It used to be tradition in England that a full League programme would be played on Christmas Day with the fixtures reversed on Boxing Day. Derby County’s last ever Christmas Day match was in 1957 where they lost 2-1 at Bristol City. Just 24 hours later though, the Rams beat Bristol City 5-2 at the Baseball Ground.

95 years ago Derby’s Christmas Day and Boxing Day 1929 Division One fixtures saw George Jobey’s team face Leeds United. The Rams went into the games second in Division One on 26 points from 20 games and were two points behind leaders Manchester City, and one point ahead of Sheffield Wednesday. Leeds were fifth, four points behind the Rams. Although Derby narrowly lost the first game at Elland Road 2-1, they gained their revenge the next day by thrashing Leeds 3-0 thanks to a Harry Bedford first half hat-trick.

Derby played well against Leeds in the Christmas Day game and were, according to the Derby Daily Telegraph reporter “Baseball”, ‘a shade unlucky to lose.’ Despite the the Yorkshire wind and rain, ‘The County were unlucky to be behind at the interval, for they served up football of a classic character that Leeds United could not touch.’ Bedford put over a powerful drive in the first five minutes with the striker also hitting the crossbar from an awkward bouncing ball. But on 16 minutes, Harry Wilkes in the Derby goal could not hold on to a Mitchell cross leaving Longden to run in to sweep the ball into the net past the grounded Wilkes.

Derby responded well after going behind. Inside forward Bobby Barclay was involved in trying to get the Rams back into the game and ‘was nipping round the home defence time after time, but always the final pass went astray.’ However, eight minutes into the second half Leeds doubled their lead. Derby centre half Jack Barker, who went on to manage the Rams in the 1950s, was beaten in the air by Wainscoat following a miskick and the Leeds inside left ran on to beat Wilkes from close range.

Derby were then fortunate to not fall further behind. Keetley was clean through but his shot hit the upright then Wilkes punched the ball against the underside of his own crossbar following a corner with the ball finally cleared after ‘a terrific scramble’.

The Rams did not give up and could have been awarded a penalty on two occasions. First, Barclay was clean through before being brought down then, a minute later, Milburn handled in the penalty area but the referee ignored both appeals from the Derby players.

Wilkes in the Derby goal was ‘positively brilliant’ as the ‘County goal underwent a bombardment’ with George Collin ‘tackling and kicking in lion-hearted fashion’. Two minutes from time, the Rams pulled a goal back through Sammy Crooks who ‘smashed through the ball on his right foot as he was falling’. It wasn’t enough though – but Derby had less than 24 hours to wait for an opportunity to get their title challenge back on track.

Derby: Wilkes, Carr, Collin, McIntyre, Barker, Robinson, Crooks, Barclay, Bedford, Stephenson, Mee.

Leeds: Potts, Roberts, Milburn, Edwards, Hart, Reed, Turnbull, Longden, Keetley, Mitchell, Wainscoat.

For the Boxing Day game, Derby made one change from the team that started at Elland Road: John Webb coming in for Billy Carr. Leeds made four changes: Stacey, Townsley, Underwood and Jennings replacing Edwards, Hart, Reed and Keetley.

It didn’t take long for the Rams to take the lead. Bedford received the ball on the move, ran past a defender then placed a rising drive past Potts in the Leeds goal. Georgie Mee then created both of Derby’s next two goals, putting across ‘perfect centres from the line’ for Bedford to head past Potts on both occasions. The Rams didn’t have total control of the game though as ‘Leeds put up a great fight in the opening half, and gave as good as they got’ with Wilkes having another good game in the Derby goal.

In the second half Leeds, appeared to be ‘a beaten side’ and ‘were never in the game with a chance’ with the exception of one or two attacks. For the Rams, inside left George Stephenson missed a ‘sitter’ when caught in two minds as to which foot to use after being set up by Bedford.

At the back, ‘Collin was the best defender on the field’ and Jack Barker ‘bottled up Jennings’ and ‘rarely failed to get a ball in their air’. Right half Johnny McIntyre ‘was in great form and prompted his forwards like a general, also defending in dour fashion’.

In contrast to the Christmas Day game at Leeds (apparently ‘a clean and sporting encounter’), the return match saw ‘rather rough exchanges’. Leeds captain Thomas Townsley was ‘not too particular in his tackling when he found himself beaten’ and Barclay was on the receiving end of ‘rough treatment’ on occasion. When Roberts tried to upset Mee in the second half, each time ‘the little winger was a bit too clever and enjoyed a laugh at the expense of the Leeds defender.’ Collin and Turnbull ‘had a spot of bother’ with ‘the left winger once shaping to strike the Rams’ defender’.

The official programme is a 12 page issue with very little reading content which is typical of programmes of the era. The team line ups are on the centre pages with the rest of the issue mainly adverts for local businesses. Midland Drapery on St. Peter’s Street and East Street were advertising ‘Everything for Ladies,’ Gent’s – and children’s wear’ as well as a ‘well-appointed café restaurant’. J. Butters & Co. of Devonshire Street were offering private advances of £5 to £200 – with or without security, and Elliman’s Embrocation ‘invigorates the muscles’ and claimed to be ‘invaluable to athletes for stiffness, sprains, bruises, lumbago, sciatica and chest colds’.

Derby finished the season runners up in Division One for only the second time in their history on 50 points, ten points behind Sheffield Wednesday. Harry Bedford scored 30 goals in the league to equal Alf Bentley’s 20 year old club record. Jack Bowers and Ray Straw are the only Rams players to have scored more in a season since, both scoring 37 goals.