| 2012–13 season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Andy Appleby | |||
| Manager | Nigel Clough | |||
| Stadium | Pride Park Stadium | |||
| Championship | 10th | |||
| League Cup | First round | |||
| FA Cup | Fourth round | |||
| Jack Stamps Trophy | Richard Keogh | |||
| Top goalscorer | League:Jamie Ward (12) All:Jamie Ward (12) | |||
| Highest home attendance | 33,010 vs.Nottingham Forest, 19 January 2013 | |||
| Lowest home attendance | 4,724 vScunthorpe United, 14 August 2012 | |||
| Average home league attendance | 23,262 | |||
The2012–13 season wasDerby County's 107th season inthe Football League and their 114th overall in league football. It was their fifth consecutive season in the second tier following theprevious campaign and their 45th overall.
Nigel Clough described the season as being "Frustratingly close to being in the top six (but) we were also very pleased with the level of performances, home and away."[1] Steve Nicholson of theDerby Telegraph added that Derby's 10th-placed finish was "thoroughly deserved" and noted that only the small size of the squad, combined with injuries and a lack of signings in the January transfer window, meant that the club did not qualify for the playoffs. He also praised Derby's home form, their best in six years, and noted that "foundations are in place" for a top six finish.[2][3]
Six of Derby's players featured in the Actim Index's top 100 players for the2012–13 Football League Championship;Richard Keogh (19),Paul Coutts (37),Jeff Hendrick (58),Conor Sammon (61),Craig Bryson (84) andJamie Ward (87).[4]
On 15 June 2012, Derby County confirmed thatKappa would take over fromAdidas as the club's kit supplier, the deal would last until the 2017–18 season.[5] The club's new kit designs were released later in the summer.[5] Derby's away kit design was released on 1 July 2012, an all back design with hints of orange from the kit sponsor buymobiles.net and Kappa, the club also reverted to showing the traditional Ram on the shirt, rather than the full club logo.[6]
The home kit design was released on 16 July 2012, earlier than anticipated due to a website error which leaked to kit designs early.[7] Like the away kit, the traditional Ram instead of the club's logo was on the shirt with kit colours being the traditional white shirts and black shorts.[7] The kit was first worn by the team in the home pre-season friendly againstSunderland,[7] with kit going on general sale from 17 August 2012, a day before the start of the league season.[7]
          Home colours |   Away colours |
Towards the end previous season, Derby began contract negotiations with players approaching the end of their contracts.Jake Buxton andGareth Roberts signed new contract to the length of two years and one year respectively.[8] The club also entered into contract talks withPaul Green, whose contract expired at the end of the season and who had attracted interest fromLeeds United, among others.[9] The club gave Green until April 2012 to respond.[10] Green rejected Derby's contract offer on 20 April and left the club in the summer.[11] Rams coachJohnny Metgod stated that the club were also in contract talks withJamie Ward whose contract ended in the summer of 2013.[12] Ward signed a new two-year contract, with an option for a further year which will extend his stay at Derby until at least the summer of 2014.[13]Lee Croft andMiles Addison, both with one year left on their contract, were told that they were free to leave the club in the summer.[14] Defender and captainShaun Barker, who was injured in a 1–0 win againstNottingham Forest in March 2012 is set to miss the season due to injuries to hismedial,anterior cruciate andposterior cruciate ligaments.[15] Barker remains optimistic for a full recovery.[16]
In April 2012 the club finally ended their interest in appointing adirector of football,[17] something the club had been considering since May 2011.[18] This meant Derby managerNigel Clough retained control of the club's player recruitment policy and he was keen to add to his squad, stating a desire to sign a striker and younger left back to cover forGareth Roberts.[19] Derby said that they expected season ticket sales to be at 15,000 by the end of the early bird deadline on 15 April, down by 2,500 on total season ticket sales compared to 2011–12, CEO Tom Glick was happy with the figures and predicted total season ticket sales to be similar to the previous season.[20] Season ticket prices had increased for the first time in seven seasons.[20] Derby also launched "demand-based ticketing" for single match tickets, with ticket prices fluctuating based on several factors such as local rivalries, team performance, time of the day etc. Derby are the first club to introduced this style of matchday pricing which is popular in North American sports.[21] The club also announced the scoreboard in the stadium would be replaced by a large screen television, which would help improve advertising revenues and show action replays of key moments in the game as well as scores from other games.[22] On 29 May 2012, it was announced that Derby's Chief Executive Tom Glick was leaving the club to take up a Chief Commercial and Operating Officer role atPremier League championsManchester City.[23] Glick remained in his role at Derby during pre-season.[24]
Following the completion of the 2011–12 season, Derby announced their retained list for the 2012–13 campaign. GoalkeeperJames Severn, defender Chris Jones and midfielders Aaron Cole andRyan Connolly were all told that their contracts would not be renewed and joined Paul Green in leaving the club.[25] GoalkeepersRoss Atkins andSaul Deeney had one-year contract options activated, whilst out of contract pairConor Doyle and Alex Witham were also retained by the club.[25] Academy players Stefan Galinski, Mats Mørch and Kane Richards all became first year professionals after they completed two-year scholarships.[25]Miles Addison,James Bailey,Lee Croft,Steve Davies andChris Maguire were all transfer listed by the club on 22 May.[26] Addison attracted the interest of former loan clubBournemouth[27] and several Championship clubs,[28] later joining Bournemouth for an undisclosed fee.[29] Davies, joint top scorer in 2011–12, was transfer listed due to turning down a three-year contract offer due to "family reasons", a decision which Nigel Clough fully respected.[30] Newly promoted Championship clubSheffield Wednesday had two bids for Maguire rejected in May[31] before a third offer in June was accepted and Maguire joined Wednesday for an undisclosed fee.[32] MidfielderLee Croft joinedLeague One sideOldham Athletic until the end of the season.[33]
Derby were linked to several players in the media, includingWest Bromwich Albion strikerSimon Cox[34] andNorthampton Town wingerMichael Jacobs.[35] Derby offered Jacobs a contract, which was accepted. As Jacobs was under 24, Northampton were entitled to compensation, either agreed by the two clubs or set by a tribunal. Derby and Northampton agreed an undisclosed fee for the out-of-contract player and Jacobs joined Derby on a three-year contract.[36] The club also were rumoured to be interested inSheffield United right-backMatthew Lowton although the club denied interest in Lowton, who later joinedAston Villa.[37]Wigan Athletic strikerConor Sammon, who the club had missed out on in January 2011, was also a target for the club.[38] Derby also turned down two bids in excess of £1 million in June for defenderJason Shackell, both believed to be fromBurnley[39] and two more bids from further Championship clubs, with one thought to beCardiff City.[40] However the club later accepted a bid for Shackell fromBurnley of £1.1 million[41] and he transferred to Burnley, signing a four-year contract with theClarets.[42] Attention immediately turned to who Derby would sign as a replacement, with out-of-contract Nottingham Forest defenderJoel Lynch the first target. The club spoke to Lynch but denied rumours that he had undergone a medical with them and he opted to sign forHuddersfield Town instead.[43]Coventry City centre-halfRichard Keogh, already attracting from Leeds United and bids fromBristol City and Cardiff City, which were rejected, was the next defender the club was linked to,[44] Keogh later joined the club on a three-year contract, with strikerCallum Ball loaned out to Coventry for the season.[45] Nigel Clough said that although Derby may be outbid for players, they would be able to offer "the chance to be a part of what we think is a very exciting young side". At the same time, the club announced that eighteen-year-old formerBolton Wanderers wingerJames Caton had begun training with them.[44] Other defenders Derby were linked to following Shackell's departure were Bristol City defenderJames Wilson,[46] Leeds United left-backAidan White,[47] out-of-contractDundee United centre-halfGarry Kenneth,[48] Cardiff City centre-halfAnthony Gerrard[49] andSunderland centre-halfJohn Egan.[50] Derby offered out-of-contractCrewe Alexandra left-backKelvin Mellor a three-year contract after Crewe only offered the player a one-year deal,[51] but after extensive talks with Derby Mellor turned down Derby's offer after Crewe offered the player a two-year contract which he signed in July.[51] An angryNigel Clough hit out at Mellor saying"It must be difficult for him going back to the dressing room after all the things he said to us. And then when everyone was starting back for pre-season he decided to go toIbiza with his mates for five days."[51] Derby made an enquiry forPreston North End outcast[52]Paul Coutts.[52] After the enquiry was accepted, Derby started talks with Coutts[53] and the Scot joined the club on a three-year contract[54] for a reported fee of £150,000.[55]Ross Atkins rejoinedBurton Albion on loan, after spending the previous season at the League Two club.[56]
The club's first pre-season friendly was a 2–1 defeat toMansfield Town. TrialistsJames Caton and Swiss centre-halfValentin Gjokaj both featured for the club.[57]
VersatileDoncaster Rovers defenderJames O'Connor joined the club for an undisclosed fee at the start of the month.[58] Under thePremier League's controversialElite Player Performance Plan, Derby County applied for a tier 2 academy, which meant they were entered into theProfessional Development League 2 – North, which replaced thePremier Academy League andPremier Reserve League, as a result Derby withdrew their entry of a reserve team inthe Central League, with manager Nigel Clough saying"We've had a great few years in the Reserve League, winning it twice, but our resources cannot stretch to fielding a First Team, Reserve Team, Under 21 Team and an Under 18 team at this moment – especially with games falling so close to each other."[59] The club will stay play reserve games inbehind closed doors friendlies.[59] FormerNewcastle United left backMichael Hoganson joined the club on a one-year contract, after a trial.[60] American attacking midfielderDanny Barrera the club on trial and featured in the reserve pre-season friendly againstBelper Town.[61] FinnishCesena striker,Roope Riski joined the club on trial ahead of the last first team pre-season againstChesterfield, the game also sawSteve Davies, made his first appearance after talks broke down on a move toIpswich Town, scoring in a 3–1 loss.[62] A fee of £1.2 million was reported to have been agreed Derby andWigan Athletic over the transfer ofConor Sammon.[63]
Derby started the competitive season in aLeague Cup againstScunthorpe United new signingsPaul Coutts,Michael Jacobs andRichard Keogh all made their debuts and Keogh opened the scoring on the 30th minute after Jacobs corner,Jake Buxton scored a second goal from a Jacobs corner in the 34th minute,Theo Robinson scored on the 3rd on the 40th minute from another Jacobs corner. In the second halfAndy Barcham pulled a goal back for Scunthorpe, Buxton got his second of the night a minute later from a Jacobs free-kick, beforeMike Grella scored a second for Scunthorpe in the 63rd minute, Robinson had a 72nd-minute penalty saved bySam Slocombe andBobby Grant brought Derby's lead down to 4–3 a minute later,Nathan Tyson got his first Derby goal on the 83rd minute against assisted by Jacobs,Connor Jennings made it 4 in stoppage time and Grant from the penalty spot made it 5–5 to take the game into extra time. No goals were scored in the 30 minute extra time period and the game want to a penalty shoot-out, Scunthorpe won the game 7–6 on penalties withTom Naylor missing the deciding penalty.
The final friendly of the season saw a Derby XI that included trialists Gjokaj, Barrera, Riski andLivingston strikerMarc McNulty beat Matlock Town 2–1.[64] Ahead of the club's first league fixture of the season Swiss defenderValentin Gjokaj signed a two-year deal, with an option of a third.[65] Derby drew the game 2–2 with first half goals fromNathan Tyson (first league goal for Derby) andJake Buxton andChris O'Grady for Wednesday,Réda Johnson equalized is stoppage time. After the game it was reported thatBristol City had agreed a transfer fee for wantaway strikerSteve Davies[66] andHuddersfield Town were interested in signingNathan Tyson on loan.[66] Also,Conor Sammon joined the club on a four-year contract[67] andSteve Davies left forBristol City.[68] Sammon made his debut in the following game atBolton Wanderers, withJames O'Connor making his first start for the club, Derby had a goal disallowed early in the second half beforeKevin Davies scored in the 77th minute andChris Eagles scored as stoppage time as Bolton won 2–0, this result left Derby in the relegation zone after 2 games.Welsh under-21 internationalKieron Freeman from local rivalsNottingham Forest for an undisclosed fee.[69]Theo Robinson was reprimanded after he broke club rules by posting on Twitter that he had been dropped from the squad before the team was announced.[70] Derby's last league game for the month ended in a 1–1 draw atWolverhampton Wanderers,Kevin Doyle scored in the first half for the home team, with Robinson equalising for the Rams in stoppage time. On transfer deadline day, young forward Kane Richards joinedMatlock Town on loan.[71]
Derby started the month with a 5–1 win againstWatford, with first half goals fromRichard Keogh,Jeff Hendrick andConor Sammon his first for the club. In the second halfWill Hughes scored his first goal for the senior team beforeJamie Ward made it fiveMatej Vydra scored a consolation goal for the visitors. Young midfielder Alex Witham was released by the club, after he was allowed to train at an unnamedLeague One club.[72] Injured defenderShaun Barker signed a one-year contract extension with his new contract running out in the summer of 2015.[73] Polish youth international Stefan Galnski joinedCorby Town on a months loan.[74] 18-year-old New Zealand defenderLuke Adams joined the club on a one-year contract.[75] After an international break, Derby returned to league action atHuddersfield Town, withDaniel Ward scoring the only goal in the first half for the hosts in the first minute, there were no further goals in the game as Derby lost 1–0. Sam Rush was named as Tom Glick's replacement as the club's CEO on 17 September, Rush departed from his role at theWasserman Media Group and joined Derby on 1 January.[76] A day later, Derby playedCharlton Athletic at home withJamie Ward opening the scoring form 25-yards,Craig Bryson made it 2–0 after 53 minutes, Ward scored a 64th-minute penalty,Danny Green andYann Kermorgant scored in the 70th and 72nd minutes respectively for the visitors as the game finished 3–2 to Derby. Four days later, Derby playedBurnley at home withJamie Ward andCharlie Austin scoring in the first half, Austin scored a winning goal for Burnley in the 89th minute. Out of favour midfielderJames Bailey joinedCoventry City on loan for three months.[77] Stefan Galinski's loan at Corby Town was extended until 9 December, whilst Kane Richards loan atMatlock Town was extended to 3 November.[78] Derby ended the month, playing in theEast Midlands derby game at theCity Ground againstNottingham Forest, after a scrappy first half, Forest strikerDexter Blackstock was sent off on the 46th minute for an elbow onRichard Keogh and 9 minutes laterCraig Bryson scored the winning goal for Derby which earned Derby's first clean sheet and away win for the season, Derby also rose to 12th in the table from 20th.
Top scorerJamie Ward was out for ruled four weeks after picking up a Grade One hamstring injury in the Forest match.[79] Derby started October's action with a mid-week trip toMiddlesbrough;Theo Robinson opened the score for the Rams with a 16th-minute penalty, beforeLukas Jutkiewicz equalised 3 minutes later after aFrank Fielding error, Jutkiewicz scored a second on 81 minutes,Paul Coutts scored his first goal for the club equalising in the 87th minute. This game was followed by a home match againstBrighton & Hove Albion, which finished goalless as Derby remained in 13th ahead of the international break. 15-year-old Irish youth international defender Jack Tuite joined the club fromCherry Orchard, after trial at Moor Farm.[80][81]Will Hughes signed a new contract, committing his future to the club until the summer of 2015.[82] Derby returned from the international break to a home match against managerlessBlackburn Rovers, Derby drew 1–1 to a 34th minuteJordan Rhodes goal and an 88th-minute equaliser for Theo Robinson. Three days later they were in action atIpswich Town, and goals fromDJ Campbell and Theo Robinson in the first half ensured the scores were equal at 1–1 after the end of the first half, before Nathan Tyson score a late winner for Derby in stoppage time. Derby ended the month atPeterborough United and lost 3–0 with goals fromMichael Bostwick and a late double for Saido Berahino afterJake Buxton was sent off for a second bookable offenceAdam Legzdins also saved aLee Tomlin penalty at 0–1.
Derby signed 16-year-oldScunthorpe United strikerCharles Vernam for an undisclosed fee.[83] Derby began league action in November against managerlessBlackpool, afterIan Holloway left forCrystal Palace on the day of the match, Derby won the game 4–1 with first half goals fromTheo Robinson andJohn Brayford with his first goal in over two years,Tom Ince scored early on in the second half for the visitors through a penalty, before Robinson get his second shortly after andConor Sammon scored his first goal in two months to close the scoring. Three days later, Derby secured their first back-to-back victories in 24 league matches, after beatingBarnsley 2–0 with second half goals fromJames O'Connor (his first for the club) andNathan Tyson in the last minute of regulation time. Derby were unchanged for the second consecutive game atMillwall, however they trailed at half time after a 33rd-minute goal fromLiam Feeney, beforeWill Hughes equalized 8 minutes into the second half, howeverAndrew Keogh got the winner for the hosts on 76 minutes. Hughes was called up for theEngland U21 squad and became the second youngest player in the side history. After his callup, Hughes was linked with moves toArsenal,Liverpool andManchester City, asNigel Clough was reportedly under-pressure to raise £1.8 million in the January 2013 transfer window with Derby setting an asking price of £4 million for the 17-year-old.[84] Right backJohn Brayford also was linked with a move to a Premier League outfit, in this caseWest Ham United.[85]Nigel Clough denied this speculation and said there was no need to sell any players,[86] however he wasn't surprised at the interest that was shown for both players.[86][87] Out-of favour defenderTom Naylor joinedFootball League Two sideBradford City on loan from two months.[88] Derby returned to league action on 17 November at table toppersCrystal Palace, Derby lost consecutive league games for the first time for the season with goals two goals fromGlenn Murray and a single effort fromAndré Moritz. Further speculation surrounded Hughes as Spanish giantsFC Barcelona were also reported to have an interest in Hughes, after scouts from the Catalan club "compiled a detailed dossier" on Hughes when he appeared forEngland U17 in the Algarve Tournament in February 2012.[89] Young Swiss defenderValentin Gjokaj joinedLeague One outfitCarlisle United on loan for six weeks.[90] Derby won their third consecutive match at home with a 3–2 win atBirmingham City, Derby dominated the first half however only scored once in the half throughConor Sammon, the second half was more equal withMarlon King scoring a penalty for the hosts with 17 minutes to then, Sammon netted again to regain the lead for Derby, beforePeter Løvenkrands got a winner two minutes,Nathan Tyson score the winner a further two minutes later. Derby ended the month with a match at home to leadersCardiff City, with the visitors taking the lead after 11 minutes throughHeidar Helguson, a lead which Cardiff held until half-time, howeverCraig Noone was sent off for the hosts after 63 minutes for a second bookable offence,Theo Robinson equalised with his 8th goal of the season with 21 minutes to go, Derby pushed for a winner but the scores stayed 1–1, with Derby 12th in the table, 5 points behind the play-off places and 12 above the relegation zone.
Derby started the final month of 2012, with a 4–1 defeat at local rivalsLeicester City, after goals fromZak Whitbread,Martyn Waghorn andDave Nugent twice,Theo Robinson scored for the Rams to make it 2–1 before half time. This was Derby's fourth away defeat in four games. A week later, Derby took onLeeds United, with the Rams taking the lead through Sammon on 15 minutes, the visitor equalised on the stroke of half time through former RamPaul Green, beforeJake Buxton scored to make it 2–1 on 66 minutes, late substituteBen Davies made sure the win was secured in stoppage time as Derby 3–1, the club's eighth win in a row against the Yorkshire club. Derby ended a run of four away defeats in a row with a 2–0 victory atBristol City after two first half goals fromJeff Hendrick on 34 minutes andCraig Bryson on 36.Valentin Gjokaj's loanCarlisle United was cut short by two weeks after he was recalled by Derby, the Swiss defender only made on appearance in the FA Cup forThe Cumbrians.[91] Derby were targeting three wins a row for the first time during the season in a Friday night home match againstHull City, however the Rams fall behind on 25 minutes through aRobert Koren goal beforeMichael Jacobs scored his first goal for Derby to equalise in first half stoppage time,Abdoulaye Faye scored 5 minutes into the second half to give the visitors the lead for the second time. This result was only the second home defeat during the season for The Rams. Derby went toBurnley on Boxing Day and lost 2–0 with a first half goal fromCharlie Austin and second half effort fromMichael Duff. Derby ended the calendar year with a 1–1 draw atCharlton Athletic, with hosts taking the lead afterDanny Haynes scoring after 19 minutes, Charlton held this lead until the 72nd minute whenJamie Ward scored from the penalty spot on his return after a three-month absence, Ward's goal came from the penalty spot afterMichael Morrison was sent off for a foul onRichard Keogh which led to a second booking, Ward only lasted 15 minutes on his first team return as he was replaced after 83 minutes. This result left Derby 11th in the table, 6 points off the play-off places.
The transfer window started withJames Bailey re-joiningCoventry City on loan for the remainder of the season.[92] Derby played their first league game of 2013 on New Year's Day at home to 3rd placedMiddlesbrough; a game which the Rams won 3–1 with first half goals fromMichael Jacobs andJeff Hendrick andConor Sammon in the second half,Lukas Jutkiewicz got a late consolation goal for the visitors. As a Championship club, Derby started their FA Campaign againstLeague One leadersTranmere Rovers, with Derby taking the lead throughBen Davies after 42 minutes,Conor Sammon got his 7th goal of the season in the second after 54 minutes,John Brayford got a third for Derby on 63 minutes,Jeff Hendrick made it four on 72 minutes, before 16 year oldMason Bennett got his first goal for the club on 87 which closed to scoring with Derby 5–0 up, this goal also ensured he became the youngest goal scorer in the club's history. Nineteen-year-old Polish youth international defender and striker Kane Richards were both released from the club without making a first team appearance.[93] Derby then went toBrighton & Hove Albion and were 2–0 at half through a 2nd-minute goal fromAshley Barnes and fromAndrea Orlandi after 25,Jeff Hendrick pulled one back after 70 minutes to score his third goal in the three Derby's, but Derby couldn't force an equaliser and fell to their 10th defeat of the season, 8 of these away from home. GoalkeeperRoss Atkins was recalled by Derby after he fell down to third choice at his loan club;Burton Albion.[94]Tom Naylor's loan atBradford City was extended by a month however.[95] and out of favour strikerNathan Tyson joined fellow Championship clubMillwall until the end of the season.[96] Derby returned to league action in theEast Midlands derby game at home toForest, with Forest taking lead after 31 minutes throughChris Cohen,Jamie Ward equalised after 52 minutes. Derby ended their January fixtures with a FA Cup fourth round tie at home toBlackburn Rovers, with Rams falling behind after 44 minutes with aColin Kazim-Richards strike,Scott Dann got a second on 66,Jordan Rhodes made it 0–3 on 71. In the league, Derby finished the month 13th in the table, 9 points behind the play-offs and 10 ahead of relegation. Transfer deadline day was a quiet one for Derby, with only one departure,Lee Croft who was on loan atOldham Athletic had his contract terminated.[97]
Derby began their February programme with a home fixture to managerlessHuddersfield Town, a game which Derby won 3–0 with first half goals fromCraig Bryson andJamie Ward, withRichard Keogh netting the third early in the second half. A week later Derby were on the road againstSheffield Wednesday and with Derby taking a two-goal lead with goals from Hendrick and aJamie Ward penalty, the hosts pulled a got back level throughLeroy Lita andMiguel Llera. Three days later, Derby were back in league action in Yorkshire atHull City a game which Derby lost 2–1 through a debut goal fromMohamed Nagy, Jamie Ward scored his fourth goal in four games on 84, beforeAhmed Elmohamady got the winner three minutes later,Gareth Roberts on his 100th Derby appearance was sent off for serious foul play on 89 minutes, this was also the second red card for a Derby player during the season.Michael Hoganson was given his first senior start after Roberts three game ban and played apart in the defence which kept a clean sheet as the game withWolverhampton Wanderers finished 0–0, Derby's first goalless result since 6 October. Derby drew at home again three days later, againstBolton Wanderers, Derby fell behind in first half stoppage time through a goal fromRichard Keogh, beforeJamie Ward got his 10th goal of the season 9 minutes before full-time to secure a 1–1 draw.Theo Robinson who lost his place in the starting 11 toConor Sammon andJamie Ward joined fellow Championship sideHuddersfield Town on a loan until the end of the season.[98]Norwich City strikerChris Martin joined Derby on an initial months loan, becoming Derby's first loan signing of the season.[99] After his return from Bradford,Tom Naylor was made available for loan and it was reported that he turned down a move toGrimsby Town.[100][101] Grismby joint managerPaul Hurst stated that Naylor was set to join another Conference National side.[101] However, on 22 February 2013 Naylor completed a loan move toGrimsby Town until the end of the season.[102] Derby ended their fixtures in February with a 2–1 defeat atWatford, through goals fromMatej Vydra on 35 minutes andJoel Ekstrand on 68,Jamie Ward scored a penalty for the Rams on 73 minutes.
Derby started March with a Friday night fixture at home toCrystal Palace, Derby lost 1–0 through a 13-minuteYannick Bolasie goal,Conor Sammon had 87 minute penalty saved by Palace keeperJulián Speroni.[103] Top scorerJamie Ward suffered a re-occurrence of his hamstring injury in this game and as a response, Derby brought inWatford wingerCraig Forsyth on a months loan ahead of Derby's trip at table toppersCardiff City.[104] In the first half, Derby had a handball penalty appeal turned down and had aChris Martin goal disallowed for offside, Derby took the lead on 75 minutes throughConor Sammon with his first goal in English football away from home before,Craig Noone equalised on 82 to leave Derby winless in seven. Derby then took inBirmingham City looking for a win atSt Andrew's for only the second time in twenty-five matches, through a 40th minuteBen Davies goal, beforeWes Thomas equalised for the hosts on 67,Nathan Redmond gave the hosts the lead on 75 before Redmond secured to 3–1 win for Birmingham in stoppage time. A week later, Derby took on local rivals atLeicester City at home hoping to end an 8-game run without a win and led 2–0 at half time throughRichard Keogh on 16 minutes andChris Martin with his first for the club on 44. In the second half Leicester opened their account throughJeff Schlupp on 62 minutes, but Derby held on to win 2–1. After this, the club extended Martin's loan until the end of the season.[105] Derby ended the month with an Easter Friday meeting at home with bottom of the tableBristol City,Jamie Ward had a 3rd-minute penalty saved byTom Heaton,Jeff Hendrick opened the scoring with his tenth goal for the club and his seventh of the season on 36 minutes, Ward made it 2–0 in the second half on 54 minutes, substituteBen Davies got his third goal of the league season in stoppage to ensure a 3–0 win for Derby. This result ensured back-to-back league wins for the first time since mid-December.
Derby started April, with an Easter Monday evening kick off atLeeds United aiming for a ninth consecutive win against the Yorkshire and season record of three league wins in succession. The first half was fairly event-less and petered out into a 0–0 draw. In the second half, Derby had aConor Sammon goal ruled offside, beforeRoss McCormack scored the opening goal for Leeds on 67 minutes, however on 73 minutes Derby won a penalty which Sammon took; however he hit the post butPaul Coutts got his second goal for Derby in the rebound, Derby then pushed for a winner whichJake Buxton got on 88 minutes; to ensure a 2–1 win for Derby. This result moved Derby up to eighth in the table, six points off the play-offs and virtually ensured another season in the Championship at the minimum. Leeds managerNeil Warnock resigned shortly after the match. The following Saturday, Derby welcomedIpswich Town at Pride Park and in the 44th minute missed their fourth consecutive penalty, their third in three games as Jamie Ward's effort was saved byScott Loach, Derby were made to pay for the penalty miss whenCarlos Edwards scored a winner for the visitors in stoppage time. DefenderJake Buxton signed a new two-year contract[106] before Derby went to relegation threatenedBlackburn Rovers, with Rovers leading 2–0 at half time through aJordan Rhodes penalty and aScott Dann in stoppage time, there were no further goals in the second half. Three days later Derby returned to league action with an away match atBarnsley another team under threat from relegation, Derby drew the game 1–1 after falling behind through aChris O'Grady goal on 47th, Derby's equaliser came in stoppage time throughPaul Coutts.Will Hughes said a years extension to his contract and returned to the matchday squad for Derby's penultimate home game of the season againstPeterborough United, Derby lead three nil after 52 minutes with goals fromCraig Bryson,Chris Martin andRichard Keogh however the visitors were allowed back into the match afterFrank Fielding was sent off for a professional foul on 62 minutes,Chris McCann converted the penalty but Derby held on to win 3–1. Derby concluded their away fixtures with a tie at fellow midtable sideBlackpool winning 1–0 at half-time throughGary Taylor-Fletcher,Tom Ince also missed a penalty for the hosts in the first half, substituteBen Davies made it 1–1 on 65 minutes beforeLudovic Sylvestre got a late winner for the hosts as Derby lost their 12th away game in 23 games. After this game, loan left-backCraig Forsyth was re-called by promotion chasingWatford[107] whilst the club offered a one-year contract toBen Davies.[108]
It was announced on 2 May that left-back Gareth Roberts would be released, having spent three years withThe Rams.[109] As the season drew to a close, the club were linked with a number of players, includingBirmingham City wingerChris Burke,Blackpool defenderAlex Baptiste, former loanee Craig Forsyth, the on-loanChris Martin,Norwich City strikerJames Vaughan and former Derby goalkeeperLee Grant.[110][111] Ever-present defenderRichard Keogh won theJack Stamps,[112] Club, and Supporters Player of the Year awards.[113]Will Hughes won the Sammy Crooks Young Player of the Year,[113] withKieron Freeman winning the under-21 Player of the Year award.[113]Max Lowe winning the Academy Award andJamie Hanson the scholar award.[113]Jeff Hendrick won the goal of the season for his strike againstMiddlesbrough,[113] Faye Nixon won the Brian Clough Award[113] and academy headDarren Wassall won the President's Award[113] Derby ended the season with a 1–0 win at home toMillwall,Conor Sammon scored his ninth goal of the season from the bench on 85 minutes as Derby finished the season 10th in the table, seven points above the relegation zone and seven points from the play-offs. On 7 May it was announced that former goalkeeper Lee Grant was to join the club on a free transfer in the summer, signing a three-year deal.[114]
| No. | Name | Nationality | Position (s) | Date of Birth (Age) | Signed from |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | |||||
| 1 | Frank Fielding |  | GK | (1988-04-04)4 April 1988 (aged 25) | Blackburn Rovers |
| 13 | Adam Legzdins | | GK | (1986-11-28)28 November 1986 (aged 26) | Burton Albion |
| 30 | Saul Deeney |  [notes 1] | GK | (1983-03-23)23 March 1983 (aged 30) | Burton Albion |
| Defenders | |||||
| 2 | John Brayford | | DF | (1987-12-29)29 December 1987 (aged 25) | Crewe Alexandra |
| 3 | Gareth Roberts |  | DF | (1978-02-06)6 February 1978 (aged 35) | Doncaster Rovers |
| 5 | Jake Buxton | | DF | (1985-03-04)4 March 1985 (aged 28) | Burton Albion |
| 6 | Richard Keogh | [notes 2] | DF | (1986-08-11)11 August 1986 (aged 26) | Coventry City |
| 15 | Mark O'Brien | | DF | (1992-11-20)20 November 1992 (aged 20) | Youth system |
| 16 | James O'Connor | | DF | (1984-11-20)20 November 1984 (aged 28) | Doncaster Rovers |
| 17 | Tom Naylor | | DF | (1991-06-28)28 June 1991 (aged 21) | Mansfield Town |
| 21 | Valentin Gjokaj |  [notes 3] | DF | (1993-08-23)23 August 1993 (aged 19) |  Luzern II |
| 22 | Michael Hoganson | | DF | (1993-09-03)3 September 1993 (aged 19) | Newcastle United |
| 23 | Kieron Freeman | [notes 4] | DF | (1992-03-21)21 March 1992 (aged 21) | Nottingham Forest |
| Midfielders | |||||
| 4 | Craig Bryson |  | MF | (1986-11-06)6 November 1986 (aged 26) | Kilmarnock |
| 7 | Paul Coutts | | MF | (1988-07-22)22 July 1988 (aged 24) | Preston North End |
| 8 | Jeff Hendrick | | MF | (1992-01-31)31 January 1992 (aged 21) | Youth system |
| 12 | Michael Jacobs | | MF | (1991-11-04)4 November 1991 (aged 21) | Northampton Town |
| 18 | Ben Davies | | MF | (1981-05-27)27 May 1981 (aged 31) | Notts County |
| 19 | Will Hughes | | MF | (1995-04-07)7 April 1995 (aged 18) | Youth system |
| Forwards | |||||
| 9 | Nathan Tyson | | FW | (1982-05-04)4 May 1982 (aged 31) | Nottingham Forest |
| 10 | Jamie Ward |  [notes 5] | FW | (1986-05-12)12 May 1986 (aged 26) | Sheffield United |
| 11 | Theo Robinson |  [notes 6] | FW | (1989-01-22)22 January 1989 (aged 24) | Millwall |
| 14 | Conor Doyle |  [notes 7] | FW | (1991-10-13)13 October 1991 (aged 21) | Creighton Bluejays |
| 20 | Mason Bennett | | FW | (1996-07-15)15 July 1996 (aged 16) | Youth system |
| 25 | Chris Martin | | FW | (1988-11-04)4 November 1988 (aged 24) | Norwich City |
Permanent
| Player | Country | Squad number | Position | Signed From | Date | Fee Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael Jacobs | | 12 | Midfielder | Northampton Town | 1 July 2012 | Undisclosed[36] |
| Paul Coutts | | 7 | Midfielder | Preston North End | 14 July 2012 | £150k[55] |
| Richard Keogh | | 6 | Defender | Coventry City | 19 July 2012 | £1m[45] |
| James O'Connor | | 16 | Defender | Doncaster Rovers | 1 August 2012 | Undisclosed[58] |
| Michael Hoganson | | 22 | Defender | Unattached | 7 August 2012 | Free[60] |
| Valentin Gjokaj | | 21 | Defender | Unattached | 18 August 2012 | Free[65] |
| Conor Sammon | | 32 | Forward | Wigan Athletic | 20 August 2012 | £1.2m[67] |
| Kieron Freeman | | 23 | Defender | Nottingham Forest | 22 August 2012 | Undisclosed[69] |
Loan
| Player | Country | Squad number | Position | Loaned From | Date | Loan Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Martin | | 25 | Forward | Norwich City | 22 February 2013 | Season Long[99][105] |
| Craig Forsyth | | 24 | Midfielder | Watford | 4 March 2013 | Two Months[104][107] |
Permanent
| Player | Country | Squad number | Position | Signed From | Date | Fee Paid | Total Derby Appearances | Total Derby Goals | Sold To | Date | Fee Received |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Maguire | | 11 | Forward | Aberdeen | 29 June 2011 | £400k[115] | 3/5 | 2 | Sheffield Wednesday | 21 June 2012 | £200k[32][116] |
| Chris Jones | | 27 | Defender | Trainee | 1 July 2011 | N/A[117] | 0 | 0 | End of Contract | 30 June 2012 | N/A[25] |
| Paul Green | [notes 8] | 32 | Midfielder | Doncaster Rovers | 1 July 2008 | Free[118] | 139/4 | 13 | End of Contract | 30 June 2012 | N/A[11] |
| James Severn | | 33 | Goalkeeper | Trainee | 1 July 2009 | N/A[119] | 0/1 | 0 | End of Contract | 30 June 2012 | N/A[25] |
| Ryan Connolly | | 34 | Midfielder | Trainee | 1 Jan 2010 | N/A[120] | 0/1 | 0 | End of Contract | 30 June 2012 | N/A[25] |
| Aaron Cole | | — | Midfielder | Trainee | 1 July 2011 | N/A | 0 | 0 | End of Contract | 30 June 2012 | N/A[25] |
| Jason Shackell | | 6 | Defender | Barnsley | 21 June 2011 | £750k, rising to £1m[121] | 49 | 1 | Burnley | 5 July 2012 | £1.1m[41] |
| Miles Addison | | — | Defender | Trainee | 1 July 2005 | N/A[122] | 64/14 | 5 | Bournemouth | 12 July 2012 | Undisclosed[29] |
| Steve Davies | | 29 | Forward | Tranmere Rovers | 12 June 2008 | £275k, rising to £725k[123] | 55/39 | 23 | Bristol City | 20 August 2012 | £750k[68] |
| Alex Witham | | — | Midfielder | Trainee | 1 July 2011 | N/A | 0 | 0 | Contract Terminated | 1 September 2012 | N/A[72] |
| Stefan Galinski |  | — | Defender | Trainee | 1 July 2012 | N/A[124] | 0 | 0 | Contract Terminated | 10 January 2013 | N/A[93] |
| Kane Richards | | — | Forward | Trainee | 1 July 2012 | N/A[125] | 0 | 0 | Contract Terminated | 10 January 2013 | N/A[93] |
| Lee Croft | | — | Midfielder | Unattached | 25 June 2009 | Free[126] | 20/10 | 1 | Contract Terminated | 31 January 2013 | N/A[97] |
Loan
| Player | Country | Squad number | Position | Loaned To | Date | Loan Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee Croft | | — | Midfielder | Oldham Athletic | 3 July 2012 | Seven Months[33][I] |
| Callum Ball | | 16 | Forward | Coventry City | 19 July 2012 | Season Long[45] |
| Ross Atkins | | — | Goalkeeper | Burton Albion | 27 July 2012 | Six Months[56][II] |
| Kane Richards | | — | Forward | Matlock Town | 31 August 2012 | Two Months[71][78] |
| Stefan Galinski | | — | Defender | Corby Town | 5 September 2012 | Three Months[74][78] |
| James Bailey | | — | Midfielder | Coventry City | 25 September 2012 | Three Months[77] |
| Tom Naylor | | 17 | Defender | Bradford City | 16 November 2012 | Three Months[88][95] |
| Valentin Gjokaj | | 21 | Defender | Carlisle United | 22 November 2012 | One Month[90][III] |
| James Bailey | | — | Midfielder | Coventry City | 1 January 2012 | Season Long[92] |
| Nathan Tyson | | 9 | Forward | Millwall | 16 January 2012 | Season Long[96] |
| Theo Robinson | | 11 | Forward | Huddersfield Town | 22 February 2012 | Season Long[98] |
| Tom Naylor | | 17 | Defender | Grimsby Town | 22 February 2013 | Season Long[102] |
Notes
^I Croft originally joined Oldham for the season, but Derby terminated the players contract after seven months.[97]
^II Atkins originally joined Burton Albion for the season, but Derby recalled the player after six months.[94]
^III Gjokaj originally joined Carlisle United for six weeks, but Derby recalled the player two weeks early.[91]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Nottingham Forest | 46 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 63 | 59 | +4 | 67 |
| 9 | Charlton Athletic | 46 | 17 | 14 | 15 | 65 | 59 | +6 | 65 |
| 10 | Derby County | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 65 | 62 | +3 | 61 |
| 11 | Burnley | 46 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 62 | 60 | +2 | 61 |
| 12 | Birmingham City | 46 | 15 | 16 | 15 | 63 | 69 | −6 | 61 |
| Win | Draw | Loss |
The club announced their pre-season programme on 9 May 2012[127] with a game atMansfield Town on 25 July which started a series of 5 pre-season games. There were also trips toBurton Albion,Northampton Town,Colchester United with the set of friendlies completed with a game atChesterfield on 11 August.[127] On 18 May 2012, a further pre-season friendly was announced, a home game againstPremier League outfitSunderland on 8 August.[128]
| Date | Time | Competition | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 July 2012 | 19:30 | Friendly | Mansfield Town | A | 1–2 | Robinson 34 pen' | 2,596 (1,030 away fans) |
| 28 July 2012 | 15:00 | Friendly | Burton Albion | A | 1–0 | Jacobs 49' | 3,026 |
| 31 July 2012 | 19:30 | Friendly | Northampton Town | A | 4–3 | Bennett 35', Robinson 38',66', Ward 85' | 1,726 (493 away fans) |
| 3 August 2012 | 19:30 | Friendly | Colchester United | A | 2–2 | Okuonghae 8 o.g.', Robinson 90' | 1,352 |
| 8 August 2012 | 19:45 | Friendly | Sunderland | H | 1–1 | Tyson 89' | 3,128 (668 away fans) |
| 11 August 2012 | 15:15 | Friendly | Chesterfield | A | 1–3 | S.Davies 90' |
The fixtures for the 2012–13 Football League Championship were announced on 18 June 2012 at 09:00BST. The season will begin on 18 August 2012, later than usual due to the2012 Summer Olympics in London.[129] The season will open with an away home game to newly promotedSheffield Wednesday and ends with a game at home toMillwall on 4 May 2013.[130]
| Date | Match No. | Time | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Referee | Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 August 2012 | 1 | 15:00 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 2–2 | Tyson 11', Buxton 27' | 27,437 (5,952 away fans) | S. Mathieson (Cheshire) | 10 |
| 21 August 2012 | 2 | 20:00 | Bolton Wanderers | A | 0–2 | 17,050 (974 away fans) | C. Pawson (South Yorkshire) | 22 | |
| 25 August 2012 | 3 | 15:00 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1–1 | Robinson 90' | 21,864 (1,480 away fans) | J. Moss (West Yorkshire) | 21 |
| 1 September 2012 | 4 | 15:00 | Watford | H | 5–1 | Keogh 16', Hendrick 36', Sammon 43', Hughes 52', Ward 67' | 20,608 (894 away fans) | P. Tierney (Lancashire) | 14 |
| 15 September 2012 | 5 | 15:00 | Huddersfield Town | A | 0–1 | 15,265 | T. Kettle (Berkshire) | 19 | |
| 18 September 2012 | 6 | 19:45 | Charlton Athletic | H | 3–2 | Ward 7',64 pen', Bryson 53' | 20,063 (443 away fans) | D. Phillips (West Sussex) | 9 |
| 22 September 2012 | 7 | 15:00 | Burnley | H | 1–2 | Ward 20' | 21,387 | O. Langford (West Midlands) | 16 |
| 30 September 2012 | 8 | 13:15 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–0 | Bryson 55' | 28,707 (4,389 away fans) | R. Madley (West Yorkshire) | 12 |
| 3 October 2012 | 9 | 19:45 | Middlesbrough | A | 2–2 | Robinson 16 pen', Coutts 87' | 13,377 (279 away fans) | M. Naylor (South Yorkshire) | 13 |
| 6 October 2012 | 10 | 15:00 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 0–0 | 22,059 (1,490 away fans) | A. Woolmer (Northamptonshire) | 13 | |
| 20 October 2012 | 11 | 15:00 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 1–1 | Robinson 88' | 22,958 (1,447 away fans) | M. Haywood (West Yorkshire) | 14 |
| 23 October 2012 | 12 | 19:45 | Ipswich Town | A | 2–1 | Robinson 40', Tyson 90' | 15,417 (329 away fans) | A. Madley | 12 |
| 27 October 2012 | 13 | 15:00 | Peterborough United | A | 0–3 | 8,427 (2,126 away fans) | S. Hooper (Wiltshire) | 13 | |
| 3 November 2012 | 14 | 15:00 | Blackpool | H | 4–1 | Robinson 12',54', Brayford 31', Sammon 65' | 22,272 (905 away fans) | M. Russell (Hertfordshire) | 11 |
| 6 November 2012 | 15 | 19:45 | Barnsley | H | 2–0 | O'Connor 69', Tyson 90' | 20,808 (404 away fans) | D. Coote (Nottingham) | 9 |
| 10 November 2012 | 16 | 15:00 | Millwall | A | 1–2 | Hughes 53' | 10,392 (661 away fans) | G. Salisbury (Lancashire) | 9 |
| 17 November 2012 | 17 | 15:00 | Crystal Palace | A | 0–3 | 16,211 (1,005 away fans) | F. Graham (Essex) | 13 | |
| 24 November 2012 | 18 | 17:20 | Birmingham City | H | 3–2 | Sammon 32',80', Tyson 84' | 21,505 (1,571 away fans) | N. Miller (County Durham) | 12 |
| 27 November 2012 | 19 | 19:45 | Cardiff City | H | 1–1 | Robinson 69' | 20,911 (777 away fans) | M. Brown (East Yorkshire) | 12 |
| 1 December 2012 | 20 | 17:20 | Leicester City | A | 1–4 | Robinson 38' | 20,680 (883 away fans) | G. Eltringham (Sunderland) | 16 |
| 8 December 2012 | 21 | 13:00 | Leeds United | H | 3–1 | Sammon 15', Buxton 66', Davies 90' | 25,034 (3,453 away fans) | S. Mathieson (Cheshire) | 10 |
| 15 December 2012 | 22 | 15:00 | Bristol City | A | 2–0 | Hendrick 34', Bryson 36' | 12,526 (846 away fans) | A. D'Urso (Essex) | 10 |
| 21 December 2012 | 23 | 19:45 | Hull City | H | 1–2 | Jacobs 45' | 25,442 (1,201 away fans) | D. Sheldrake (Surrey) | 10 |
| 26 December 2012 | 24 | 15:00 | Burnley | A | 0–2 | 13,779 | A. Haines (Tyne and Wear) | 12 | |
| 29 December 2012 | 25 | 15:00 | Charlton Athletic | A | 1–1 | Ward 72 pen' | 17,761 (1,372 away fans) | C. Boyeson (East Yorkshire) | 11 |
| 1 January 2013 | 26 | 15:00 | Middlesbrough | H | 3–1 | Jacobs 19', Hendrick 42', Sammon 65' | 22,523 (1,581 away fans) | D. Whitestone (Northampton) | 10 |
| 12 January 2013 | 27 | 15:00 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 1–2 | Hendrick 70' | 25,464 (1,173 away fans) | I. Williamson (Berkshire) | 12 |
| 19 January 2013 | 28 | 13:00 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–1 | Ward 52' | 33,010 (4,228 away fans) | M. Clattenburg (Tyne and Wear) | 13 |
| 2 February 2013 | 29 | 15:00 | Huddersfield Town | H | 3–0 | Bryson 24', Ward 33', Keogh 59' | 21,561 (1,654 away fans) | K. Stroud (Dorset) | 9 |
| 9 February 2013 | 30 | 15:00 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 2–2 | Hendrick 23', Ward 48 pen' | 25,765 (3,649 away fans) | O. Langford (West Midlands) | 10 |
| 12 February 2013 | 31 | 19:45 | Hull City | A | 1–2 | Ward 84' | 15,677 | R. Madley (West Yorkshire) | 10 |
| 16 February 2013 | 32 | 15:00 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 0–0 | 23,036 (1,953 away fans) | G. Salisbury (Lancashire) | 9 | |
| 19 February 2013 | 33 | 19:45 | Bolton Wanderers | H | 1–1 | Ward 81' | 22,145 (774 away fans) | G. Ward (Surrey) | 9 |
| 23 February 2013 | 34 | 15:00 | Watford | A | 1–2 | Ward 73 pen' | 14.445 (929 away fans) | M. Haywood (West Yorkshire) | 11 |
| 1 March 2013 | 35 | 19:45 | Crystal Palace | H | 0–1 | 23,065 (993 away fans) | R. Madley (West Yorkshire) | 12 | |
| 5 March 2013 | 36 | 19:45 | Cardiff City | A | 1–1 | Sammon 75' | 21,544 (294 away fans) | D. Deadman (Cambridgeshire) | 12 |
| 9 March 2013 | 37 | 15:00 | Birmingham City | A | 1–3 | Davies 40' | 15,850 (1,317 away fans) | S. Hooper (Wiltshire) | 15 |
| 16 March 2013 | 38 | 17:20 | Leicester City | H | 2–1 | Keogh 16', Martin 44' | 23,123 (1,901 away fans) | K. Stroud (Hampshire) | 12 |
| 29 March 2013 | 39 | 19:45 | Bristol City | H | 3–0 | Hendrick 36', Ward 54', Davies 90' | 23,483 (839 away fans) | C. Boyeson (East Yorkshire) | 12 |
| 1 April 2013 | 40 | 17:20 | Leeds United | A | 2–1 | Coutts 73', Buxton 88' | 21,384 | R. East (Wiltshire) | 8 |
| 6 April 2013 | 41 | 15:00 | Ipswich Town | H | 0–1 | 23,081 (939 away fans) | E. Ilderton (Tyne and Wear) | 10 | |
| 13 April 2013 | 42 | 15:00 | Blackburn Rovers | A | 0–2 | 13,391 | A. Haines (Tyne and Wear) | 13 | |
| 16 April 2013 | 43 | 19:45 | Barnsley | A | 1–1 | Coutts 90' | 9,007 (839 away fans) | P. Tierney (Lancashire) | 15 |
| 20 April 2013 | 44 | 15:00 | Peterborough United | H | 3–1 | Bryson 41', Martin 50', Keogh 52' | 23,753 (1,788 away fans) | M. Haywood (West Yorkshire) | 11 |
| 27 April 2013 | 45 | 15:00 | Blackpool | A | 1–2 | Davies 65' | 14,775 (1,657 away fans) | G. Ward (Surrey) | 13 |
| 4 May 2013 | 46 | 12:45 | Millwall | H | 1–0 | Sammon 85' | 25,021 (1,054 away fans) | R. Madley (West Yorkshire) | 10 |
As a Football League Championship club, Derby will enter the FA Cup at the third round stage in January 2013. They were given a draw home game toLeague One table toppersTranmere Rovers, who they had never played in the competition before and had not met in any competition since a 6–2 home win in theFirst Division on 8 April 1996. In the fourth round draw, Derby drew fellowChampionship sideBlackburn Rovers.
| Date | Round | Time | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Referee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 January 2013 | 3rd round proper | 15:00 | Tranmere Rovers | H | 5–0 | Davies 42', Sammon 54', Brayford 63', Hendrick 72', Bennett 87' | 11,740 | M. Halsey (Lancashire) |
| 26 January 2013 | 4th round proper | 15:00 | Blackburn Rovers | H | 0–3 | 14,013 (1,287 away fans) | S. Attwell (Warwickshire) |
As a Football League Championship club, Derby will enter the Football League Cup at the first round stage, which will commence the week starting 13 August 2012, before Derby's first league game of the season. Theseeded and regionalised draw will be made on 14 June 2012 at 09:30 BST[131] with Derby, one of the Northern region's seeded teams,[132] drawn againstLeague One sideScunthorpe United at home,[133] who they had never in the competition before, with the last meeting between the clubs being an away 0–0 draw in theChampionship on 19 February 2011.
| Date | Round | Time | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Referee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 August 2012 | 1st round | 19:45 | Scunthorpe United | H | 5–5 (a.e.t.) (6–7 pens) | Keogh 30', Buxton 34',53', Robinson 40', Tyson 83' | 4,724 | D. Mohareb |
| No. | Pos. | Name | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | Discipline | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |  |  | |||
| 1 | GK | Frank Fielding | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | DF | John Brayford | 40 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 43 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Gareth Roberts | 29 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 4 | MF | Craig Bryson | 37 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 5 | 7 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Jake Buxton | 26/5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 27/5 | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| 6 | DF | Richard Keogh | 46 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 49 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Paul Coutts | 44 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 3 | 7 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Jeff Hendrick | 43/2 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 45/2 | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Nathan Tyson | 4/12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5/12 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | Jamie Ward | 23/2 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24/2 | 12 | 5 | 0 |
| 11 | FW | Theo Robinson | 13/15 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14/15 | 9 | 3 | 0 |
| 12 | MF | Michael Jacobs | 13/26 | 2 | 1/1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15/27 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 13 | GK | Adam Legzdins | 29/1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | FW | Conor Doyle | 1/1 | 0 | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | DF | Mark O'Brien | 6/3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8/3 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 16 | DF | James O'Connor | 15/7 | 1 | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15/8 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | Tom Naylor | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/1 | 0 | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | Ben Davies | 8/17 | 4 | 1/1 | 1 | 0/1 | 0 | 9/17 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | Will Hughes | 33/2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 36/2 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | Mason Bennett | 1/5 | 0 | 0/1 | 1 | 0/1 | 0 | 1/7 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | DF | Valentin Gjokaj | 2/4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/4 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 22 | DF | Michael Hoganson | 3/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | Kieron Freeman | 10/9 | 0 | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10/10 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | Craig Forsyth | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 25 | FW | Chris Martin | 12/1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12/1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 28 | DF | Josh Lelan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | FW | Steve Davies | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | DF | Jamie Hanson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | GK | Saul Deeney | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | FW | Conor Sammon | 41/4 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 43/4 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Record | Statistic | Dates(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Biggest Win | 5–1 vWatford | 1 September 2012 |
| Biggest Defeat | 0–3 vPeterborough United vCrystal Palace 1–4 vLeicester City | 27 October 2012 17 November 2012 1 December 2012 |
| Consecutive Victories | 3 | 16 March 2013 – 1 April 2013 |
| Unbeaten Run | 5 | 30 September 2012 – 23 October 2012 |
| Consecutive Defeats | 2 | 10 November 2012 – 17 November 2012 21 December 2012 – 26 December 2012 23 February 2013 – 1 March 2013 |
| Winless Run | 8 | 9 February 2013 – 9 March 2013 |
(The above statistics refer to league matches only)
League
Most league appearances:
| Most league Goals:
|
|
All competitions
Most appearances:
| Most goals:
|
|
| Award | Player |
|---|---|
| Jack Stamps Player of the Year | Richard Keogh[112] |
| Club Player of the Year | Richard Keogh[113] |
| Supporter's Club Player of the Year | Richard Keogh[113] |
| Sammy Crooks Young Player of the Year | Will Hughes[113] |
| Under-21 Player of the Year | Kieron Freeman[113] |
| Academy Player of the Year | Max Lowe[113] |
| Scholar of the Year | Jamie Hanson[113] |
| Goal of the Season | Jeff Hendrick vMiddlesbrough[113] |
| Brian Clough Award | Faye Nixon[113] |
| President's Award | Darren Wassall[113] |
Win Draw Loss Upcoming fixture
There were three pre-season friendlies announced on 9 May 2012, which began with the final of the 2011–12Central League Cup againstManchester City Elite Development squad at Pride Park on 4 August, there were also trips to local clubsBelper Town andMatlock Town.[127] The Central League Cup against Manchester City Elite Development squad was postponed in July due to City not being able to name to fulfil the fixture due to a lack of players being available for selection on the date of the match, the game would be rescheduled at a later date.[134]Behind closed doors friendlies would replace the club's reserve league games.[59]
| Date | K.O. | Competition | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F – A | Derby Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 August 2012 | 19:30 | Friendly | Belper Town | A | 0–1 | 850 | |
| 15 August 2012 | 20:00 | Friendly | Matlock Town | A | 2–1 | McNulty 26', Riski 43' | |
| TBA | TBA | Central League Cup Final | Manchester City | H |
Derby withdrew fromthe Central League, the instead entered the newU21 Professional Development League 2 – North, which was formed under the controversialEPPP, formulated by thePremier League.[59] Derby started the season away toLeeds United on 22 August and ended the regular season at home toCoventry City on 8 April.[59] Play-offs between the North and South divisions would decide the national champions.[59] With the semi-finals being on 4 May and the final on 11 May.[59]
| Date | Match No. | K.O. | Opponents | Home/ Away | Full Time F – A | Derby Scorers | Pos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 August 2012 | 1 | 13:00 | Leeds United | A | 2–2 | Jacobs 11', Robinson | 6 |
| 27 August 2012 | 2 | 13:00 | Leicester City | H | 3–2 | Gjokaj 6', Doyle 72', Davies 84' | 2 |
| 8 September 2012 | 3 | 11:00 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 2–1 | Robinson 25', Doyle 65' | 3 |
| 19 September 2012 | 4 | 13:00 | Huddersfield Town | H | 2–0 | Jacobs 69 pen', Doyle 79' | 1 |
| 1 October 2012 | 5 | 13:00 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 4–2 | Bennett, Doyle, Naylor x2' | 1 |
| 15 October 2012 | 6 | 13:00 | Birmingham City | A | 0–0 | 2 | |
| 24 October 2012 | 7 | 13:00 | Sheffield United | A | 1–0 | Chris Salt 30 o.g.' | 1 |
| 29 October 2012 | 8 | 13:00 | Wigan Athletic | H | 4–2 | Davies 11',46', Freeman 27', O'Brien 59' | 1 |
| 7 November 2012 | 9 | 13:00 | Leeds United | H | 0–5 | 1 | |
| 12 November 2012 | 10 | 13:00 | Nottingham Forest | A | 1–2 | Jacobs 38 pen' | 1 |
| 17 November 2012 | 11 | 13:00 | Barnsley | A | 2–0 | Tyson 3', Robinson 29' | 1 |
| 17 December 2012 | 12 | 13:00 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 3–0 | Bennett 21',89', Tyson 49' | 1 |
| 28 January 2013 | 13 | 13:00 | Huddersfield Town | A | 3–2 | Doyle 19', Freeman 76', Hanson 84' | 1 |
| 11 February 2013 | 14 | 13:00 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 0–3 | 2 | |
| 6 March 2013 | 15 | 13:00 | Sheffield United | H | 2–0 | Wassall 21', Hoganson 54' | 2 |
| 18 March 2013 | 16 | 13:00 | Barnsley | H | 2–0 | Rooney 58 o.g.', Hanson 71' | 2 |
| 26 March 2013 | 17 | 13:00 | Coventry City | H | 1–2 | Jacobs pen.' | 2 |
| 2 April 2013 | 18 | 13:00 | Leicester City | A | 0–3 | 2 | |
| 8 April 2013 | 19 | 13:00 | Coventry City | A | 0–0 | 2 | |
| 17 April 2013 | 20 | 13:00 | Nottingham Forest | H | 0–1 | 2 | |
| 22 April 2013 | 21 | 13:00 | Birmingham City | H | 0–4 | 3 | |
| 24 April 2013 | 22 | 14:00 | Wigan Athletic | H | 0–0 | 3 |
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| Preceded by | Derby County seasons 2012–13 | Succeeded by |
