| 2009–10 season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Andrew Appleby | |||
| Manager | Nigel Clough | |||
| Championship | 14th | |||
| FA Cup | 5th round | |||
| League Cup | 1st round | |||
| Jack Stamps Trophy | Shaun Barker[1] | |||
| Top goalscorer | League:Rob Hulse (12) All: Rob Hulse (12) | |||
| Highest home attendance | 33,010 vPeterborough United,Championship (8 August 2009) | |||
| Lowest home attendance | 7,183 vMillwall,FA Cup (12 February 2010) | |||
| Average home league attendance | 29,207 | |||
The 2009–10 season wasDerby County's 111th season inthe Football League. It is their 42nd season in the second division ofEnglish football and their second consecutive season in the second tier following an 18th-placed finish in theprevious campaign. Derby struggled against relegation for much of the season, but a run of just two defeats in the final 10 fixtures saw the club finish in 14th, their third highest finish in their respective division in the previous ten years. TheDerby Evening Telegraph described the campaign as "Good in patches, poor in others, and ultimately frustrating."[2]
The season wasNigel Clough's first full season in the job following his appointment in January 2009. The club started the season withodds of 21/1 for the title, though the media prediction was that they would improve greatly on the previous campaign's struggles and push for aplayoff place.[3][4] This proved overly optimistic, however, as the club battled relegation from the Championship for the fifth time in eight seasons. Although the club never fell into the bottom three during the campaign (the lowest position was 20th) it spent just six fixtures in the top half of the table, only one of which was achieved after August. A lack of consistency was one reason; not only in results (the club never recording more than two consecutive victories) but also in the club's inability to field a consistent team selection. A club record40 players represented the club, with only 6 players making 30 or more league starts, and an over-reliance on loanees (14 players signing temporary deals over the season) also played a part, as did injuries; one match, away toIpswich Town in October, came at the height of the club's injury problems and saw them unable to even name a full complement of substitutes such was the lack of players available. A purple patch of form in February saw the club end local rivalsNottingham Forest's 19 match unbeaten run, inflict eventual-ChampionsNewcastle United's biggest defeat of the season (3–0) and hit five in a match for the first time in three years when they edged outPreston North End 5–3 atPride Park, but a run of just three wins in twelve through the end of February until the end of April, ensured that safety was not achieved until the 44th fixture of the season after a 1–1 draw at home to relegation rivalsCrystal Palace. One bright point to the campaign came with thereserves successfulThe Central League Division One Central Section campaign, which saw them finish top and become the first Derby reserves team to win the title sinceArthur Cox's reserves claimed it in the 1985–86 season. It was also the first time a Derby County reserves side had won its respective division since the club successfully captured thePremier Reserve League in 2000–01.
The club sold 21,406 season tickets for the 2009–10 season[5] and had an average home attendance of 29,207 (down from 29,440 the previous season), second only to Champions Newcastle United's 43,388 and over 4,000 ahead of third placedSheffield United.[6] The ground operated at 86.9% capacity, putting it third behindCardiff City andBlackpool.[6] These averages made Derby the 12th best supported club in the country for the third consecutive season.
The team kit for the 2009–10 season is produced byAdidas and sponsored byBombardier. The new home kit, the fifth in as many years, was officially unveiled at a special event onDerby market place on 3 July 2009 and the away kit was launched in a special exhibition at theWestfield Centre on 4 August 2009. The club retained theArgentina inspired third kit from the 2008–09 season.
        Home colours |  Away colours |  Third colours |
The day after the final game of the 2008–09 season, a 3–1 defeat byWatford, Clough announced his intention to cut the playing staff by up to 17 players (including loanees),[7] with the first casualties beingAndy Todd andParis Simmons, whose contracts were not renewed,[8] and the loaneesNathan Ellington,Barry Bannan,John Eustace,Przemysław Kaźmierczak andNacer Barazite returning to their parent clubs. Todd signed forPerth Glory and was later joined there byMile Sterjovski, who left the club on a free transfer.[9]
Others leaving the club wereTyrone Mears, who signed forPremier League clubBurnley for a fee of £500k,[10] rising to £600k with add-ons,[11]Emanuel Villa, who moved to Mexican clubCruz Azul for an undisclosed fee, thought to be around £1.7m,[12] andLewis Price joinedFootball League OneBrentford on a season-long loan.[13]Liam Dickinson was the subject of two 'small' bids fromNorwich City, both of which were rejected,[14] leaving Dickinson to criticise the club for placing an 'unrealistic' valuation on him,[15] before moving toBrighton & Hove Albion for £300,000.[16]Lewin Nyatanga joinedBristol City for an undisclosed fee, thought to be around £500,000.[17] Additionally,Martin Albrechtsen was told he was free to find a new club,[18] andClaude Davis entered into negotiations to cancel his contract two years early.[19]
Rumours consistently surfaced regarding Player of the YearRob Hulse andKris Commons being sold, with Clough stating he was 'unsurprised' by speculation linking Hulse with a £3m move toMiddlesbrough,[20][21] andKris Commons with £3m and £4m moves toCeltic andEverton respectively.[22][23]
Clough's first signings werenon-League pairJake Buxton fromBurton Albion on an initial one-year deal andBen Pringle fromIlkeston Town.[24][25] They were joined byExeter City'sDean Moxey,[26] who signed for an initial £300,000 and formerNorwich City wingerLee Croft and ex-Burton Albion goalkeeperSaul Deeney on free transfers.[27][28] There was also a drawn out chase forBlackpool defenderShaun Barker, who also attracted interest from local rivalsNottingham Forest.[29] An initial offer of £400,000, rising to £500,000 was rejected,[30] with a rumoured £750,000 plus add-ons later offered.[31] Other sources suggested that both Derby and Forest has made offers of £700,000 plus an unnamed player (rumoured to beLiam Dickinson, who had had a loan spell at Blackpool theprevious campaign).[32] He eventually signed on 15 July 2009 for a fee of £900,000.[33]
On top of these signings, several trialists were taken. Of those trialled, the club declined to sign formerNorwich CitycaptainMark Fotheringham andCambridge City'sScott Neilson.[34][35][36][37] A loan was agreed, in principle, forArsenal'sMark Randall,[38] though the club declined to sign the player after he failed to impress on trial,[39] and initial contract talks were held withPatrick Kisnorbo,[35] before he eventually joinedLeeds United.[40] There were also trials given to ex-Stoke City youngster Mark Grocott,[41]Berwick RangersforwardFraser McLaren andJuventus midfielder David Junior Toukam.[41][42]
There were also links withCrewe Alexandra'sJohn Brayford,[43]Rangers midfielderCharlie Adam,[44]BlackburngoalkeeperFrank Fielding andCharlton Athletic'sNicky Bailey.[45][46]
Derby kicked off the 2009–10 season with a home match against newly promotedPeterborough United. Three players, Dean Moxey, Lee Croft and Jake Buxton, made their full debuts, with a fourth, Ben Pringle, coming on as a substitute. Gary Teale's 87th-minute goal sealed a 2–1 win and ensured that the club won its opening game of the season for the first time since 2002 andRobbie Savage's performance saw him named in theChampionship Team of the week.[47] The club's next three games were all away from home. A 2–1 defeat away toLeague Two sideRotherham United, which saw Derby exit theLeague Cup, a competition in which they reached the semi-finals theprevious season, in theFirst round was followed by two league fixtures; a 3–2 defeat atScunthorpe United, a match which saw Paul Green perform well enough to earn a pace in the Championship Team of the week,[48] and a 0–0 draw away toBlackpool, which sawStephen Bywater celebrate his 100th appearance for the club with his firstclean sheet of the season and Robbie Savage replacePaul Connolly as team captain.[49] The club's return toPride Park saw them grab their second win of the season, coming from behind to beatPlymouth Argyle 2–1,Miles Addison scoring the winning goal and earning a place in the Championship team of the week.[50] The firstEast Midlands derby at the season completed the opening month's fixtures, with Derby suffering their first defeat byNottingham Forest in six years as they lost 3–2 at theCity Ground. Following the match a scuffle broke out between the Derby and Forest players afterNathan Tyson celebrated in front of the Derby County support, an incident the FA said they would investigate with some "urgency",[51] the end result of which saw both club's fined for failing to control their players and Tyson charged with improper conduct.[52] Derby were fined £20,000, of which £10,000 was suspended, and ordered to pay £400 costs, Nottingham Forest were fined £25,000, of which £10,000 was suspended, and ordered to pay £1,200 costs and Tyson was fined £5,000 and given a two-match ban and ordered to pay £400 costs.[53]
Away from the pitch, Clough continued to restructure the club's playing staff.Tottenham Hotspur midfielderJake Livermore was brought in on an initial one-month loan,[54] which was extended to the end of the year.[55] He was joined byLeicester City'sPaul Dickov, who also signed on loan until 1 January 2010.[56]Southend United's young midfielder Medi Abalimba was signed for an undisclosed fee after a successful trial spell and formerWest Ham United goalkeeperJimmy Walker was also taken on trial.[57][58] These additions saw the contracts ofRoy Carroll,[59]Claude Davis andMartin Albrechtsen cancelled by mutual consent.[60]Luke Varney was also sent out on loan toSheffield Wednesday for a second time, this time for four months.[61] A blow was dealt whenChris Porter was ruled out until Christmas after having surgery on his hip,[62] though his strike partnerRob Hulse committed his future to the club in the face of speculation of an imminent £5m bid fromMiddlesbrough.[63]
Financially, the club announced that it had cut £400,000 off of the amount paid toplayer's agents for the first six months of 2009 in comparison to the same period at the end of 2008 and had reduced its debt to just the £15m mortgage onPride Park Stadium,[64] down from a £31m debt 18 months previously.[65]
The summerTransfer deadline day on 1 September saw Derby make just one move in the market, asJordan Stewart moved toSheffield United inpart exchange forLee Hendrie.[66] There was also interest in other Derby players, withIpswich Town making a bid forPaul Connolly which was rejected andRob Hulse the subject of a £4m+ bid fromMiddlesbrough.[67][68] Hulse rejected the opportunity to move, citing his fondness for club as the reason.[69] It was later revealed that, had the deal gone through, Derby had set up a loan move forWolverhampton Wanderers strikerSam Vokes as a replacement.[70] An additional striker was eventually brought into the club with the loan signing ofEverton youngsterJames Vaughan until January 2010 on 18 September.[71] Derby increased their defensive options towards the end of the month with the addition ofSwedish International right backFredrik Stoor, who joined on an initial months loan fromPremiership sideFulham[72] and Clough revealed the club still has an active interest in young Blackburn goalkeeper Frank Fielding and would make a fresh approach in the January transfer window.[73] YoungstersGreg Mills and Jermaine Johnson also moved out on loan toSolihull Moors andStafford Rangers respectively.[74]
On the pitch, the club's poor run of results continued as four of the month's five fixtures ended in defeat, including a 6–1 mauling atCardiff City. The only win came courtesy of an 85th-minute goal fromGary Teale, his third of the season, in a 1–0 home win overBristol City, a match which sawDean Moxey perform well enough to feature in the Championship Team of the week.[75] The run coincided with a number of injuries to key first team personnel includingKris Commons,Stephen Pearson,Paul Green andSteve Davies.
Miles Addison became the first Derby player to be capped by theEngland Under-21s for two years when he came on as a substitute againstGreece in aEuropean Under-21 Football Championship qualifier on 8 September.[76] The next day he was nominated for the Championship Player of the month award for August which was won byNewcastle strikerShola Ameobi.[77][78] Club captainRobbie Savage was charged by theFA for breaches of its regulations regarding agents. Savage and agent George Urquhart were charged over the renegotiation of Savage'sBlackburn Rovers contract in 2007, with Urquhart also being charged over Savage's subsequent move to Derby in January 2008. Both Savage and Urquhart were given 14 days to respond to the charges.[79] Savage was eventually left off with a warning, whereas Urquhart was fined £500.[80]
October saw Derby's injury crisis hit new heights with the news that loaneeJames Vaughan would return to his parent club,Everton, to assess a dead leg he had suffered in his debut againstCrystal Palace.[81] Vaughan joined 11 other first teamers on the Derby injury list, a scenario which coincided with Nigel Ashley-Jones leaving his position as the club's strength and conditioning coach,[82] and returned to Everton on 23 October, though Derby signalled their intention to re-sign him on loan in January, provided he was fit.[83] Prior to a match againstSheffield Wednesday, Clough dismissed concerns that the clubs run of just 3 points from 18 constituted a relegation battle, insisting that "The table hasn't even settled down yet to the degree it does after 25 matches or may be by Christmas. If we get the three points against Wednesday it is two wins in three games and we will turn the stats round a little bit to suit us."[84] In the event of the match, the club achieved their biggest win of the season so far as they ran out 3–0 winners, withLee Croft scoring his first for the club andRob Hulse reaching 100 career league goals and earning a place in the Championship Team of the week.[85] After the international break, the club faced two away fixtures which saw a 0–0 draw atLeicester City followed with a 0–2 defeat atMiddlesbrough.Jay McEveley broke his cheek in the match at Middlesbrough, ruling him out for 8 weeks and taking the club's injury tally up to 14.[86] The return to Pride Park saw the club lose 4–2 at home toQ.P.R. despite being 2–0 up. The results saw Derby drop to 19th in the table and saw Clough admit for the first time concern over the team's plight, going as far as to state "We are still clinging on to the hope when everybody is fit we think we can get a side out to compete." He also praised the club's supporters, despite the pelting of the pitch with free T-shirts as the match drew to a close, saying "I didn't think their reaction was too bad after they had just seen us concede four goals at home. I thought generally throughout the game they were magnificent."[87] The Q.P.R. defeat was followed by another loss, 1–0 away toIpswich Town, for who the result was their first win of the season. With the injury list running at 16 players[88] Clough admitted that he had looked into the possibility of having the fixture called off.[88]
Away from the pitch,Hull City midfielderBryan Hughes was signed on a monthlong loan with a view to a permanent move,[89]Fredrik Stoor's loan was extended by two months, though there was a 24-hour recall clause inserted by his parent clubFulham[90] and youngstersMark Dudley andArnaud Mendy moved toAlfreton Town andGrimsby Town respectively on a one-month loan deals,[91][92] Clough also admitted an interest inIpswich Town'sJon Stead (who had had a loan spell with Derby in the2006–07 promotion campaign),[93] and there were further links with 16-year-oldMandalskameratene goalkeeper Mats Mørch[94] andPlymouth Argyle'sJamie Mackie.[95]
Towards the end of the month,Adam Pearson left his position asChairman of football after two years at the club, the Official Club Statement reading"Coming up to the second year anniversary of Adam Pearson's arrival at Derby County Football Club, following lengthy discussions within the Board and investor group, it has been decided by all parties that now is a good time for Adam to pursue new challenges away from Derby County. The decision for Adam to leave has been reached through mutual consent and all parties believe it to be in the best interests of the Club and the individuals involved. The Moor Farm and Pride Park operations will now be unified under the control of Tom Glick, reporting directly into company chairman Andy Appleby."[96]
The month started with the club revealing thatMark O'Brien had successfully undergone heart surgery to correct a valve problem, and that he would be able to resume his career following a three- to four-month recovery period. The problem had been discovered during a routing medical scan for academy players.[97] It was also revealed thatJay McEveley'sheart has stopped for two minutes during surgery on the cheekbone he had fractured during the defeat atMiddlesbrough, though he was revived and was available, whilst wearing a protectivemask for the match againstCoventry City,[98] joining the returningRob Hulse,Dean Leacock[99] andPaul Green.[100] Despite falling behind to a fourth-minute goal fromLeon Best, Derby won the match 2–1, with Hulse grabbing two goals and missing a penalty, earning himself a place in the Championship Team of the week,[101] earning his second Team of the week of the season. The win ended a three match losing streak, and a four match winless run, and lifted Derby to 17th in the table going into the third international break of the season. The return to action two weeks later saw a match away toSwansea City end in defeat, the first time Derby had lost to the Swans in 26 years. The month ended with a 2–1 victory overReading, with Derby again coming from a goal down to win, withRob Hulse scoring the winner to take his tally for the season to 6. The result lifted Derby to 16th in the table.
The return ofBryan Hughes toHull City following the completion of his one-month loan freed up numbers in terms of loanees, andLeicester City'sDJ Campbell was bought in on a monthlong loan, joining Leicester teammatePaul Dickov.[102] A freak injury to reserve goalkeeperSaul Deeney (who was ruled out for six weeks after twisting his ankle when slipping over in the rain after an unplanned fire drill at the hotel the team were staying at prior to the 1–0 defeat atSwansea[103]) heightened the need for a goalkeeper, and Clough was again linked with a move for frequent target,Blackburn Rover'sFrank Fielding,[104] though the move was knocked back by Blackburn.[105]Mark Dudley and Gary Mills were loaned out toHinckley United andSolihull Moors respectively[106][107] whilst both Jermaine Johnson andHenrik Ojamaa made one-month loan moves toStafford Rangers.[108][109] Young Serbian strikerAleksandar Prijović joinedOB Odense on trial, where he impressed with a goal in a trial match. Of Prijović, Derby bossNigel Clough said "They are very interested in taking him in January so we are just trying to get a deal done if they want to do one. If not, we will probably look to get him out on loan. If we can do it before the deadline, we will do. If not, in January."[110] Fellow strikerLuke Varney, away on loan atSheffield Wednesday was also linked with a permanent move away, though Wednesday bossBrian Laws stated "We're in discussions with Derby, we spoke to them on Tuesday, we've still got to have discussions about what they want to do with the player, bearing in mind he's got two and a bit years left on his contract. We'd be happy to keep Luke Varney but we haven't got any money."[111]
Away from the club, there was controversy surrounding Derby's bid to be a host city for England's2018 World Cup bid.Derby City Council proposed the raising of £26m through an extra levy of local businesses to help fund the expansion ofPride Park to 45,000 from its current 33,500 capacity for the tournament, which would be reduced to 35,000 to 38,000 after its completion. Carolyn Spencer, from the Derby Federation of Small Businesses, said: "Hairdressers won't benefit, ladies clothes shops, greetings cards shops are not going to benefit. So why should they pay an extra supplementary business rate on top of everything else that they pay to something that is going to give them nothing back whatsoever?"[112] Ultimately Derby was not chosen as one of the host cities for England's World Cup bid.
Derby opened the month with a 2–2 draw at home to second placedWest Bromwich Albion. D. J. Campbell made his debut as an 86th minute sub and scored a 94th-minute equaliser on his debut. Campbell's Leicester teammatePaul Dickov had given Derby a first half lead before two controversial West Brom goals in the last 10 minutes had looked to turn the game on its head. A 0–0 draw away toPreston North End extended the Rams unbeaten run to three, their longest unbeaten sequence of the campaign, though it also extended their winless away run to 13 matches and 8 months. The run was ended the following Saturday whenChris Porter, who had only returned to the first team after 9 months out as a 71st-minute substitute forPaul Dickov at Preston, scored in the 77th minute in a 1–0 win away atWatford after again coming on as a substitute. Although the Rams remained 17th in the table after the result, it stretched the gap over the relegation places to 7 points and took them to within 7 points of the playoffs. The club's mini revival came to a halt with 0–2 home defeats toDoncaster Rovers andBlackpool over the festive period before a 0–0 draw away to league leadersNewcastle United saw the club end 2009 5 points clear of the drop zone.
The club entered into numerous contract negotiations. Terminations were offered toRuben Zadkovich[113] andGiles Barnes,[114] with Barnes accepting his on 11 December 2009.Stephen Pearson signed a new contract to take him through to the end of the 2011–12 season[115] andBen Pringle andJake Buxton penned new 18-month deals.[116] The club also confirmed it would enter into discussions with a number of other players nearing the end of their current deals, includingGary Teale andJay McEveley.[117]
Loans also played a large part in the club's transfer dealings throughout the month. Frederik Stoor and Jake Livermore returned to their parent clubs,Fulham andTottenham Hotspur respectively, at the end of their loan deals[118] whilstD. J. Campbell's loan spell fromLeicester City to 31 January 2010.[119] whilst reports suggested on-loan GoalkeeperLewis Price's may return earlier than expected fur to being surplus to requirements atBrentford.[120]Mark O'Brien and Jermaine Johnson extended their loan stays atHinckley United andStafford Rangers respectivelyfor a further month[121][122] FormerNewcastle United midfielder Mark Doninger was also taken on trial, scoring for the reserves in a 2–1 win overWest Bromwich Albion reserves.[123]
With January approaching, reports suggested Wolves had an eye onKris Commons for a £1.5m fee[124] andLuke Varney intimated his desire to return toSheffield Wednesday, either temporarily or permanently, following the completion of his second loan spell with the club.[125] Coming in, the club were linked with an £800k move forBournemouth'sBrett Pitman[126] and moves forSwindon Town'sCharlie Austin[127] andOldham Athletic'sChris O'Grady.[128] There were also fresh links with £400kCrewe Alexandra defenderJohn Brayford,[129] andEverton'sJames Vaughan.[130]
TheFA Cup gave Derby their first match of the new year and Kris Commons scored Derby's first goal with a 52nd-minute equaliser away toMillwall in a 1–1 draw in the 3rd round. Derby won the replay 10 days later, 5–3 on penalties after a second 1–1 draw in front of a record Pride Park Stadium low of just 7, 183. This gave the club a fourth round tie withDoncaster Rovers, which ended in a 1–0 victory thanks toJay McEveley's 88th-minute winner, taking Derby through to the fifth round for the second successive season.
The first leg against Millwall had markedNigel Clough's 1st anniversary in charge of Derby. Of his time at the club Clough said "I have thoroughly enjoyed the year, it has been hard work but I've relished it. We know we haven't made progress as quickly as we would have hoped, mainly because of the injuries that have hampered us right from pre-season. We still believe we can achieve a good position this season in the Championship and build on that from there."[131] With thewinter storms of 2010, Derby's home match against Scunthorpe was one of only fourChampionship fixtures to go ahead on the weekend of the 9/10 January. The match saw the Rams crash to their third straight home defeat, and their biggest of the season, with a 4–1 loss and saw goalscorerKris Commons admit that the club were in a relegation battle[132] and Clough described it as his "lowest moment", equating it to the 2–0 home defeat byQ.P.R. in his first game in charge.[133] The match led to some controversy whenBBC Radio Derby commentator Colin Gibson insinuated that some of the Derby players were displeased with Clough's backroom staff, leading to club captainRobbie Savage to launch into a scathing attack on the station, claiming it had an agenda against the club and criticising them of being overly negative towards the club.[134][135] The fall out led to chief executive Tom Glick to come out in support of Clough's management of the club, stating "A year ago we were convinced we made the right decision [appointing Clough] and we're still convinced."[136] On the back of this Derby took 6 points from their next three games, a 1–0 defeat away toPlymouth Argyle sandwiched by a comprehensive 3–0 win away to aPeterborough United side which was reduced to nine men, withStephen Bywater andD. J. Campbell playing well enough to earn a place in the Championship Team of the week, the first Derby players to make the team since November[137] and a 1–0 home win over local rivalsNottingham Forest. The fixture, as it had been in August, proved controversial as a mass melee again broke out towards the end of the game asChris Gunter pushedJay McEveley whilst the latter was taking a throw-in. The FA announced they would investigate the brawl[138] whilst former Derby managerBilly Davies claimed that Nigel Clough had "attacked" him during the melee and made a formal complaint to the League Manager's Association.[139] After investigating the fracas, the FA fined both clubs £35,000 as well as ordered payment of the suspended £10,000 fine from the tie at The City Ground earlier in the campaign.[140] Three Derby players were rewarded with a place in the Championship Team of the week after their strong performances against Forest. Stephen Bywater, Shaun Barker and match winner Rob Hulse all received the accolade along with on-loan striker Luke Varney after his two goals helpedSheffield Wednesday beatPlymouth 2–1.[141]
January also saw the opening of the January Transfer Window, and Derby delved into the loan market to signBristol City midfielderLee Johnson andBolton Wanderers rightbackNicky Hunt on month long deals,[142][143] with Hunt's later being extended until the end of the season.[144] The first permanent signing of the window wasRussell Anderson, who joined on a free until the end of the season following the cancellation of his contract withSunderland.[145]Luke Varney,Ross Atkins andGreg Mills all left the club on loan joiningSheffield Wednesday,Burton Albion andMacclesfield Town respectively.[146][147][148]Ruben Zadkovich followed them out of the club, though his departure was permanent after he accepted the contract termination offered to him the previous month.[149]
With 31 January 2010 falling on a Sunday, the last day of the 2010 January Transfer window fell, instead, on 1 February 2010. It proved a busy day for Derby, who signedManchester City'sJavan Vidal andStoke City'sMichael Tonge on loan for the rest of the season,[150][151] freedAleksandar Prijović to join Swiss clubFC Sion[152] and rejected loan bids forRob Hulse from bothStoke City andBurnley.[153] There was also a £200k move forMillwall'sDavid Martin which collapsed at the last moment, thoughNigel Clough intimated the move may be resurrected as a loan when the Emergency Loan window opened,[154] and it was eventually completed with Martin joining on a season long loan on 9 February 2010.[155]Arsenal'sGilles Sunu followed after, signing on loan until the end of the season.[156]Mark Dudley,Ross Atkins and Alex Forde all made loan moves to non-leagueHinckley United,Kidderminister Harriers andSolihull Moors respectively.[157][158][159]Macclesfield Town'sJohn Rooney, younger brother ofManchester United forwardWayne, was also taken on a week-long trial.[160]
A 1–1 draw atSheffield United, which saw Derby stretch their improving away form to just 1 defeat in 6 andRobbie Savage andJake Buxton make the division's Team of the week,[161] was followed up with a convincing 3–0 win over league leadersNewcastle United to jump up to 14th in the table, the club's highest league position since September 2009. The club then exited theFA Cup in the 5th round for the second consecutive season after a 2–1 defeat at home toBirmingham City, but responded with a 5–3 league win overPreston North End, the first time the club had secured consecutive league wins of the season and the first time they had hit 5 in a league game since April 2007, before consecutive defeats at home to promotion chasingSwansea City andWest Bromwich Albion. The Swansea City match was marred by a brawl between the Derby and Swansea players afterGorka Pintado was sent off for a "horror tackle" on Robbie Savage.[162] The match also sawJay McEveley sent off after two yellow cards.F.A. charged Derby with failing to control their players for the third time in the 2009–10 season and charged McEveley with improper conduct.[163] McEveley admitted the charge and was given a £2,500 fine and warned about his future conduct,[164] whereas the club was charged with failing to control its players and handed a fine of £50,000. Explaining the high figure of the fine, taking Derby's fines for the season up to £115,000, the F.A. stated "The Commission was deeply concerned that this was the third occasion in a period of eight months (following the two fracas withNottingham Forest) that Derby County FC have been charged with a similar offence. Furthermore, the Commission felt the incident could have easily been avoided by stronger restraint from players from both clubs."[165] As a gesture, the players, led by Robbie Savage and management contributed 25% of their weekly earnings to pay the fine.[166]
March began withJavan Vidal's parent clubManchester City activating a 28-day recall clause in the defender's contract, leaving Clough to consider re-entering the loan market[167] with a concrete interest in former Derby Player of the YearTommy Smith on loan fromPortsmouth.[168] However, after Smith suffered a broken cheekbone in Portsmouth's 5–0 defeat at home toChelsea on 24 March, Clough moved to bring inWigan Athletic's young polish forwardTomasz Cywka on loan until the end of the season.[169] Several players left on loan,Paul Connolly moving toSheffield United on a months loan[170] andLee Hendrie andRoss Atkins moved toBrighton & Hove Albion andKidderminster Harriers respectively until the end of the season.[171][172]Arnaud Mendy was due to joinLeague TwoRotherham United on a similar deal, but the paperwork was not completed in time.[173]
Derby returned to winning ways with a 2–0 home win overWatford, their second league double of the season and sawShaun Barker's performance earn himself a place in the division's Team of the week.[174] An incredible match followed four days after Watford, when the Rams played atReading. After conceding an early goal,Stephen Bywater went off with a back injury to be replaced by debutantSaul Deeney in the 13th minute. AfterGilles Sunu equalised, Reading retook the lead before Deeney gave away a penalty in the 41st minute and was sent off. With no goalkeeper left on the bench, Deeney was replaced in goal by midfielder and captainRobbie Savage. Reading missed their penalty, but scored twice in the second half to send Derby to a 4–1 defeat. With no goalkeepers available, Clough moved swiftly to captureLiverpool'sDavid Martin on a month's loan.[175] Martin made his debut in a 1–2 defeat atDoncaster Rovers and kept his place for a 2–2 draw withMiddlesbrough which put Derby firmly in the relegation dogfight after just one win in six games. Bywater returned the following game and, in his next three appearances earned consecutive Championship Team of the week appearances after keeping clean sheet in a 0–0 draw at Hillsborough againstSheffield Wednesday[176] and in a 1–0 win over 4th placedLeicester City.[177] He was joined by Chris Porter in the Team of the week for the win over Leicester and these results, coupled with a 1–1 draw atQ.P.R. saw Derby finish March on a four match unbeaten run and 9 points clear of the relegation zone with just six games to play.
Away from the pitch, the club was the subject of a £37m take over bid from former chairmanPeter Gadsby and two other unnamed local businessmen, who expressed disillusionment with the club's American owners and revealed his intention to buy back the club, funded by equity. The bid was described in a statement released by Gadsby as "a serious and substantial one reflecting the current value of the club."[178] He also promised an additional £5m would be made available to Clough to sign players in the summer[178] and expressed his intention to reinitiate thePride Park Plaza redevelopment which would "provide superb new amenities for the city and its residents, offer considerable benefits to Rams fans and generate significant revenues for the club."[179] The bid was flatly rejected by the club, who stated ""The club is not for sale, we have received an offer, but there's no interest in selling. We are focused on running the business of a football club."[179]
April opened with the best possible start asShaun Barker's 1st half goal in a 1–0 win away toCoventry City took Derby past the 50 points mark, usually enough to secure survival, though a 3–1 defeat at home toIpswich Town on Easter Monday meant the club was not yet safe. The Ipswich result was compounded by Stephen Pearson earning a two match ban after being sent off for foul and abusive language and manager Nigel Clough earning a charge of improper conduct after he was sent to the stands.[180] He was fined £1,000 and given a one-match ban which he served during the final game of the campaign againstCardiff City.[181] A 0–0 draw withBarnsley left the club needing just a point from its final three games to guarantee survival, which duly arrived with a 1–1 draw withCrystal Palace on 17 April 2010. This meant that it was not possible for both Crystal Palace andSheffield Wednesday to overtakeThe Rams as they played each other atHillsborough on the final day of the season and ensured safety and Derby's place in the2010–11 Football League Championship. Safety meant thatSteve Davies andStephen Bywater were both rested for the remainder of the campaign, Davies having an ankle operation[182] and Bywater resting a sprained rib joint.[183] Bywater's injury resulted inRoss Atkins being recalled from a loan spell withKidderminster Harriers.[184]Paul Connolly, whoSheffield United loan was initially extended for another week, returned when it became impossible for Sheffield United to make the playoffs.[185] The season's away fixtures wrapped up withThe Rams 13th away defeat of the campaign as the lost 2–1 atBristol City, meaning Derby had taken just 17 points from a possible 69 on the road. Derby's goalscorer in the game,Stephen Pearson, also underwent knee surgery, ruling him out for four months.[186] Leading scorerRob Hulse also had an operation on his adductor tendon problem[187] leaving Derby with 14 senior players ruled out for the final game of the season againstCardiff City.[188] One of these, loaneeGilles Sunu, was returned to his parent club,Arsenal, one week early due to the injury.[189] The season ended with a 2–0 win overCardiff City which helped the club to record a 14th placed league finish and beat the previous season's points total by 2.
Looking towards the 2010–11 season, Alan Tomlinson, who had been with the club as Head Physio since December 2007, left the club to "pursue other interests."[190] The club announced it had agreed a deal to signADO Den Haagutility playerDanny Buijs once theDutch football season had finished,[191] and gaveRussell Anderson, whose contract expired at the end of the season, a new two-year deal.[192] GoalkeepersSaul Deeney andRoss Atkins also signed new one-year deals.[193] They also confirmed their ongoing interest inCrewe Alexandra defenderJohn Brayford and a desire to continueMichael Tonge's loan fromStoke City into the new campaign.[194] Liverpool youngster Adam Pepper was also taken on trial, scoring in the reserves 3–2 defeat atWest Bromwich Albion,[195] and Clough highlightedScunthorpe United forwardGary Hooper as a "player we admire" and confirmed the loan ofTomasz Cywka fromWigan Athletic was with one eye on next season.[196] The club also announced thatSeason ticket sales for the following season were matching those for the current campaign, with 2,000 season ticket sales on Friday 16 April 2010 being "one of the single busiest days in the Ticket Office's history."[197] By close of the club's Early Bird offer (which froze 2010–11 Season Tickets at 2009–10 prices) on 18 April 2010, the club had sold 17,357 season tickets, 471 ahead of sales at the same point the previous summer, and claimed they had received calls from "several hundred" supporters who had been prevented from purchasing by the events of theeruption of Eyjafjallajökull.[5]
Permanent
| Player | Squad number | Position | Signed from | Date | Fee paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee Croft | 7 | Midfielder | Norwich City | 25 June 2009 | Free[27] |
| Dean Moxey | 21 | Midfielder | Exeter City | 26 June 2009 | £300k[26] |
| Jake Buxton | 17 | Defender | Burton Albion | 1 July 2009 | Free[24] |
| Ben Pringle | 18 | Midfielder | Ilkeston Town | 1 July 2009 | Free[25] |
| Shaun Barker | 14 | Defender | Blackpool | 15 July 2009 | £900k[33] |
| Saul Deeney | 13 | Goalkeeper | Burton Albion | 31 July 2009 | Free[28] |
| Medi Abalimba | -- | Midfielder | Southend United | 20 August 2009 | Undisclosed[57] |
| Lee Hendrie | 26 | Midfielder | Sheffield United | 1 September 2009 | P/EX[66] |
| Russell Anderson | 27 | Defender | Sunderland | 15 January 2010 | Free[145] |
Loan
| Player | Squad number | Position | Loaned from | Date | Loan duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jake Livermore | 24 | Midfielder | Tottenham Hotspur | 10 August 2009 | Five months[54][55] |
| Paul Dickov | 25 | Forward | Leicester City | 28 August 2009 | Four months[56] |
| James Vaughan | 31 | Forward | Everton | 18 September 2009 | Three and a half months[71][I] |
| Fredrik Stoor | 27 | Defender | Fulham | 26 September 2009 | Three months[72][90] |
| Bryan Hughes | 32 | Midfielder | Hull City | 22 October 2009 | One month[89] |
| DJ Campbell | 32 | Forward | Leicester City | 26 November 2009 | Two months[102][119] |
| Lee Johnson | 19 | Midfielder | Bristol City | 1 January 2010 | One month[142] |
| Nicky Hunt | 24 | Defender | Bolton Wanderers | 7 January 2010 | Five months[143][144] |
| Javan Vidal | 31 | Defender | Manchester City | 1 February 2010 | Three months[150][167][II] |
| Michael Tonge | 19 | Midfielder | Stoke City | 1 February 2010 | Three months[151] |
| David Martin | 25 | Midfielder | Millwall | 9 February 2010 | Three months[155] |
| Gilles Sunu | 32 | Forward | Arsenal | 19 February 2010 | 10 weeks[156][189][III] |
| David Martin | 30 | Goalkeeper | Liverpool | 12 March 2010 | One month[175] |
| Tomasz Cywka | 31 | Forward | Wigan Athletic | 25 March 2010 | Seven weeks[169] |
~ £1.2mPermanent
Loan
~ £2.8 million
Notes
^I Vaughan returned to Everton on 24 October due to injury.[83]
^II Manchester City recalled Vidal from his loan spell after activating a clause in the deal.[167]
^III Sunu returned to Arsenal early when a shin injury ruled him out of the final game of the season.[189]
^IV Mills returned to Derby a few days into his second month on loan due to Derby's injury list.[237]
^V Dudley was recalled from his loan spell at Alfreton after 28-day.[238]
^VI Mendy returned to Derby on 30 October, after Grimsby cancelled his loan early[239]
^VII Atkins as recalled on 20 April after a rib injury sawStephen Bywater ruled out for the rest of the season.[184]
| Win | Draw | Loss |
| Date | Competition | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 July 2009 | Friendly | Burton Albion | A | 1–0 | Porter 19' | Unknown |
| 18 July 2009 | Derbyshire FA Centenary Cup | Chesterfield | A | 1–2 | Green 16' | 3,716 |
| 21 July 2009 | Friendly | Yeovil Town | A | 2–0 | Davies 73 pen, 79' | Unknown |
| 23 July 2009 | Friendly | Torquay United | A | 0–0 | Unknown | |
| 25 July 2009 | Friendly | Exeter City | A | 3–1 | Green 30, 59', Davies 50' | 2,785 (503 away) |
| 28 July 2009 | Friendly | Notts County | A | 3–2 | Davies 25', Savage 35', Commons 78' | 3,859 (1,182 away) |
| 1 August 2009 | Friendly | Stoke City | H | 2–2 | Pearson 49', Mendy 90+5' | 23,259 |
| 1 September 2009 | Friendly | Atlético Marbella | A | 2–0 | Pringle 44', Teale 78' (pen) | Unknown |
| 5 October 2009 | Friendly | Ilkeston Town | A | 4–1 | Teale 23', Ojamaa 80', Prijović 82', Mendy 90' | Unknown |
| 12 November 2009 | Friendly | ADO Den Haag | A | 0–1 | Unknown | |
| 22 December 2009 | Friendly | Burton Albion | H | 2–2 | Prijović ??', Mills ??' | Unknown |
| Date | Match No. | Time | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Referee | Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 August 2009 | 1 | 15:00 | Peterborough United | H | 2–1 | Addison 4', Teale 87' | 33,010 | P. Taylor (Enfield) | 2 |
| 15 August 2009 | 2 | 15:00 | Scunthorpe United | A | 2–3 | Green 20', Commons 60 Pen' | 7,352 (2,092 away) | G. W. Horwood (Bedfordshire) | 9 |
| 18 August 2009 | 3 | 19:45 | Blackpool | A | 0–0 | 8,056 (1,303 away) | E. L. Ilderton (Tyne and Wear) | 12 | |
| 22 August 2009 | 4 | 15:00 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 2–1 | Buxton 40', Addison 89' | 26,186 (526 away) | C. L. Pawson (S. Yorkshire) | 10 |
| 29 August 2009 | 5 | 13:00 | Nottingham Forest | A | 2–3 | Morgan (O.G.) 51', Livermore 62' | 28,143 (4,376 away) | M. Atkinson (W. Yorkshire) | 11 |
| 12 September 2009 | 6 | 13:00 | Sheffield United | H | 0–1 | 28,441 (2,743 away) | A. D'Urso (Essex) | 15 | |
| 15 September 2009 | 7 | 19:45 | Barnsley | H | 2–3 | Hulse 27', Barker 90' | 27,609 (748 away) | N. Miller (Co. Durham) | 15 |
| 19 September 2009 | 8 | 15:00 | Crystal Palace | A | 0–1 | 12,760 (963 away) | M. Oliver (Northumberland) | 17 | |
| 26 September 2009 | 9 | 15:00 | Bristol City | H | 1–0 | Teale 85' | 27,144 | M. Russell (Hertfordshire) | 16 |
| 29 September 2009 | 10 | 19:45 | Cardiff City | A | 1–6 | Hulse 47' | 18,670 | S. A. Hooper (Wiltshire) | 20 |
| 3 October 2009 | 11 | 15:00 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 3–0 | Croft 17', McEveley 65', Hulse 90 Pen' | 30,116 (2,858 away) | C. Foy (St. Helens) | 17 |
| 17 October 2009 | 12 | 15:00 | Leicester City | A | 0–0 | 28,875 (3,307 away) | M. Dean (Wirral) | 17 | |
| 20 October 2009 | 13 | 19:45 | Middlesbrough | A | 0–2 | 17,459 (385 away) | J. Moss (Yorkshire) | 19 | |
| 24 October 2009 | 14 | 17:30 | Q.P.R. | H | 2–4 | Dickov 9', Savage 36' | 30,135 (733 away) | M. Haywood (W. Yorkshire) | 19 |
| 31 October 2009 | 15 | 15:00 | Ipswich Town | A | 0–1 | 20,299 (500 away) | A. Taylor (Cheshire) | 20 | |
| 7 November 2009 | 16 | 19:45 | Coventry City | H | 2–1 | Hulse 49' 62' | 26, 511 (681 away) | P. T. Crossley (Kent) | 17 |
| 20 November 2009 | 17 | 19:45 | Swansea City | A | 0–1 | 17, 804 (420 away) | R. East (Wiltshire) | 18[permanent dead link] | |
| 28 November 2009 | 18 | 15:00 | Reading | H | 2–1 | Green 60', Hulse 73' | 30,174 | A. Haines (Tyne & Wear) | 16 |
| 5 December 2009 | 19 | 15:00 | West Bromwich | H | 2–2 | Dickov 42', Campbell 90+4' | 30,127 (3, 065 away) | D. Deadman (Cambridgeshire) | 17 |
| 8 December 2009 | 20 | 19:45 | Preston North End | A | 0–0 | 11, 755 | P. Gibbs (Birmingham) | 17 | |
| 12 December 2009 | 21 | 15:00 | Watford | A | 1–0 | Porter 77' | 14,063 (894 away) | K. Stroud (Gillingham) | 17 |
| 19 December 2009 | 22 | 15:00 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 0–2 | 28, 734 | T. Kettle (Berkshire) | 18 | |
| 26 December 2009 | 23 | 15:00 | Blackpool | H | 0–2 | 30, 313 (1, 218 away) | S. Mathieson (Stockport) | 18 | |
| 28 December 2009 | 24 | 17:20 | Newcastle United | A | 0–0 | 47, 505 (2,200 away) | K. Wright (Cambridgeshire) | 18 | |
| 9 January 2010 | 25 | 15:00 | Scunthorpe United | H | 1–4 | Williams (O.G.) 59' | 28,106 (754 away) | K. Wolmer (Northampton) | 18 |
| 16 January 2010 | 26 | 15:00 | Peterborough United | A | 3–0 | Davies 45+3 pen', Campbell 48, 75' | 10,280 (2,517 away) | N. Miller (Co. Durham) | 18 |
| 26 January 2010 | 27 | 19:45 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–1 | 7,996 (504 away) | A. Hall (Birmingham) | 19 | |
| 30 January 2010 | 28 | 13:00 | Nottingham Forest | H | 1–0 | Hulse 79' | 32,674 | N. Swarbrick (Lancashire) | 17 |
| 6 February 2010 | 29 | 15:00 | Sheffield United | A | 1–1 | Savage 17' | 25,300 | G. Salisbury (Lancashire) | 18 |
| 9 February 2010 | 30 | 19:45 | Newcastle United | H | 3–0 | Hulse 40', Commons 60, pen', Barker 64', | 28,607 (2,413 away) | A. Taylor (Greater Manchester) | 14 |
| 16 February 2010 | 31 | 19:45 | Preston North End | H | 5–3 | Jones (O.G.) 34', Commons 50', Hulse 64, 77', Barker 68' | 26,993 (500 away) | C. L. Pawson (S. Yorkshire) | 12 |
| 20 February 2010 | 32 | 15:00 | Swansea City | H | 0–1 | 31,024 (1,407 away) | S.Tanner (Somerset) | 14 | |
| 28 February 2010 | 33 | 15:00 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 1–3 | Porter 49' | 23,335 (2,200 away) | P. T. Crossley (Kent) | 16 |
| 6 March 2010 | 34 | 15:00 | Watford | H | 2–0 | Tonge 12', Porter 78' | 29,492 (776 away) | G. W. Horwood (Bedfordshire) | 14 |
| 10 March 2010 | 35 | 20:00 | Reading | A | 1–4 | Sunu 12' | 14,096 (680 away) | K. Wright (Cambridgeshire) | 16 |
| 13 March 2010 | 36 | 15:00 | Doncaster Rovers | A | 1–2 | Hulse 74' | 11,858 (2,153 away) | S. A. Hooper (Wiltshire) | 18 |
| 16 March 2010 | 37 | 19:45 | Middlesbrough | H | 2–2 | Porter 67', Tonge 74' | 27,143 (628 away) | D. J. Phillips (W. Sussex) | 17 |
| 20 March 2010 | 38 | 15:00 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 0–0 | 21,827 (2,750 away) | J. Linington (Isle of Wight) | 18 | |
| 23 March 2010 | 39 | 19:45 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 1–1 | Barker 67' | 12,569 (783 away) | M. Russell (Hertfordshire) | 18 |
| 27 March 2010 | 40 | 15:00 | Leicester City | H | 1–0 | King (O.G.) 19' | 30,259 (3,055 away) | C. Webster (Tyne & Wear) | 17 |
| 3 April 2010 | 41 | 15:00 | Coventry City | A | 1–0 | Barker 20' | 17,630 (1,821 away) | A. D'Urso (Essex) | 15 |
| 5 April 2010 | 42 | 15:00 | Ipswich Town | H | 1–3 | Hulse 83' | 28,137 (1,036 away) | J. Moss (Yorkshire) | 16 |
| 10 April 2010 | 43 | 15:00 | Barnsley | A | 0–0 | 13,034 (1,993 away) | P. Taylor (Enfield) | 16 | |
| 17 April 2010 | 44 | 15:00 | Crystal Palace | H | 1–1 | Anderson 6' | 30,255 (1,428 away) | A. Bates (Stoke-On-Trent) | 15 |
| 24 April 2010 | 45 | 15:00 | Bristol City | A | 1–2 | Pearson 86' | 15,835 (1,757 away) | C. L. Pawson (S. Yorkshire) | 17 |
| 2 May 2010 | 46 | 13:00 | Cardiff City | H | 2–0 | McEveley 48', Martin 62' | 31,102 (2,257 away) | C. H. Webster | 14 |
| Date | Round | Time | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Referee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 January 2010 | 3rd round | 15:00 | Millwall | A | 1–1 | Commons 52' | 10,531 (1,387 away) | J. Linington (Newport) |
| 12 January 2010 | 3rd round replay | 19:45 | Millwall | H | 1–1 (a.e.t.) 5–3 (Pens) | Davies 114' | 7,183 | D. Foster (Newcastle) |
| 23 January 2010 | 4th round | 15:00 | Doncaster Rovers | H | 1–0 | McEveley 88' | 11,316 (1,453 away) | C. Webster (Tyne & Wear) |
| 13 February 2010 | 5th round | 15:00 | Birmingham City | H | 1–2 | McEveley 55' | 21,043 (5,000 away) | M. Atkinson (Leeds) |
| Date | Round | Time | Opponent | Venue | Result | Scorers | Attendance | Referee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 August 2009 | 1st round | 19:45 | Rotherham United | A | 1–2 | Teale 11' | 4,345 | D. Webb (Co. Durham) |
Last Updated – 24 April 2010
| No. | Pos. | Name | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | Discipline | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |  |  | |||
| 1 | GK | Stephen Bywater | 42 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | Paul Connolly | 17/4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 19/4 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Jay McEveley | 28/5 | 2 | 1/1 | 2 | 0/1 | 0 | 29/7 | 4 | 7 | 2 |
| 4 | MF | Paul Green | 30/3 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34/3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Miles Addison | 10/3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13/3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | Dean Leacock | 13/4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13/4 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Lee Croft | 14/5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16/5 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Robbie Savage | 45/1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 49/1 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Rob Hulse | 31/6 | 12 | 2/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33/7 | 12 | 5 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | Kris Commons | 11/9 | 3 | 3/1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14/10 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | Gary Teale | 21/7 | 2 | 0/2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 22/9 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| 12 | FW | Chris Porter | 11/10 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14/10 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | GK | Saul Deeney | 2/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | DF | Shaun Barker | 33/2 | 5 | 2/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35/3 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 15 | FW | Luke Varney | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/1 | 0 | 0/2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | Stephen Pearson | 34/3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39/3 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| 17 | DF | Jake Buxton | 19 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | Ben Pringle | 1/4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2/4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | Giles Barnes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | Lee Johnson | 4 | 0 | 2/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | Michael Tonge | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | Steve Davies | 7/11 | 1 | 1/2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8/13 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | DF | Dean Moxey | 27/3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31/3 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| 22 | MF | Arnaud Mendy | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | DF | Mark O'Brien | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | Jake Livermore | 11/5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11/5 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | Nicky Hunt | 20/1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22/1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 25 | FW | Paul Dickov | 10/6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10/6 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 25 | MF | David Martin | 2/9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/9 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | MF | Lee Hendrie | 4/5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5/5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | DF | Fredrik Stoor | 10/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10/1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 27 | DF | Russell Anderson | 9/6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9/6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | DF | Mitchell Hanson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | FW | Greg Mills | 0/2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | GK | David Martin | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | FW | Tomasz Cywka | 4/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | FW | James Vaughan | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | DF | Javan Vidal | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | MF | Bryan Hughes | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | FW | DJ Campbell | 6/2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6/2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | FW | Gilles Sunu | 6/3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6/3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | DF | Mark Dudley | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | GK | Ross Atkins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | FW | Callum Ball | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | MF | Ryan Connolly | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/1 | 0 | 0 |
| 37 | GK | James Severn | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 38 | MF | Jeff Hendrick | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Record | Statistic | Dates(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Biggest Win | 3–0 vSheffield Wednesday Peterborough United &Newcastle United | 3 October 2009 16 January 2010 9 February 2010 |
| Biggest Defeat | 1–6 vCardiff City | 29 September 2009 |
| Consecutive Victories | 2 | 9 February 2010 – 20 February 2010 27 March 2010 – 5 April 2010 |
| Unbeaten Run | 5 | 16 March 2010 – 5 April 2010 |
| Consecutive Defeats | 4 | 29 August 2009 – 26 September 2009 |
| Winless Run | 4 | 29 August 2009 – 26 September 2009 19 December 2009 – 16 January 2010 5 April 2010 – 2 May 2010 |
(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 | Shaun Barker[1] |
| Club Player of the Year | Robbie Savage[240] |
| Sammy Crooks Young Player of the Year | Ben Pringle[240] |
| Academy Player of the Year | Mason Bennett[240] |
| Scholar of the Year | Ryan Connolly[240] |
| Goal of the Season | Michael Tonge vWatford[240] |
| Special Achievement | Gordon Guthrie[240] |
As part of the 2009–10 season, Clough announced his attention to bring back a Derby County reserve side which, apart from one season, had been dormant since the end of 2004. The aim was to use the team as a basis in which to blood young players for an eventual role in the first team, something which the lack of a reserve side in recent seasons had hindered. The club entered intoThe Central League Division One Central Section, thought not the Central League Cup, and played its home games atAlfreton Town'sImpact Arena.[241] The reserves first season back proved successful as they claimedThe Central League Division One Central Section title, finishing a point clear of runners-upBurton Albion, and became the first Derby County reserves side to win its respective division since the club successfully captured thePremier Reserve League in 2000–01.
| Date | Competition | Opponents | Home/ Away | Result F – A | Scorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 July 2009 | Friendly | Arnold Town | A | 5–1 | Johnson 8', Pringle 38, 85', Prijović 57', Ojamaa 68' |
| 20 July 2009 | Friendly | Belper Town | A | 7–2 | Prijović 16, 42', Pringle 20', Mendy 36', Mills 79, 90', Ojamaa 87' |
| 27 July 2009 | Friendly | Matlock Town | A | 3–2 | Mendy 14', Mills 34', Prijović 80' |
| 30 July 2009 | Bass Charity Vase | Burton Albion | A | 0–1 | |
| 31 July 2009 | Friendly | Alfreton Town | A | 0–3 | |
| 4 August 2009 | Friendly | Solihull Moors | A | 1–1 | Commons 33 pen' |
| 8 September 2009 | Friendly | Leicester City Reserves | N/A | 1–3 | Mills ?? pen' |
| 17 March 2010 | Friendly | Crewe Alexandra | N/A | 1–3 | Buxton ??' |
| Date | Match No. | K.O. | Opponents | Home/ Away | Full Time F – A | Derby Scorers | Pos |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 August 2009 | 1 | 7.00pm | Shrewsbury Town | A | 4–0 | Hooman (O.G.) 53', Mendy 57', Johnson 65', Ojamaa 83' | 1 |
| 16 September 2009 | 2 | 7.00pm | Burton Albion | A | 0–3 | 4 | |
| 22 September 2009 | 3 | 7.00pm | Walsall | A | 2–1 | Pringle 25', Hendrie 53' | 3 |
| 14 October 2009 | 4 | 7.00pm | Port Vale | H | 1–1 | Prijović 16' | 3 |
| 28 October 2009 | 5 | 7.00pm | Macclesfield Town | H | 1–2 | Prijović 46' | 4 |
| 11 November 2009 | 6 | 2.00pm | Sheffield United | A | 4–1 | Johnson 5', Ojamma 10', Prijović 37, 55' | 3 |
| 25 November 2009 | 7 | 2.00pm | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 0–0 | 4 | |
| 9 December 2009 | 8 | 2.00pm | West Bromwich Albion | H | 2–1 | Doninger 21', Livermore 37' | 2 |
| 13 January 2010 | 9 | 2.00pm | Walsall | H | 3–0 | McEveley 18', Campbell 29, 53' | 1 |
| 17 February 2010 | 10 | 7.45pm | Macclesfield Town | A | 1–0 | Ball 82' | 1 |
| 3 March 2010 | 11 | 2.00pm | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 1–0 | R. Connolly 49' | 1 |
| 24 March 2010 | 12 | 2.00pm | Sheffield United | H | 3–0 | Mills 29, 85', Pringke 58' | 1 |
| 29 March 2010 | 13 | 7.00pm | Port Vale | A | 1–4 | Mills 77' | 1 |
| 12 April 2010 | 14 | 7.00pm | West Bromwich Albion | A | 2–3 | Moxey 43', Pepper 56' | 1 |
| 21 April 2010 | 15 | 7.00pm | Burton Albion | H | 1–2 | Mills 61' | 2 |
| 29 April 2010 | 16 | 2.00pm | Shrewsbury Town | H | 2–1 | Hunt 20', Commons 43' | 1 |
