Nicknamed The Rams,Derby County were formed in February 1884 by William Morley as an offshoot to Derby County Cricket Club.The Derbyshire FA renamed the club Derbyshire County FC that same year in a bid to attract supporters and raise income.Originally,the club played at the Racecourse Ground.They played their first competitive match in the 1884/85 FA Cup against Walsall but lost 7-0.
The following year,in 1886,the club became Derby County FC.They attracted more support and in 1888,the club became a part of the Football League.Derby Midland FC merged with Derby County and County were the only Derbyshire football club by 1891.In 1895,they moved to the Baseball Ground and adopted the black and white kit which is still used today.
Derby appeared in three FA Cup finals in the late 1890s:Nottingham Forest,Bury and Sheffield United.The Rams lost all three.In 1906,they suffered their first ever relegation but were Second Division winners in 1911 to go back to the First Division.The same feat happened in 1914 and 1919,where they went back up.
During the 1920s and 1930s under the foundations of George Jobey,the club consecutively had high finishes.The club shut down during World War II but after the restart,they won the 1946 FA Cup.They had top three finishes in 1948 and 1949 which were dampened by relegation in 1953.Even worse,they dropped to the third tier by 1955.
The appointment of Brian Clough and Peter Taylor was influential in 1967 and in 1969,Derby were back in the top flight.They were banned from competing in Europe in 1971,but won the First Division in 1972.However,after falling out with the board,Clough and Taylor left.The club declined for the rest of the 1970s and were relegated in 1980.
Arthur Co tried countless times to get Derby back to the First Division,succeeding in 1987.New chairman Robert Maxwell provided funds to sign players like Dean Saunders,Ted McMinn and Peter Shilton.Maxwell's lack of further investment and death led to a decline along with relegation to Division Two in 1991.
Cox left in 1993 due to health problems and Roy McFarland was appointed.he couldn't get the club to the top flight and was replaced by Jim Smith in 1995.In 1996,Smith won automatic promotion with the Rams and was praised.For the 1997/98 season,they moved to Pride Park(renamed the iPro Stadium in 2013).
The turn of the millennium was a bad one.Colin Todd struggled to manage the team and his replacement,John Gregory,unfortunately saw over Derby's relegation to the second tier in 2002.He couldn't sign anyone due to financial problems and was sacked in 2003.George Burley took over,leading the club to the playoffs in 2005 only to lose in the semi-finals to Preston.
Under Phil Brown,the Rams struggled and he was sacked in 2006 and replaced by Billy Davies.Davies won playoff promotion to the top flight with Derby in 2007 after five years out of the Premier League.
This was to be Derby's worst ever season.Despite a managerial change,the 2007/08 season saw Derby relegated with eleven points.They won one game,drew eight and lost thirty-two.
The following season in the Championship saw Derby appoint Brian Clough's son Nigel as boss.He steered them to two mid-table finishes in his first two seasons but after a decline,Nigel Clough was sacked just nine games into the 2013/14 season.
Former England and FC Twente manager Steve McClaren took over from Clough.
THE TEAM
If anything,Derby do not lack goals in their side and can't criticise the strikers.Chelsea loanee Patrick Bamford has been prolific for former club MK Dons earlier this season,and is putting in good performances.Northern Ireland's Jamie Ward and £2.3M signing Johnny Russell have been clinical up front.
Another useful striking edition is Chris Martin,who can be useful up front.The midfield of Will Hughes and Jeff Hendrick have been products of the academy who are successful young players.
THE GAFFER-STEVE McCLAREN
Before becoming a manager,McClaren had been a midfielder in a thirteen year-long playing career.
McClaren joined Hull City after leaving school in 1979 and spent six years as a player there.He moved to Derby County in 1985 and left them in 1988 after over 20 appearances.
After spells at Lincoln City,Oxford United and Bristol City,he retired in 1992 due to injury.After hanging up his boots,McClaren was named as a coach at Oxford United and then assistant to Jim Smith at Derby County from 1995 to 1998.
In 1999,he became Sir Alex Ferguson's assistant at Manchester United.He then became a coach for the England team in 2000 and then assistant coach for Sven Göran-Eriksson in 2001.That same year,he was appointed Middlesbrough manager where he remained until 2006.
In 2006,McClaren was named England head coach.He started off well winning three games of their Euro 2008 qualification but a downturn in form saw them fail to qualify for the Euros and he was sacked in 2007.
After spells at Darlington and Oxford United as coaches,he was named manager of Dutch club FC Twente.He won their first ever title in 2010 before leaving to manager Germans Wolfsburg.He couldn't succeed with them and was sacked six months later.
In July 2011,McClaren was named Nottingham Forest boss.He only lasted 122 days before leaving due to poor form.He rejoined Twente,but left sixteen months later.
In October 2013,controversially,he was appointed Derby manager and started off with four wins and two draws.
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