The Fall: Financial Chaos and Relegation There were moments in recent years when Derby County supporters feared they were watching the final chapter of their club’s story. The 2021/22 season quickly turned that fear into reality. In September 2021, the club was placed into administration, triggering an immediate 12-point deduction and setting the stage for […]
There were moments in recent years when Derby County supporters feared they were watching the final chapter of their club’s story. The 2021/22 season quickly turned that fear into reality. In September 2021, the club was placed into administration, triggering an immediate 12-point deduction and setting the stage for one of the darkest periods in the club’s history.
Worse was still to come. After admitting breaches of the EFL’s Profitability and Sustainability rules, Derby were hit with a further nine-point sporting sanction, with an additional three points, a total deduction of 21 points that would have crushed almost any team.
Yet amid the turmoil, Wayne Rooney’s young squad refused to fold. Pride Park stayed full, week after week, not out of expectation but defiance. Memorable wins provided fleeting relief, but the weight of the deductions proved too heavy.
Relegation to League One was confirmed in April 2022, ending a season defined as much by courage as by heartbreak. Two months later, on 24 June, Rooney stepped aside as manager, bringing down the curtain on a remarkable, emotionally charged tenure. Derby had survived. Just. But the club was far from safe.
Relief finally arrived on 1 July 2022 when Derby officially exited administration. The takeover by Clowes Developments (UK) Limited, led by lifelong Rams supporter David Clowes, rescued the club from potential liquidation and ushered in a new era grounded in realism rather than reckless ambition.
For the first time in months, there was clarity. Bills were paid, contracts stabilised, and plans could finally be made. Derby County once more felt like a football club rather than a crisis management exercise.
The 2022/23 season marked Derby’s 139th year of competitive football and their first in League One. After a brief interim spell under Liam Rosenior, which included a cathartic 1–0 opening-day win over Oxford United in front of a League One record crowd at Pride Park, Paul Warne was appointed head coach in September 2022, bringing structure to a squad still taking shape.
Fifteen new players were added over the season, including experienced figures like Conor Hourihane and David McGoldrick. A 19-match unbeaten run propelled Derby into the playoff conversation, and though they ultimately finished seventh, just one point shy of the top six, the trajectory was clear: progress was happening.
The 2023/24 campaign was where that progress turned into momentum. From the outset, Derby looked like a side with unfinished business, composed, disciplined, and relentless. Consistency became their calling card.
Over 46 matches, the Rams amassed a club-record 92 points, winning 28 games and drawing eight. They equalled the club record for league wins, set a new record for 13 away victories, and boasted the best defensive record across the EFL, conceding just 37 goals and keeping 22 clean sheets.
Automatic promotion was secured in fitting fashion with a 2–0 victory over Carlisle United on the final day at Pride Park. Promotion was a triumph, but it also marked the start of Derby’s hardest test yet. The connection between players and supporters, rebuilt over two seasons, had been rewarded. Pride Park and the travelling fans had been central to a year defined by unity.
The Championship quickly proved a steeper challenge. The 2024/25 season was a test of resilience rather than celebration. By February, Derby had suffered seven consecutive defeats, leaving them bottom of the table and seven points from safety.
Paul Warne departed, and former Rams midfielder John Eustace stepped in on 13 February 2025. What followed was remarkable. With clarity restored and belief rebuilt, Derby won six and drew three of their final 11 fixtures, securing survival in 19th place, one point clear of relegation.
Off the pitch, the club continued to stabilise financially, with rising revenues, strong attendance, and a healthy Profit and Sustainability position. After years of chaos, Derby were beginning to feel whole again.
This season carries a different energy. Derby County approach the 2025/26 campaign as a quietly ambitious, competitive team on the pitch, and a responsible one off it. The Championship is notoriously unpredictable. Teams like Coventry City, Ipswich Town, and Middlesbrough are widely tipped for promotion, but form can swing rapidly, and margins are fine.
Victories against top sides like Middlesbrough and Preston North End highlight Derby’s ability to compete with the league’s best and show that the Rams are far from pushovers.
For Derby, the focus isn’t about instant promotion. Manager John Eustace has been clear that the priority is steady progress rather than pressure. “There’s no pressure to get promoted from the owners or anything like that,” he said. “It’s about stabilising this football club from what’s been a really difficult situation.”
“We’ve been through administration. We’ve been relegated to League One. You have to remember that there has been a huge turnaround, not just on the pitch, but also off the pitch in the summer, with staff and players.”
”Derby County are moving in the right direction on and off the field,” Eustace added. There’s been progress throughout my time here. We’re coming up to a year and you can see the progress on and off the field.”
We have to be realists about it and realise the squad isn’t as strong, probably, as others are, but what we have got is players who are 100% committed and give their all week-in, week-out.”
Between the end of October and the end of November, Derby went on a five-game winning streak, a run that saw John Eustace nominated for Championship Manager of the Month, with Carlton Morris also earning a nomination for Player of the Month. Morris had scored 10 goals in 16 games, top goalscorer in the league before picking up an injury in a 3-2 defeat to Watford that ended Derby’s unbeaten run.
During this period, Derby also produced standout victories against promotion-chasing sides Middlesbrough and Preston, demonstrating that the Rams can compete with the division’s best and signalling growing belief and momentum within the squad.
Fans have returned in force to Pride Park, cheering every goal and every tackle. The stadium’s roar has become a driving force for the team, particularly during wins against top promotion contenders like Middlesbrough and Preston, where the atmosphere felt electric and players fed off the energy.
John Eustace’s plans for Derby County extend beyond immediate results. Since taking charge, his focus has been on creating a competitive, stable Championship side by combining player development, squad cohesion, and smart recruitment, all while stabilising the club after years of turmoil.
Eustace provides tailored development programs for individuals, including training, diet, and performance targets. He pairs experienced figures, such as Danny Batth and Matt Clarke, with emerging talents like Sondre Langås and Patrick Agyemang, ensuring younger players can learn and thrive.
Training intensity, focus, and tactical discipline are central to his approach. Eustace wants Derby to be a tough opponent in every Championship fixture, instilling a fighting spirit and ensuring players consistently give their all.
Smart signings underpin his vision. Securing players like Dion Sanderson permanently and integrating new arrivals seamlessly into the squad ensures the team grows stronger without losing cohesion or identity.
Beyond the pitch, Eustace aims to create a solid foundation for long-term success. By addressing weaknesses exposed during administration and relegation, he is building a club structure that allows sustained growth while living within its means.
Pride Park is central to his plans. Eustace wants the stadium to be a fortress, rewarding loyal fans with results while utilising players’ versatility like Max Johnston’s ability to play multiple roles to add depth and flexibility to the squad.
Eustace’s vision is clear. Derby County should be hard to beat, well-structured, and ambitious, but realistic. By building on the progress made since his arrival, he aims for sustained Championship success while avoiding complacency and keeping improvement the primary goal.
Promotion may not be the immediate priority, but the ambition is clear. Derby County aim to challenge for a playoff spot, with promising young players stepping up and an experienced squad providing stability.
Off the pitch, the club’s sound financial footing and carefully structured management give fans reason to believe that sustained success in the Championship and perhaps beyond is within reach.
Promotion to the Premier League may still feel distant, but belief has returned and belief matters. From administration to ambition, from chaos to clarity, Derby County’s story is no longer defined by what almost destroyed it.
It’s defined by what it overcame. Not every rebuild earns a happy ending but this one has earned belief.
And the dream? It’s still alive.
