It remains a stark fact that the 1988/89 season represents the high point of the last 45 years for Derby County. Finishing fifth in the old First Division was the Rams’ best position since ending up fourth under Dave Mackay in 1975/76. Only twice since 1989 have they even finished in the top ten of the top flight – Jim Smith’s exciting teams coming ninth and then eighth in the Premier League 1998 and 1999 respectively. Arthur Cox’s side, including…
In today’s game of football all players at elite level are expected to be comfortable in possession. Having the confidence and ability to start attacks by ‘bringing the ball out from the back’ is an essential quality in a modern day centre back, shown by the £80 million transfer of England international Harry Maguire from Leicester City to Manchester United in 2019, a world-record fee for a defender. On 31 October 1995 Derby County signed Igor Stimac, a 28 year…
Derby‘s second season in Division Three North saw them on more familiar ground. During the 1955-56 season they had played a number of clubs they had never previously met and visited grounds they had never played on before. Once again many of the programmes were simple affairs, but what they often lacked in reading matter, they more than made up for, in my opinion, with iconic and attractive covers. What a shame Derby persevered with their dull grey covers. Only…
Derby County’s first game of the delayed 2020-2021 season will be at home to Barrow in the Carabao Cup first round on Saturday 5 September. Barrow were promoted as National League champions back to the English Football League after 48 years away following the curtailment of their 2019/20 season as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Cumbrian side were four points clear when the season was suspended in March but a vote by National League clubs decided to determine…
This article will give a broad outline of the Rams’ post-war matches against Scottish opposition, highlighting what programmes were issued. Given the geographical proximity, games against clubs north of the border have actually been quite few and far between. For completion, I will list the pre-war games I’m aware of: 5.4.1890 Derby 5 Partick Thistle 1 1890s Kilmarnock v Derby 26.4.1899 Hearts 2 Derby 2 14.12.1901 Dundee 1 Derby 2 1.1.1906 Dundee 1 Derby 1…
Several clubs in the Premier League and Championship, including Derby, did not produce a programme for the behind closed doors games of June and July 2020. Consequently, several enterprising eBay sellers have created their own mini-programmes and teamsheets as a record of the games played. These could be considered a type of modern-day ‘pirate’ programme, similar to those produced by some fans for games in the early to mid-twentieth century. The older pirate programmes, or ‘souvenir’ issues, were unofficial productions…
A few years ago when scanning programme covers, I came across the Charlton v Derby 16 January 1965 issue which had the back page neatly cut out. Assuming it had been damaged by a previous owner removing a form, or perhaps a photo of a favourite player, I thought nothing of it, added it to my spares pile and made a note to buy a replacement. Several months later a copy was purchased on eBay but when it arrived the…
1942/43 – “Anyone fancy playing for the Rams this week?” The abridged 1939-40 Football League season saw Derby lying 7th in the First Division after three games (home wins over Portsmouth and Aston Villa and a defeat at Sunderland). The Rams beat Villa literally the day before war was declared – so once it was confirmed, football was the last thing anyone cared about. There would follow a handful of friendly matches over the next 2/3 years but wartime competitive…
When the subject of football memorabilia is raised with football fans, including those of Derby County, it is invariably collectable items such as matchday programmes and tickets that spring to mind along with badges, pennants and of course replica shirts. But, in my opinion, books about the club you support are just as collectable and equally rewarding; sometimes more so. Let’s be honest though; only on rare occasions have books about football received rave reviews from critics and none have…
Derby County’s former manager James Michael Smith, known as Jim Smith or the Bald Eagle to Rams fans, sadly passed away on 10 December 2019 aged 79. He joined Derby in 1995 and resigned in October 2001, taking charge of 281 games. Based on league position in the top divisions, Jim Smith was the best manager the club have had in the last 30 years since Arthur Cox guided the Rams to fifth in the old Division 1 in the…