Derby County: Fans vote for their Rams player of each decade over the 50 years since the club's first Football League title
- Published
Derby County line up for the 1972-73 season with the Football League First Division trophy they won on 8 May 1972
Derby County fans have had their say on the Rams' best players for each decade since the club won the First Division title for the first time 50 years ago.
BBC Radio Derby will air a special programme at 13:00 BST on Sunday, 15 May with extended interviews, reaction and analysis, as Rams heroes of the past five decades are celebrated.
The show will also be available on BBC Sounds.
Below are the results and reaction to the votes.
To find Derby's best players of the past 50 years BBC Radio Derby and BBC Sport compiled a list of the club's players of the year since their 1972 title win and divided them as far as possible into decades.
2010 to present day
Craig Bryson is now playing for St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership
Winner: Craig Bryson - 59%
Runner-up: Will Hughes - 14% Third: Richard Keogh - 13%
Scottish midfielder Craig Bryson twice collected Derby County's player of the season award during his nine years at Pride Park.
He scored 42 goals for the Rams, with his hat-trick against Nottingham Forest in their 5-0 thrashing of their fierce East Midlands rivals in March 2014 ensuring he has a special place in Derby's history books.
Bryson admits he was initially "surprised" to be voted player of the decade.
"When I started to think about it, I near enough spent the whole decade there," he said. "When you win player of the year twice in that time and there are so many things you achieve at the club in the time, as a team and individual, then I'm absolutely delighted to win the award."
The 2000s
Mart Poom went on to play for Sunderland, Arsenal and Watford
Winner: Mart Poom - 50%
Runner-up: Inigo Idiakez - 25% Third: Georgi Kinkladze - 9%
On a long list of club favourites, Estonian goalkeeper Mart Poom stands out.
He is considered to be one of the best ever goalkeepers to play for the Rams, and quickly endeared himself to the Derby faithful when he made his debut in their famous 3-2 win against Manchester United in 1997.
After leaving the Rams, he scored a headed goal for Sunderland at Pride Park and was still celebrated by Derby fans in that moment.
"We had a great team and coaching staff," Poom said of his time at Derby.
"It was very enjoyable, a great time for everyone connected to the club - the players, the staff, the fans. They were all buzzing times and of course it happened that it was probably my best years and I really enjoyed it."
The 1990s
Dean Saunders also played for Derby's bitter East Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest
Winner: Dean Saunders - 30%
Runner-up: Mark Wright - 17% Third: Francesco Baiano - 17%
Dean Saunders became Derby's first £1m signing when he joined from Oxford United in 1988.
The Wales international scored twice on his Rams debut and was leading goalscorer in each of his three seasons with the club - bagging 42 goals in 106 league appearances before joining Liverpool in 1991.
"I loved playing for Derby," Saunders said. "The Baseball Ground was my favourite ground I ever played at, the crowd were right on top of you.
"People say, 'what about the pitches now, they are a lot better', but the number of shots I had that bobbled just as I hit them and dipped in the corner and the number of shots goalkeepers spilled because it bobbled on a divot in front of them and I got goals from that, it evened itself out. The Baseball Ground, when it was full, was unbelievable."
The 1980s
Bobby Davison had two spells with Derby County
Winner: Bobby Davison - 42%
Runner-up: Archie Gemmill - 24% Third: Mark Wright - 23%
Striker Bobby Davison joined Derby County from Halifax Town in 1982 and went on to score more than 100 goals in more than 250 appearances for the club.
His marksmanship was particularly crucial in helping in Derby's successive promotions in 1986 and 1987.
"It was an honour to run onto that Baseball Ground pitch and wear the shirt," Davison said.
"I absolutely loved my time there. I'm absolutely honoured to get the award, but for me to get that award I had to play with some tremendous players. Every one of those player contributed somehow to me getting goals and me getting recognised."
The 1970s
Kevin Hector earned two England caps
Winner: Kevin Hector - 62%
Runner-up: Colin Todd - 25% Third: Charlie George - 9%
Striker Kevin Hector joined Derby from Bradford Park Avenue in 1966, helped them win promotion to the top flight in 1969 and was instrumental in the Rams winning the historic First Division title in 1972.
He is top of the Rams' all-time appearance makers list, with 589 in all competitions, and second on the club's list of all-time goalscorers, netting 201 times.
Fellow forward John O'Hare said "it was easy" to play with Hector.
"He was an electric player, he got people off their seats," O'Hare said.
"He is probably the most graceful mover you have ever seen play football. He was a beautiful runner and great finisher."