Derby County

Image source, Rex Features

Several Championship clubs will be playing close attention to comments from Aston Villa boss Unai Emery about attacking midfielder Louie Barry.

The 21-year-old has been recalled by Villa this week after a stellar loan spell with League One Stockport, where he scored 16 goals this season.

Leeds, Sunderland, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, Derby, Middlesbrough, Millwall and Coventry are among the clubs reported to be keen on taking Barry for a stint in the second tier for the remainder of the campaign.

Speaking ahead of Villa's FA Cup third round clash with West Ham, Emery said: "(Barry) trained with us and we are going to make a plan with him, an overall plan,

"I think he is a very good player who is progressing well. He has been on loan doing fantastic. Now we can have a new plan with him.

"He improved because he was scoring a lot of goals on loan. With us he only trained today and yesterday. Of course we are going to try and get a good plan for the club with him."

Dominic Dietrich
Senior Sports Journalist, BBC Radio Derby

Image source, Rex Features

Well, it felt like we stepped back into covid times this afternoon as Derby County held their pre-match press conference virtually due to a widespread illness inside the walls at Moor Farm.

Head coach Paul Warne and his staff have all come down with issues and a number of first-team players have struggled as well this week as they prepare to go to League One Leyton Orient in the FA Cup third round tomorrow.

Warne admitted the precaution wasn't as dramatic as seemed but he soon settled into life behind the laptop as we discussed how this has impacted his squad selection.

He revealed five academy players will get the opportunity to travel with the first team squad and be a part of the team for tomorrow, but he wouldn't be drawn on who those selected are.

The Rams go to the O's in need of an away win, just one all season in the Championship has added to the pressure for this trip - a sold-out away end hoping to progress into the fourth round with the chance of a trip to one of the big-hitters is still a possibility.

A press conference in January usually comes with the caveat of a flurry of transfer questions, naturally so, and as those around Derby break club record fees, make additions and look at possibilities going forward.

It has been a fairly quiet first 10 days and Warne remains adamant their business will be done later.

A number nine is still the player that dominates the conversation but also an attacking midfielder.

Reports suggested Derby County are interested in Aston Villa's Louie Barry on loan after a strong start to the season in League One with Stockport County, but you can add Derby's name to a whole cluster of clubs in the second tier looking at him as an option.

Warne didn't comment on him as a player, but reiterated that their name will always be linked with players of that calibre, suggesting that "people put one on one together" and agents often have a say in these reports coming out.

Illness has hampered Derby County's preparations for their FA Cup third-round tie against League One side Leyton Orient.

The club's press call was pushed back to Friday and moved online, but Rams boss Paul Warne has come out to say the situation appears more dramatic than it actually is.

And while he insists a "decent team" has been selected for the game, a number of players and staff have been affected this week.

You can listen to Warne's full press conference on the latest edition of the Rams Daily podcast on BBC Sounds.

Derby County head to London to face Leyton Orient in the FA Cup third round on Saturday (18:00 GMT).

• This is the third FA Cup meeting between Leyton Orient and Derby County – the O's won 3-0 in March 1963, before the Rams progressed 2-1 in a third round replay in 1974-75.

• This will be just the third meeting between Leyton Orient and Derby in the 21st century, with the Rams winning both League One games 3-0 last season.

• Leyton Orient are looking to reach the fourth round of the FA Cup for the first time since 2010-11, going out at this stage of the competition three times since then.

• Derby have won just two of their past 17 FA Cup away games against London sides (D5 L10), though one of these was on their last visit against Crystal Palace in January 2020.

• Daniel Agyei has scored in both of Leyton Orient's FA Cup ties so far this season. The last player to score in each of the first three rounds of the competition proper for the O's was David Mooney in 2012-13.

BBC Radio Derby's Ed Dawes is joined by Rams supporter Hilary Leam and podcaster Chris Holt to talk about their favourite Derby County FA Cup memories.

The Rams get their cup campaign up and running with a trip to League One side Leyton Orient on Saturday.

You can keep up to date with with Derby County news and views by listening to the Rams Daily podcast on BBC Sounds.

Ed Dawes
BBC Radio Derby commentator

Image source, Rex Features

Derby County's third defeat in a row was met with boos from the away end at Ashton Gate on Saturday.

Two wins in 12 matches has left supporters scratching their heads, with a silent majority content with the understanding that this is where the Rams are at in 2025.

A club that survived liquidation and a recovery led by a manager desperate to prove himself in the Championship, with players who were without a club, journeymen and youngsters.

To this point Paul Warne has done the job David Clowes asked of him in September 2022 - get Derby out of League One, which he did with a club record points total.

His next task is of a personal nature as well as the requirement to keep Derby in the second tier. So far he is doing that. They were never going to 'do an Ipswich' or even get near the top six. To think otherwise is deluded.

The January transfer window is always going to be a challenging experience. Derby are fishing in a different pond to last summer. Players who don't want to be involved in a relegation scrap may look again at Derby's advances.

More bodies in midfield and a striker are top of their shopping list, but if you are not prepared to pay, then it will be hard and you have to wait.

Derby's fanbase is split. Some fans have never bought into 'Warneball' and chant derogatory songs about him on the terraces. Others get it, they understand the position of the club this season.

Although they want to see free-flowing, high-scoring games and point accumulation home and away, the Rams are simply only able to field the squad they have.

I'm not saying give up on your ambition, but tolerance of the situation is critical. This was always going to be a rebuilding season - they will lose and be awful, they will win and be brilliant. We have seen both this season.

How many of us said fourth from bottom would be an achievement this season?

Well that is what they are on for and these results are how they achieve that. Stick together, remember the bigger picture.

Toxicity on the terraces can destroy a club from the inside.

Derby are hoping to beat Sheffield United and Leeds to the punch and complete a loan deal for Louie Barry, who has been recalled by Aston Villa after scoring 16 goals on loan at Stockport in League One this season. (Yorkshire Post), external

Leeds forward Joe Gelhardt is expected to leave on loan this month, after struggling for minutes this season, with QPR, Derby, Coventry, Plymouth and Portsmouth reportedly interested, though the 22-year-old could also have options overseas. (Darren Witcoop, external)

Derby County head coach Paul Warne spoke to BBC Radio Derby after the Rams were beaten 1-0 at Bristol City.

"I didn't think we were anywhere near our best today, I thought it was a game that we could win and it just felt like a game too far for our lads.

"I just thought we had to get as much energy out of the group as we could, I don't think we played with much energy. There were moments where we got into the final third [in the] first half, second half was like we just tired out of the game.

"I just feel we need to regroup, freshen up, freshen the squad up a bit. We lost too many tackles, made some crazy decisions and definitely didn't do enough to deserve a win.

"To concede off a set-piece was really disappointing."

Image source, Getty Images

Derby County boss Paul Warne expects to have Ryan Nyambe, David Ozoh and Eiran Cashin back on the training pitch by the middle of the January.

Namibia international Nyambe was expected to be out for up to six months after he suffered a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury in October, while on-loan Crystal Palace midfielder Ozoh has not been seen since September after first being sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Defender Cashin has been out with a hamstring problem of his own since mid-December.

Speaking ahead of Derby's Championship game at Bristol City, Warne says the trio are now due to rejoin team-mates "on the grass" following their FA Cup third-round tie against Leyton Orient on 11 January.

"They are three very good players for us and think they make us stronger," Warne continued. "The transfer window has come at a good time for us because it does enable us to freshen the squad up. And it's coincided with players coming back."

Warne also said his "phone is hot with loads of things going on" in the early days of the transfer window.

You can hear more from the Rams boss on the latest edition of the Rams Daily podcast.

Image source, Getty Images

Derby County must act during the winter transfer window to add greater depth of quality to their Championship side, says former Rams goalkeeper and coach Eric Steele.

With striker Josh Windass coming off the bench to score an incredible goal for Sheffield Wednesday from his own half and Anthony Musaba also coming on as a substitute to score in the New Year's Day 4-2 win over Derby, Steele said the result was the latest to expose the gulf that exists between the Rams' squad and others in the division.

"It shows the level and the budget really comes into play," he told BBC Radio Derby. "It says we are not competing on an even playing field when you see they [Sheffield Wednesday] had four strikers, they brought two on and they both scored.

"We really have suffered. We can put out a best XI that can compete, but at the moment we can't compete with some of the substitute benches we have got opposite.

"That really came to be our downfall the other night. Two subs come on, one scores an absolute worldie and Musaba gets the fourth goal and that is the end of the game for Derby.

"It's a worry for Paul Warne with a window starting now, he has got to get more quality."

You can listen to more analysis from Steele on the latest edition of the Rams Daily podcast on BBC Sounds.

Bristol City were moments away from going ninth, within three points of the play-off places, before being denied victory by Plymouth's last-gasp equaliser on Wednesday.

On Saturday (15:00 GMT) they host Derby, who slipped within five points of the relegation zone courtesy of a 4-2 thumping at Sheffield Wednesday, also on New Year's Day.

• Bristol City have won five of their past seven league meetings with Derby County (L2), though did lose the reverse fixture 3-0 back in August.

• After that 3-0 win at Pride Park, Derby County will be aiming to record a league double over Bristol City for the first time since 2015-16.

• Only Leeds United (14) and West Brom (13) kept more clean sheets at home in the Championship in 2024 than Bristol City (nine), who have won three of their past four league games at Ashton Gate without conceding.

• This is the first time both of Derby County's first two league games of a calendar year have come away from home since 2017, when they lost to both Norwich (0-3) and Leeds United (0-1).

• Derby County manager Paul Warne is unbeaten in his past eight league games managing against Bristol opposition (W7 D1).

Image source, Rex Features

Derby County boss Paul Warne says his side did not deserve to start 2025 with a 4-2 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday - which included conceding a goal from their own half.

The incredible strike from Josh Windass put the Owls 2-0 up just after the hour mark.

"That goes down as one of the most horrific times of being a football manager, when he hits it and you think 'oh my, that has a right chance'. And it was an unbelievable bit of skill - I don't want to congratulate the opponents, but it was," Warne told BBC Radio Derby.

"But I still don't think that took the game away from us.

"I'm frustrated with the scoreline and I'm disappointed with the third goal especially, because that's when the game goes away from you a bit.

"I don't regret anything we did tactically, I do regret how we started the game. And after the first 10 or 15 minutes I thought we grew into the game really well and on the chances we created, we score two goals away from home again but came away with nothing. But still I think we should have had four or five - that's my honest truth.

"I'm not so disappointed, I just don't think we deserved a defeat today."

You can listen to more from Warne, as well as post-match analysis from BBC Radio Derby's Rams Daily podcast on BBC Sounds.

Ed Dawes
BBC Radio Derby commentator

Image source, Rex Features

2024 will go down as one of the best in Derby County's history.

40 years since they were last a third-tier side after a some turbulent financial times, the Rams raised their heads from obscurity and stepped back in the Championship.

Having won all their Christmas matches they started 2024 with a late defeat by Peterborough at Pride Park.

That signalled the end of a run that saw them win eight out of nine games. It was a run that propelled them into the top four.

Overall then won 14 of 19 games and by mid-February they were second behind season long leaders Portsmouth.

Ebou Adams' arrival in the January transfer window was an epic signing for Derby.

He is now up their with Leon Osman's loan spell in January 2004 which inspired George Burley's Rams to Championship survival.

Midfielder Adams was the missing piece of a team that was desperate to achieve promotion after disappointment the previous campaign.

Two defeats in late February sparked nervousness amongst the fan base at Barnsley and at home to Charlton.

The character from Paul Warne's side was evident, after every setback there would be a reaction.

Experienced free agent Dwight Gayle joined on loan for the rest of the campaign and scored three goals in three wins, he had the sharpness a successful Premier League striker has but his body let him down and he missed a number of games through injury.

The run-in saw eight wins from 12 with a defeat by Northampton and the battle of the top two ended 2-2 at Portsmouth.

The Rams sealed promotion back to the Championship with a 2-0 win over Carlisle at Pride Park on a glorious day in April.

Derby have grown into this Championship season slowly. They've been competitive in all of their matches and at the turn of this year have shown a step up in ability and understanding.

Warne has stuck to his principals and is always first to admit his mistakes.

Owner David Clowes had stated there is backing for his January transfer window activity, which makes an exciting second half to the campaign and perhaps some investment come the summer.

Dominic Dietrich
Senior Sports Journalist, BBC Radio Derby

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

'Tis the season for transfer speculation.

As soon as the window opens on 1 January, you can be assured the month will be dominated by rumour, busy agents and hopefully some actual business being done.

Derby County head coach Paul Warne said this window is the one most teams look to address their mistakes in the summer but we also know that players will likely leave Pride Park in order for new additions to come through the door.

We'll start with what Derby need and it's been the same issue since Warne arrived back in 2022 - a target man.

They have Jerry Yates, who has been a great signing on loan in the summer, but the question is over a plan B in a worst case scenario.

If an injury happens, you're turning to Dajaune Brown with just one professional goal to his name or James Collins who is at the latter stage of his career despite his proven track record of goalscoring.

Whilst straight batting an answer on transfers post-Leeds United, Warne did suggest at the very end "a 10, 7, 11, or a 9" could be on his shopping list which traditionally have been known as a creative midfielder, wide players or a striker.

Outgoings could be just as interesting as the incomings at Derby with a few names potentially looking for more first-team football.

After contributing to Derby's promotion last season, Tom Barkhuizen, Sonny Bradley and Joe Ward have a combined 19 appearances in the Championship with five starts between them, so could they be knocking on the door looking for another option?

Conor Washington is yet to feature for a single minute in the first team after a number of injury battles so he will be another one that could see his future elsewhere.

There will be decisions around the loan players in the building - Tawanda Chirewa, from Wolves, has played the last two matches, in what were his third and fourth appearances, after an injury ruled him out for a chunk of his time at the club so far.

Plenty of ifs, buts and maybes going into this period but one thing's for sure, we will be talking about it far too much!

Keep up to date with the latest from Derby County by listening to BBC Radio Derby's Rams Daily podcast.

Image source, Getty Images

Head coach Paul Warne says Derby County's attack will be the focus of their winter transfer business when the window opens in January.

Rams owner David Clowes put out an end-of-year message during the rush of festive fixtures and said there would be "funds available" to bolster the squad, having "agreed with the strategy" outlined by Warne.

"There will be no panic, no mad splurges that go against our plans, we will operate in a way that maintains our stability while adding quality to an already talented squad," Clowes wrote., external

Warne echoed that message, saying signings should not be expected "when the clock turns to 12" on New Year's Eve.

"We have highlighted the ones we want and we are reactive to certain things as well.

"We are aware of the fact that there might be people coming for our players, so at the moment we are in a good place that we know what we want to do," Warne told BBC Radio Derby after Sunday's defeat by Championship leaders Leeds.

Derby are in their first season back in the Championship after two years in League One and are 16th in the table with seven wins from 24 games.

Warne says adding greater attacking options to his side - be it on the wings, up front or creatively in the middle - is what he most wants.

"Hopefully we can just enhance the squad in a couple of little areas," he said.

"From an attacking phase, I just think we possibly need a little bit more and that could come in a 10, 7, 11 or 9 - in any one of those sort of roles really."

You can listen to more from Warne and additional reaction and analysis by listening to BBC Radio Derby's Rams Daily podcast on BBC Sounds.

Boss Paul Warne spoke to BBC Radio Derby after his Derby County side were narrowly beaten by Championship leaders Leeds United at Pride Park.

"In the first 10 minutes we showed them too much respect, really - even with throw-ins we weren't getting tight enough," said Warne.

"But after that I thought we were really good – as good as we can be in the nicest possible sense.

"The lads gave everything they could. We made changes second half because you could see some fatigue because that is two massive efforts, with two big home games [against West Brom and Leeds] and I can't criticise the lads' efforts.

"I thought second half we were quite good, it felt like we were the team that might get a goal on a breakaway or a set-piece.

"They then obviously made changes and I hate to admit it, but their goal was a very well-worked goal. It probably took something magical to win this game, and unfortunately it wasn't our players that did that."