Derby County

Ed Dawes
BBC Radio Derby commentator

Image source, Rex Features

Mission accomplished for Derby County. Championship survival was a must if the club was to continue the upwards trajectory put on its way by owner David Clowes in 2022.

A few weeks before the culmination of the season, wing-back Kane Wilson uttered: "It's important we don't waste the hard work done last season" by getting out of League One at the second attempt.

For me, this is the moment in time when the club can shake off its damage and rebuild culture brought on by former owner Mel Morris' decision to put it into administration.

Staying in the second tier means the club can be recognised as that Championship team, no sprinkling of sugar but a solid recipe for growth.

The story of this season has been split into two halves. Perhaps there was an underestimation of the challenges of the Championship and what was needed to finish without a relegation battle. Or perhaps there were bouts of imposter syndrome from the then head coach.

Paul Warne's achievements at Derby County will go down in the history books. At times he played exciting, attacking football, he was an infectious personality who you enjoyed being around. But did he really believe he deserved the role as Derby County head coach?

He spoke in his first media conference about how proud his father would have been that he was managing the same team as Clough and Taylor. I am not sure he thought he was worthy of that.

That run of seven straight defeats brought an end to his tenure. No manager can survive a goal drought and a lack of points. The fans had turned and they let him know.

A brave decision was made by David Clowes and chief executive Stephen Pearce to remove Warne and find an alternative. Derby were heading down without it.

Former Ram John Eustace had told me years ago during a conversation while we were watching our boys play football, that he always wanted to return to manage Derby one day. This was his moment.

Prizing him away from Blackburn took time and money and, with the Rams bottom of the table and seven points a drift on 7 March, the journey was going to be tough.

Eventually, with his coaches Matt Gardiner, Keith Downing, Paul Clements and 'football genius' Jake Buxton, the Rams showed signs of recovery. The improvement in each individual was noticeable. Suddenly the mistakes were not being made, the goals were not punishing them and they looked like they could play.

Marcus Harness said after the win at Plymouth Argyle: "Some players thrive in chaos, some thrive with structure and information."

This insight into his mindset made observers look differently at the players. All of them showed signs of confidence, creativity and understanding.

From 7 March, when the club were rock bottom and seven points adrift, Eustace's Rams took 21 points and won away from home three times. The togetherness got the Rams over the line to be able to take that next step.

But it isn't a rebuild now, it is a strengthening of the foundations laid in the past three seasons.

Derby County should be looking up now, not down, and with investment and a solid summer transfer window there is every possibility.

"A lot of people wrote off this team... but Derby weren't done for, weren't done for at all, because John Eustace has got the best out of these players.

"It took him a couple of games, three games in total; as soon as he knew what he needed to do with this group of players, we saw the transformation."

The Rams Daily team are joined by former Derby players Malcolm Christie and Eric Steele to reflect on Derby's goalless draw against Stoke City, another year in the Championship and heap praise on the head coach that secured it.

Includes interviews with boss John Eustace, captain Ebou Adams and midfielder Harrison Armstrong.

Listen to the full episode and more on the Rams Daily podcast.

Image source, Getty Images

Derby County head coach John Eustace spoke to BBC Radio Derby after the Rams secured Championship safety with a goalless draw against Stoke City.

"The job's done and that's the most important thing," he said.

"What a fantastic effort from everyone connected with the football club. The players have been outstanding every day in training they have dedicated themselves to getting to this moment and I couldn't be any more proud of them.

"The fans, home and away have been outstanding as well. During some really difficult moments no-one stopped believing and if you believe in what you are doing you always have a chance. And here we are with us still in the Championship."

Head coach John Eustace says Derby County have repeatedly defied expectations since his arrival in February.

The 45-year-old started his final pre-game press conference of the season by telling BBC Radio Derby that he felt the Rams have long been seen as relegation write-offs.

Six wins in the past 10 games, including a dramatic 1-0 victory against Hull City last week, means they can secure safety on the final day if they beat Stoke City.

"I felt like a lot of people had given up," Eustace said. "But it is still not over yet, we have one more huge game on Saturday.

"The amount of effort and work the group and the fans have put in to make sure we get to this situation has been there for everyone to see and it's important that we finish the job off."

Eustace also went to great lengths to outline a 'keep calm and carry on' approach to the season-defining showdown with the Potters.

While victory would assure Derby's safety against fellow relegation-threatened Stoke, the final-day permutations for six sides in danger of having their Championship stay ended on Saturday are exhaustively mapped out in this article.

You can listen to all that Eustace had to say to BBC Radio Derby on the latest episode of the Rams Daily podcast on BBC Sounds.

Both Derby County and Stoke City face the possibility of relegation to League One at the end of play on Saturday (12:30 BST) - but one side could ensure it definitely won't be them with a win at Pride Park.

Neither side currently sit in the bottom three but remain within striking distance of the three teams below them; Preston North End, Luton Town and Hull City.

Only one of those teams will find themselves relegated but should Preston, Luton and Hull all win their respective matches, it'll come down to an all-or-nothing dog fight between Derby and Stoke.

The Rams have the form, having won both their past two matches while Stoke have lost theirs, but it was the Potters who took victory in the reverse fixture with a narrow 2-1 win.

• Derby County are unbeaten across their last four home league games against Stoke City (W2 D2), keeping three clean sheets during that time at Pride Park.

• After winning the reverse fixture 2-1 in November last year, Stoke City will be looking to complete their first league double over Derby County since the 2006-07 campaign.

• After failing to win any of their 12 league games between December and March, Derby have since lost just two of their last 10 (W6 D2), scoring multiple times in six of those matches.

• Over the last six seasons, Stoke City have lost just one of their six Championship matches on the final day of the season (W3 D2), winning their last 4-0 against Bristol City in 2024.

• Stoke City have accumulated just 50 points across their 45 Championship matches this season (W12 D14 L19) and even a win would still give them their joint lowest points tally since they were relegated from the Premier League in 2018 (53 in 2022-23).

Amelia Warren
Fan writer

I'm pretty sure I won't be the only one who still hasn't quite recovered from Saturday.

An afternoon of frustration, jangled nerves, and finally euphoria.

The away end at Hull on Saturday was something I haven't experienced from a Derby crowd since we beat Leeds away in the play-off semi-final second leg under Frank Lampard in 2019.

It was like the Derby faithful knew something was on the horizon the moment we were awarded that free-kick.

Encouraging and excitable cheers rang out from the away supporters as the referee blew his whistle and signalled for the foul.

The kind of cheers you hear when your team are awarded a penalty, not a free-kick on the left flank.

But Craig Forsyth's perfect cross, Nat Philips' perfect header, and the sold out corner of Derby County supporters' perfect celebrations proved we had every right to be excited.

Lifting strangers up off the ground after celebrating, hugging the person next to me who doesn't even know my name as the full-time whistle blew, screaming out chants in harmony with 2,286 others who all shared the same emotion, passion, desire, and prayers as each other for 94 minutes.

How special is football?

Image source, Getty Images

Saturday's result makes survival chances much higher for the Rams…

However, this is the Championship, and if there's any league that's guaranteed final day drama, it's this one.

Derby will have to make sure they keep their composure, execute the basics, and most importantly not let the occasion get the better of them, knowing full well that Stoke City also come to Pride Park with plenty of incentive to win the game themselves.

It's been far from easy for Derby this season, with our fate still needing to be decided on the final day reinforcing that.

But this club has kept fighting, even when we looked down and out, seven points from safety and rock bottom of the table just eight weeks ago.

What a turnaround it's been.

I've been like a kid at Christmas waiting for this game to roll around, a rocking Pride Park, high-pressure moments, these are things you live for as a fan.

As Jamie Thrasivoulou says in his 'We are Derby' poem: "We're resilience in the flesh, we've never settled for second best."

Tomorrow if we refrain from being second best, Championship football is ours again next season.

Seems simple doesn't it!

Fighters not victims, together as one, let's get the job done.

You can often catch Amelia Warren, external as a guest on BBC Radio Derby.

"If you would have said that, three or four weeks ago, Preston are going to have to go to the last day of the season to get a result, you'd be like no, no chance," former Reading midfielder Jobi McAnuff tells the 72+ podcast.

McAnuff and Aaron Paul are joined by former Barnsley manager Darrell Clarke as they discuss the upcoming Championship relegation fight and who they think is most at risk.

For McAnuff, it's Hull City and Preston North End that "are in trouble".

Hull sacked former boss Liam Rosenior after finishing seventh in the Championship last season, but have struggled since his departure and are currently sitting in the bottom three, a point away from safety.

Meanwhile, Preston are among three teams just a point above and have been dragged into the relegation fight after a winless run of seven games - and it's the Lancashire side Clarke is most concerned about.

"I just think to myself, they've dropped off a cliff, they've got Bristol City away, I fancy Hull to get something at Portsmouth," Clarke said.

"Fratton Park is a difficult place to go to... but they are on holiday aren't they?"

Listen to the full episode and more on the Football Daily podcast.

Image source, PA Media

We asked you if Derby County boss John Eustace should have been considered for the Championship manager of the year award this season.

Eustace had guided Blackburn to sixth in the table before leaving to take charge of the relegation-battling Rams in February.

Derby are one point clear of the drop zone heading into the final game at home to Stoke City on Saturday with their fate in their own hands.

Here's what you had to say:

Liam: Eustace has completely transformed Derby's season. Under Paul Warne, Derby were a side who looked lost, confused and tactically frustrated. Since John Eustace came in, they look like they actually have a gameplan, players know their roles and it seems as though there is no stone unturned tactically. Under Warne, Derby were as good as down and now, under Eustace, going into the final game, Derby have their fate in their own hands. This alone with the squad he has at his disposal proves he is worthy of at least being in the conversation for manager of the season.

Matt: He IS the manager of the season, especially if you factor in budget and the players that Blackburn let go and didn't replace. But I'd prefer if this wasn't recognised by anyone outside the club so we can go into next season under the radar!

Adrian: I don't think you can really argue against Scott Parker winning manager of the season. Agree Eustace has done a great job with what he's got but even if he was shortlisted he was never a genuine contender. Also, the superior goal difference was built under Warne. We weren't getting hammered like Plymouth when losing.

Alex: I think we should wait until the final whistle on Saturday afternoon. If Derby stay up, then yes he's a consideration.

Jas: Eustace has worked a near miracle with the Rams and will keep us up. Then we can rebuild the squad and challenge for a top-six finish next season and he definitely should be manager of the season.

Harry: When Paul Warne was sacked in February, I think I can speak for most fans when we thought "we're as good as down" since we had a team that had no belief and were playing League Two levels of football. Since Eustace has come in, he's given our players the confidence they needed. Derby look like a completely different side under him and to think that we're so close to safety now is incredible. I agree that he should've at least had a consideration for manager of the year considering what he's done for our club. I can't wait to see what happens next season if he's given the proper backing to rebuild our squad!

Helen: Great achievement and after Saturday, if my beloved Rams stay up, I'd award him every trophy in the land. Scott Parker did deserve it though as Burnley have been defensively awesome.

Gerrard: John Eustace is a magician and if he keeps us up, should have manager of the year - not Scott Parker who got promoted with a Premier League squad.

David G: Eustace has been excellent and has got a tune out of two average squads this year. As a Derby fan I'm delighted he chose to come to Pride Park. If he can steer us to a top-10 finish in 2025/26 or even play-offs if the squad is significantly strengthened, then perhaps EFL manager of the year in May 2026.

Image source, Getty Images

Six wins and two draws in Derby County's past 10 matches under John Eustace have taken the Rams out of the Championship relegation zone to within 90 minutes of safety.

Before that, the majority of Eustace's season was spent in charge of Blackburn Rovers, who were sixth when the Englishman left in February to take up the Rams managerial role after Paul Warne's dismissal.

It means Eustace has accrued 65 points from 44 league matches this season between his two jobs at clubs that have each been tipped for relegation at some point since the 2024-25 campaign began.

That points-per-game rate would have seen him firmly in the play-off fight - if it had been done with one team.

Together, his achievements should have earned the Rams head coach consideration for the Championship manager of the year award, according to ex-Derby striker Malcolm Christie.

Is that an overreaction? A bout of recency bias?

Or was Eustace overlooked for the division's top managerial award because his work has been split between two clubs, one which is still bidding for promotion and another that now has its fate back in its own hands?

It's time to have your say...

• Are you happy with the job Eustace has done so far at Derby?

• If the Rams stay up, do you think his achievements this season - at Pride Park and Ewood Park - should have put him in the conversation for Championship manager of the year?

• What are your realistic expectations, or way-too-early predictions, for Derby next season?

Let us know your thoughts here.

Derby County boss John Eustace should "absolutely" have been in the conversation for Championship manager of the year if the Rams avoid relegation, according to former striker Malcolm Christie.

Eustace has won 65 points from 44 Championship matches this season with Derby and previous club Blackburn Rovers, who were in promotion-chasing sixth place upon his departure in February and have since slipped to eighth.

Following three consecutive losses after Eustace's appointment at Pride Park, a run of six wins and two draws in his past 10 matches has dragged Derby out of the drop zone with one game remaining.

Now 19th in the table with a superior goal difference to the other relegation-threatened teams, the Rams will live to fight another day in English football's second tier by matching the final-day results of Preston, Luton or Hull City.

Together with his exploits at Blackburn, who were tipped for relegation before the season began after narrowly avoiding the drop last year, that would be viewed by some as sufficient achievement to have earned Eustace consideration for the Championship coaching award recently won by Burnley manager Scott Parker.

Responding to a fan comment proposing as much, ex-Derby forward Christie told the Rams Daily podcast: "We're incredibly biased, but he's my manager of the season for sure.

"What he's done, the transformation in everything. The way I feel about this team has changed tremendously. If you go back through old Rams Daily episodes, some of the performances under [former Derby, now MK Dons manager] Paul Warne were horrible.

"There was no hope, nothing we felt we could grasp hold of, we weren't organised without the ball, teams were creating too many chances against us. It got me thinking about how much better, and how much [more] confidence I feel around what John Eustace is trying to do."

Christie continued: "Of course we can all get carried away a little but if we stay in the league, thinking about the potential for next season with the squad he's got at the moment, what could he do with a really good recruitment drive behind him and a full summer to work with these players as well? It's fantastic - I think it's really remarkable what he's done with the transformation of the team, the structure, the tactics.

"Every game I'm seeing little tactic nuances coming in and the way John is doing that, based on what the opposition are good at, it's brilliant.

"I think John prefers the game not to be exciting - for us that's fine, as long as we get the result out of it."

Listen to the latest episode of the Rams Daily podcast with Christie, Dominic Dietrich and Ed Dawes in full.

"We know that we have it in our locker to find a way in moments when we're under pressure. We just found a way to win and thank God we did."

Dominic Dietrich, Ed Dawes and Malcolm Christie dissect Derby's crucial 1-0 victory at relegation rivals Hull City which saw the Rams climb out of the relegation zone with one match of the season remaining.

The episode also includes post-match interviews with head coach John Eustace and Saturday's match-winner Nat Phillips.

Listen to the full post-match reaction and more on the Rams Daily podcast.

Image source, PA Media

Derby County head coach John Eustace spoke to BBC Radio Derby after his side snatched a crucial 1-0 victory against relegation rivals Hull City.

"I'm just very proud of the efforts, the boys were outstanding again today. It was a fantastic result," Eustace said.

"Since I've been here this group of players has been written off time after time, but we just keep going and keep fighting.

"The Championship is relentless, you can't get carried away with the highs and the lows. It's an emotional time for everyone and you just have to keep cool and I thought the way the lads performed today was excellent."

Amelia Warren
Fan writer

A player who has received his fair share of criticism among Derby fans this season is Nathaniel Mendez-Laing.

The Guatemalan has put in a couple of notable performances - arguably his best of the season came against Portsmouth at Pride Park, where the Rams ran out 4-0 winners.

He was also taking many of Derby's unique, yet highly successful, corners at the beginning of the campaign, which accounted for just over 30% of the Rams' goal tally in the first 10 matches, allowing him to be deemed a real asset in the side.

However, things quickly petered out for the winger.

It seemed as though he'd suddenly lost a yard of pace, combined with the fact the standard of full-backs in this division is of course much higher than League One, making much less room for error for an attacker looking to beat their man.

With this, and a couple of knocks to halt his momentum, the 33-year-old's confidence soon dropped alongside his performance levels, seeing him become less effective for the team with a low goal tally and a lack of assists, despite being one of the Rams' best players last season.

The biggest moment from last season for Mendez-Laing was his valuable goal in the penultimate match at Cambridge United.

After racing on to the ball he showed great composure to round the keeper and slot home for Derby, earning a 1-0 victory that all but secured promotion.

Despite Mendez-Laing's underwhelming displays this season, he once again proved his passion for the club to succeed when the stakes were at their highest on Monday.

Image source, Getty Images

With his first few touches after coming off the bench at the Hawthorns, he raced on to a through ball, coolly chipped Josh Griffiths, and on the angle passed the ball into the far corner to wrap up three crucial points for Derby.

Making the hardest of goals look as if he'd been scoring them all season!

While his criticism has been warranted for the majority of the campaign, Mendez-Laing has now proved he may be a key contributor to Derby's survival, while also proving how much passion he has for the club.

John Eustace takes credit once again for clearly instilling a mentality that every player in this squad has their part to play in this battle for safety.

Every player is buying into it, and every player wants to take their chance to make themselves the hero, regardless of game time, or levels of previous performances.

Huge plaudits to Mendez-Laing - in a season in which he could have let his head completely drop, he kept on believing and his perseverance paid off in the biggest of moments.

It now begs the question of who else in this squad will look at that moment of magic from Mendez-Laing and be inspired to do the same going into a tense, tight and thrilling final two matches.

Corey Blackett-Taylor is back in training, Kemar Roofe is available for selection against Hull City, and of course Mendez-Laing himself will no doubt be in the squad.

It's crunch time. Who will write their name in Derby folklore?

You can often catch Amelia Warren, external as a guest on BBC Radio Derby.

Victory for Hull City on Saturday (15:00 BST) will assure them of Championship football next season, while a win for Derby could move them within sight of another campaign of second-tier football.

• Hull City have won just one of their past 11 league games against Derby (D2 L8), beating them 2-0 in October 2019.

• Derby have alternated between winning (five) and not winning (D1 L3) in their past nine away games against Hull, beating them 1-0 on their last visit in August 2021.

• Hull won their last league game against Preston, but only once this season have the Tigers won consecutive league games (three in a row in September-October).

• Having won just one of their first 18 away league games this season (D5 L12), Derby have now won two of their past four on the road (D1 L1).

• Only Luton have scored fewer goals (41) and have a lower shot conversion rate (8.3%) than Hull City in the Championship this season (43 goals, 8.6% conversion).