After a 0-0 draw against VfL Bochum in Germany, manager Dave Mackay and assistant Des Anderson took their Derby County side to Spain to compete in the Costa del Sol tournament as part of their preparations for the 1974/75 campaign. The trip was no holiday for the players though as Malaga’s intense summer heat made conditions particularly testing, with daytime temperatures soaring into the high 90s Fahrenheit. Even with late evening kick-offs, the air remained hot and humid.

The tournament began on the evening of Friday, 9 August, with host club Malaga defeating Dutch side FC Twente 4-1. The Rams took on Spanish outfit Granada the following evening, the match ending in a 0-0 draw with Bruce Rioch emerging as Derby’s standout performer. A penalty shootout followed, with both teams scoring their initial five penalties. In sudden death, Roger Davies converted the winning spot kick to seal a 6-5 victory and send the Rams through to the final.

Derby: Boulton, Webster (Newton), Nish, Rioch, Daniel, Todd, Powell, Gemmill, Davies, Hector, Bourne (Hinton).

Granada: Izcoa; Tony, Castellanos, Falito, Dueñas, Fernández, Oriazábal, Grande, Quiles, Parits, Montero.

Having enjoyed a rest day, Malaga held the advantage going into Sunday’s final, while Derby were playing their second match in as many days. Nonetheless, the Rams started brightly, and Kevin Hector put them ahead after just six minutes but Derby could not capitalise on their lead and Castronovo equalised in the 70th minute for Malaga. Kevin Hector and Ron Webster turned in particularly impressive performances, and John O’Hare, introduced as a substitute in the second half, caught the eye with his lively display. Fatigue began to take its toll late on, and Des Anderson later noted that tired legs were a key reason why Derby couldn’t take advantage of their early dominance. For the second time in as many days, the match was decided by penalties. This time, the shootout did not go Derby’s way as Hector’s penalty was saved, giving Malaga a 5-4 win.

Despite the final result, Mackay and Anderson were full of praise for the squad’s attitude and performance levels throughout the tour. The only disappointment was the injury to Welsh international Rod Thomas, who was forced to return home early for treatment on a groin strain. Thomas had played well at centre-half in the match against Bochum, but Peter Daniel stepped into the role admirably in Spain.

Derby: Boulton, Webster, Nish, Rioch (Newton 45), Daniel, Todd, Powell (O’Hare 63), Gemmill, Davies, Hector, Bourne (Hinton).

Malaga: Deusto; Irles, Monreal (Montero 45), Martínez, Macías; Requejo, Castronovo, Bustillo; Orozco (Galindo 45), Vilanova (Miguel 45), Uriarte.

Programmes were issued for both matches involving Derby. The Granada edition is a 28 page issue, with four pages dedicated to Derby in Spanish, including a club history and photos of John O’Hare, Archie Gemmill and Colin Todd. The final programme also comprises 28 pages and includes a brief match report on Derby’s victory over Granada.