Big Match Preview: Derby County home

Friday, September 15th 2017

After thumping Hull City 5-0 on Sky Sports in their last Sky Bet Championship outing, the Rams will arrive in BS3 in confident spirits.

City will be hoping to continue their momentum after picking up four points from two tough away games at Reading and Wolves.

Here’s a look at the tomorrow's opponents.

FACTFILE

Formed: 1884
Nickname: The Rams
Website: www.dcfc.co.uk
Twitter: @dcfcofficial
Ground: Pride Park Stadium
Capacity: 33,597

Honours
First Division 1971/72, 1974/75,
Second Division 1911/12, 1914/15, 1968/69, 1986/87
Third Division 1956/57
FA Cup 1946
FA Charity Shield 1975

Last season
League finish: 9^thFA Cup: Fourth round, lost to Leicester City
EFL Cup: Third round, lost to Liverpool
Top Scorer: Tom Ince, 15 goals
Average attendance: 29,042

HOW DID THEY GET HERE?

Derby County scored the first goal of the 2017/18 campaign when they competed in a Friday night encounter at Sunderland in front of the Sky Sports cameras.

The game finished 1-1 and was followed by a home defeat to Wolves a week later, leaving expectant Rams supporters nervous about their start to the season.

Since then, Derby have rarely looked back, bar a stumble at Sheffield United.

Gary Rowett’s side announced their intentions with a stunning 5-0 victory over recently-relegated Hull City last eight days ago – again in front of a worldwide TV audience.

Matej Vydra has hit the ground running, with Bradley Johnson chipping in with goals from midfield, but those are just two names from a squad brimming with talent.

It’s been ten seasons since Derby set a Premier League record for the lowest points tally in a season and they’ve been in the Championship since. But with the current crop, Derby fans will be quietly confident of long-awaited return to the top flight.

MEET THE GAFFER - GARY ROWETT

Boss who has enjoyed an impressive climb since taking over the reins at Burton Albion in 2012. He left the Pirelli Stadium just over two years later to join Birmingham City, with Burton near the top of League Two (and they subsequently secured the title that season).

Rowett took a relegation-threatened Blues side from 21st to tenth place in the Sky Bet Championship in his first season, earning many plaudits.

When he was sacked in December 2016, with Birmingham seventh in the table, there was outcry across the football world. He was only out of work for three months, before signing on the dotted line at Derby.

RUSSELL ENTERS HIS FIFTH SEASON AT PRIDE PARK

STAR MAN – JOHNNY RUSSELL

Now in his fifth season at Pride Park, the attacker has made a fine transition to life south of the border since joining from Dundee United, where he was a product of their youth setup.

A Scottish international, Russell is a regular creator of goals for the Rams, but importantly chips in with them as well.

He penned a brand new three-year contract in September 2015 and remains a key part of Rowett’s plans to take Derby back into the Premier League.

CITY COME OUT ON TOP IN AN EIGHT-GOAL THRILLER

MEMORABLE MEETING 1979/80

Bristol City 6-2 Derby County

Garland 6, 85, Pritchard 12, 61, Whitehead 39, Mann 88; Davies 84, Daly 87.

Alan Dicks’ side racked up their record FA Cup win over top-flight opponents as Derby County were slaughtered in a goal-fest at the Gate.

Chris Garland began the scoring after six minutes, heading in Howard Pritchard’s corner kick, and City never looked back.

Pritchard turned goalscorer by stabbing in from close range soon after, before Clive Whitehead’s goal just before the break gave the half-time scoreline a rather one-sided look.

Things went from bad to worse for the hapless visitors, who conceded another to Pritchard on the hour, a fierce strike into the roof of the net.

Rogers Davies pulled a goal back for the visitors, only for Garland to strike again moments later.

Derby managed another consolation strike through Gerry Daly’s effort but City had the last laugh with Jimmy Mann scoring an eighth goal of the game at the death.

Bristol City: Shaw, Tainton, Whitehead, Gow, Rodgers, Merrick, Prtichard, Fitzpatrick, Rithcie, Mann, Garland.

Derby County: McKellar, Emery, Buckley, Daly, S.Powell, Osgood, Clark (Emson), B.Powell, Greenwood, Davies, Moreland.