheffield United and Nottingham Forest, Porter finally made a move away from the Scottish club and back to England in the Championship with Derby County on 3 February 2009 for a fee in the region of £400,000.He became Derby manager Nigel Clough's first signing.He signed a -year deal with County, saying that "I really enjoyed my time in Scotland and it was a difficult decision to leave Motherwell".