Match Preview: Derby v Sky Blues.

By Smiles. 

It’s a bit early for a six pointer, but this is as close as they get at this time of the season. Any kind of points from the Sky TV featured East West Midlands derby would be welcome for both managers, sides and fans, as two struggling teams with limited resources and poor form meet at Pride Park.

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As Friday night games go, at least this one is easily driveable, however its not one I’ll be making. Recent performance have dented my desire to shell out to go to a ground I’ve been to many a time, and in fairness, our recent record isn’t too bad at.

Even the lure of a very decent boozer, isn’t going to tempt me to part with any cash, after all if our owners won’t, then why should I?! Nope this treading water exercise this season, noble although it may be in the battle to keep our finances afloat, has me considering my priorities and football is falling down that list.

Perhaps it may be said my commitment to the cause should be better, but hey, its only football, (business) afterall…

New signing Leon Barnett could be handed his Coventry debut this evening when Chris Coleman's injury-hit squad travels to Derby. Centre-back Barnett has penned a three-month loan deal from West Brom and could be thrown straight into the mix against a Rams side who have lost eight of their last 11 games working under extremely similar circumstances to Coleman’s team.

Captain Stephen Wright missed last weekend's 3-1 defeat to Reading due to flu and has still been struggling this week while fellow central defender Ben Turner had to have an injection in his knee in order to line up at the Ricoh Arena but has also missed some training sessions in recent days.

Both are touch and go for the trip to Pride Park while goalkeeper Keiren Westwood remains a major doubt with the back problem that forced him off against West Brom proving more troublesome than first expected. Left-back Marcus Hall has returned to training after the death of his father but whether he features remains to be seen.

James McPake and David Bell are both looking for vital match practice following their recent returns from injury while midfielder Sammy Clingan (broken toe) remains on the sidelines.

Sky Blues from: Konstantopoulos, Westwood, van Aaholt, Wright, Ward, Cranie, Clarke, Wynter, Turner, Grandison, Cork, Cain, Hall, Osbourne, McIndoe, Eastwood, Morrison, Best, Jeffers, Hussey, Madine, Barnett, Ireland

Derby are a club in as much turmoil as the Sky Blues of late and are rudderless again after the departure of their latest chairman. Adam Pearson resigned as Derby's chairman of football on Wednesday and has returned to his former club Hull, whose chairman Paul Duffen resigned last Thursday morning.

Pearson is confident Nigel Clough remains the man to revive Derby as a force to be reckoned with after appointing Clough as Rams boss in January: 'I have no doubt at all that Nigel, supported by his staff, will go on to be a truly great manager for Derby County Football Club and create his own legacy, in the footsteps of his father. He is a manager in whom the supporters and board can totally trust with the future of their club. It has been an absolute pleasure and privilege to work with Nigel Clough over the past 10 months.”

'Under Nigel's management, the wage bill is now under control, the squad size is under control, the academy structure is solid and we have a management team in place who will take the team forward.'

Pearson still owns a small number of shares at Derby but, in the short term, that would not affect his expected return to Hull because his holding is less than 10%. It is understood there are plans in place for Pearson's shares to be taken up by one or more of the other investors. Chief executive and president Tom Glick will step into Pearson's role.

The parallels between City and Derby of late are well documented with histories between the two clubs, finances, its former bankers, and chairman uncannily close. Both have been taken over by football impresarios, cut cloth and squads, appointed new managers and then struggled on limited resources.

Clough revealed the 'smell of relegation' still lingers around Pride Park as he prepared to embark upon his first full season as Derby manager. One landmark that Rams have achieved over City is a return to the Premiership that has, thus far, evaded the Sky Blues. However, The Rams were relegated from the Barclays Premier League with an all-time low points total of 11 after winning just one match during the 2007/08 season.

Clough then famously followed in his late father Brian's footsteps by becoming Derby manager at the start of this year. He inherited the squad that had performed so poorly under his predecessor, Paul Jewell, and was quick to point out he felt the players were still hungover from the previous season. After saving the Rams from successive relegations, the former Burton boss has rebuilt over the summer by bringing in five new signings.

However, Clough admits memories of the torment of the 2007/08 season remain and said: 'It's not gone 100%. It still lapses back in every now and again when things go badly. Generally, we are getting shot of it. It's not a conscious thing, it just seems to creep in over a period of months and then it lingers for quite some time. It's not like a light switch where you can just turn it off one day, it takes a period of time. I thought we showed signs of it going last season and I hope we start this season and show even more signs of it.

The Rams have started this season pretty much where they left off last and with a squad as waifer thin as ours injuries to key players have seen them suffer, having to use a combination of young players and loanees.

Clough has confirmed he is trying to extend one of loan deals, that of Fulham full back Fredrik Stoor. The Swede has impressed during his month-loan stint at Pride Park, but is due to head back to Craven Cottage this week. Clough is keen to retain the services of Stoor and is planning talks with his Cottagers counterpart Roy Hodgson once the defender's eye injury picked up against QPR eases: 'His eye is completely closed, if you have seen the Rocky films, you'll know what I mean. He has a good black eye and there was no way he could continue but we are looking to extend his loan.' One player whose loan period has been ceased is Rams midfielder Arnaud Mendy. Mendy joined the Mariners on a one-month deal recently but has been sent back to his club early, with a lack of first-team opportunities cited as the reason behind the League Two club’s decision.

'It’s not for anything he has done in a bad way, it’s just to be fair to him,' Grimsby caretaker boss Neil Woods told the club’s official website. 'I think I need to be fair to the players that we’ve got here first. He’s been a little bit of a victim of circumstances in the last two weeks. He’s not going to get into the 18 and I don’t think it’s fair to keep him here. He understands the situation.'

Hull midfielder Bryan Hughes went the opposite way to Pearson joining Derby on a one-month loan. Clough has brought in Hughes to provide back up as the Rams have a number of injuries. 'I'm delighted we have been able to secure Bryan's services: he is player who brings vast experience to our squad. Everyone knows about our injury situation and when we looked at the list of available players Bryan's name stood out.”

Derby’s slim squad and injury problems have seen the County town slump towards the bottom of the division and with Rob Hulse out recently goals have been rare, so much so Derby have confirmed they have inquired about Ipswich striker Jon Stead.

The Rams` forward line has been decimated by injury this season. Steve Davies and Chris Porter are long-term absentees while James Vaughan, on loan from Everton recently returned to Goodison Park for treatment on a knee injury that will keep him out until the end of November. Stead, 26, scored three goals in 17 appearances during a three-month loan spell at Derby in 2006. Ipswich manager Roy Keane stated that he was unaware of any contact from the Rams regarding Stead. But Derby boss Nigel Clough said: 'Jon Stead is a player that we have asked about. However, I don't think that there will be any movement in this direction at the moment.'

Jay McEveley will make a dramatic return to the Derby squad for the Sky Blues visit to Pride Park less than three weeks after suffering a fractured cheekbone, which was corrected by an operation in which McEverley claims his heart stopped in..

The defender is back in contention after his heart stopped for two minutes during the operation to correct the facial injury he sustained in the league defeat at Middlesbrough on October 20th. McEveley will wear a Bestesque protective mask but the 24-year-old insists he will not be holding back in any challenges: 'I can't play without being 100 per cent committed to every challenge. If I'm lucky enough to play and there's a ball to be won, I'll stick my head in there without a moments hesitation,' he said. 'The mask helps massively, it is very solid. It would have to be some blow for me to suffer any more damage.'

McEveley is not the only Ram with his heart on his sleeve as it was discovered that Derby's 16-year-old defender Mark O'Brien has undergone heart surgery. The Republic of Ireland Under-16 international had surgery on his heart valves at Leicester's Glenfield Hospital and now faces a three-month rest before resuming his promising career.

The problem was first spotted in pre-season and medical staff began to monitor his condition but after consulting a number of experts it was decided he should have the operation: 'I was taking things in my stride to be honest and once he (the consultant) said 'it is next week' I did get a little nervous,' O'Brien, who made his first-team debut last season. 'I'm feeling quite stiff, but apart from that I'm feeling great to be honest. Everything is going according to plan which is good. I'm glad it (the operation) is out the way now because I didn't want to wait until next year which was initially spoken about. I didn't want to have it in the back of my mind for the next five or six months.'

McEveley, left-back, is one of a quartet of players the injury-hit Rams could have available again along with fellow defender, and former City loanee, Dean Leacock, midfielder Paul Green and top scorer Rob Hulse. Leacock and Hulse have trained this week after missing the defeat at Ipswich with mumps and a stomach bug respectively while a late decision will be made on Green's involvement following his lengthy absence with a broken metatarsal.

Derby from: Bywater, Connolly, Moxey, Stoor, Barker, Hughes, Teale, Savage, Livermore, Croft, Pearson, Mills, Dickov, Deeney, Buxton, Dudley McEveley, Hulse, Leacock, Green.

In: Dean Moxey, (Exeter), Lee Croft, (Norwich), Jake Buxton & Saul Deeney, (Burton), Shaun Barker (Blackpool), Lee Hendrie, (Sheffield United).

On Loan Jake Livermore, (Spurs), Paul Dickov, (Leicester), James Vaughan (Everton) Fredrik Stoor (Fulham) Bryan Hughes, (Hull).

Out: Tyrone Mears, (Burnley), Mile Sterjovski & Andy Todd (Perth Glory, Aus), Lewin Nyatanga, (Bristol), Liam Dickinson (Brighton), Claude Davis, (Crystal Palace), Jordan Stewart (Sheff United).

Out On Loan Lewis Price (Brentford), Luke Varney, (Sheff Weds).

Released Paris Simmons, Andrejs Pereplotkins, Emanuel Villa, Mitch Hanson, Roy Carroll, Aleksandar Prijovic, Alan Stubbs, Martin Albrechtsen, Ruben Zadkovich.

Goals are a bit sparse at present with top scorer Rob Hulse with 3 league goals from 11 (2) appearances.

Two players have 2 each with Gary Teale and Miles Addison double up from 15 (0) & 8 (1) appearances respectively.

Hulse was last season’s top scorer too with 15 league goals from 42 (2) outings.

Sky Blues - 16th, The Championship: 17 points from 15 games.

Derby - 20th, The Championship: 14 points from 15 games.

Derby has the 17th best attack in the league this season with 17 goals scored, the same as The Sky Blues

The Rams have the equal 3rd worst defence in The Championship with 26 goals conceded, 3 worse The Sky Blues

Last 8 League Games:

We’ve already seen todays ref once this season already:

Mr P T Crossley (Kent)

Games across all leagues & competitions this season:

Games across all leagues & competitions last season:

Last City game Officiated in: Sky Blues vs Swansea. 22/08/09

Result: 0-1.

Performance: The Sky Blues were left to rue a first half penalty miss as their unbeaten start to the season crumbled at the hands of Chris Coleman’s hometown club Swansea City…. The result was an agitated and disjointed performance, not helped by Sammy Clingan’s 13th minute penalty miss. The off-colour midfielder side-footed the ball wide after referee Crossley had harshly judged that Andrea Orlandi had handled in the box…. Minutes before that, City captain Stephen Wright was lucky he didn’t concede a penalty when he stooped to clear the ball with his shoulder inside the penalty area. Wright was one of the few City players who could be pleased with their performance….6/10

The Sky Blues last faced Derby at Pride Park on Saturday 31st January 2009 recording a 2-1 loss as the Sky Blues handed Derby their first league win under Nigel Clough as the bad winds that blew in against Cardiff prevailed again. City had now lost two on the bounce as the newbies take time to gel and City desperately need a few experienced heads, and feet, back to fitness as the make dos, don’t. Plus Ca Change!

Derby must have been very happy with the 4 points they took from us that season, as well as Cardiff who did the double. It was not time yet to get twitchy in a close league, but things had to improve quickly, because despite a s reasonable run we must have used up all our luck, and a bit of skill was now required to consolidate the required mid table finish as we moved into the final third of the season.

We never turned up first half our shape was very poor, before they scored they had four corners and we never put a challenge in which was very poor, which was disappointing. In the last three games we’ve not been on it, we have to address that. The lads on the pitch all have to be on it from the first minute. We were better in the 2nd half, but we gave ourselves a mountain to climb.

Chris Coleman We have more experience now, we’ve had three or four academy lads on the bench who have done well to fill the gaps but now we’ve players fit and I want to see our eleven experienced players on the pitch having ago. Are our defenders on the pitch trying to get Westy a move? Because he’s keeping us in the game all the time, our defence let us down a few times. I’m not trying to paper over the cracks because the 1st 45 minutes was just not good enough they pulverized us and we was just not good enough, I’m not bothered how ugly it is, we just have to defend. We just couldn't cope with Derby's tempo. They were quicker to every ball and they won every challenge in our box - that can't be right.'

We got Bell, Henderson on a month loan, which we thought may not happen, lets not judge anybody on one game, they both played hard. Leon I could have changed 10 players at half time, no disrespect to Freddy I could have taken anyone off, but Leon did very well. Danny Fox got a knock, lot of speculation about him leaving the club, blah blah blah, he showed a lot of courage by staying on. There’s a little snag with James McPake, nothing big but I hope it can be sorted out. The guys we have need to do their best but if they’re doing well they have nothing to worry about. We’ve said we want to improve, it will take a few windows, and we’re doing that slowly.

Nigel Clough: 'This is a terrific result for us but it is important to stress that it is only a very small step forward.”

'The first-half performance was magnificent. With slightly better finishing and that elusive bit of luck we would have been out of sight. A third goal would have killed the game off and we could have got it at any point in the first half.”

'At 2-0 it is lovely but it is a dangerous scoreline because if they get a goal back early after the break - like they did - it makes for a nervous second half.'

Sky Blues: Westwood, Wright, Hall, Ward, Fox, Henderson, Beuzelin, Doyle (Sawyer 86), Bell, Morrison, Eastwood (McKenzie 46).

Subs Not Used: Marshall, Thornton, Wynter.

Booked: None.

Goal: Doyle 53.

Despite this fixture being played many times over the years, the Sky Blues and the Rams didn’t meet for over 40 years between 1924/25 & 1964/65 due to the Rams being promoted to Division One. It took the Rams to be relegated back to the 2nd Division during the Sky Blues rise up the league under Jimmy Hill in the 60’s for the two sides to meet again, where the bulk of the fixtures between the two sides have taken place since

Our Previous trip to Pride Park was in Derby’s promotion season in 2006/7 under Billy Davies when City returned a credible 1-1 draw. Leon McKenzie opened the scoring in the 73rd minute and Matt Oakley responded with the equaliser 6 minutes later.

Iain Dowie commented: ' We wanted a response after the last two games. Clearly, they weren't what we were after. But that's the kind of level of commitment we were showing prior to that for the six-game unbeaten run and that was more like it. We've come to the champions-elect, a team that have played some outstanding football, and arguably should've won.'

Billy Davies was a little more reserved; 'We've now got to go and grab this with both hands. We've got to be confident, we've got to be positive and we've got to have that belief. We know it won't be easy, we know there are tough games ahead. And we know there are still lots of twists and turns to come.'

The team that day was:

Sky Blues: Marshall, Virgo, Page, Ward, Hall, Osbourne, Hughes, Doyle, Tabb, Kyle (Adebola 81), McKenzie (Mifsud 77).

Subs not used: Steele, Cameron, Turner.

Booked: Virgo Sent off: Tim Flowers!

Goals: McKenzie 73.

Prior to that City travelled up the A38 in September of 2005 under Micky Adams. A Dele Adebola equaliser after 57 minutes to Morten Bisgaards opener which was enough to earn the Sky Blues a point.

Despite not losing in their last 4 visits to Derby, overall City's record at Derby, be it at Pride Park or at the old Baseball Ground, is pretty lamentable. The fine 3-1 victory in 2003/4 was only City's sixth in 29 trips in all competitions since the first league fixture was played in 1921/22. and the three goals scored then were the first by the Sky Blues in five attempts.

Some optimism can be drawn from the fact that victories have tended to come in pairs. A 2-0 win in September 1978 was matched with a 2-1 success the following December.

Similarly, a 2-1 in City's promotion season, (November 1966), was followed by another the next time city made the trip, (3-1 in October 1969), and another the following season, a handsome 4-3 win in September 1970. Neil Martin scored twice with a rare Dave Clements goal and a Willie Carr strike sealing the win.

The overall results between the two clubs could not be much closer, with Derby having recorded 27 wins in all competitions against Coventry's 26, with 19 draws. Derby County V Coventry City dates back to November 1921, when the Rams took the honours 1-0 in the first-ever meeting between the sides. It was a league double that season as Derby followed that up with a 2-1 away success, both fixtures in the old Division Two.

In 1996/97, Derby's first in the Premiership, then-manager Jim Smith guided his side to a treble against Coventry. They won both league games 2-1, including the victory at Highfield Road that secured safety in the top-flight, and completed a dramatic comeback to win an FA Cup tie at the Baseball Ground 3-2 having been 2-0 down early on.

Derby fans may choose not to spend too much time previous encounters with the Sky Blues in Coventry. In the last ever game at Highfield Road the Sky Blues whooped Direby 6-2 and then the first at The Ricoh finished 6-1, but that ghost was finally laid to with the Rams recording a 2-1 win in the next match played.

The last eight meetings in this fixture have finished thus:

Full league Away record against Derby is as follows:

Overall record against The Rams Home & Away in all competitions is as follows:

The full detail of that can be seen here:

Derby County Football Club play at Pride Park Stadium, Pride Park, Derby, Derbyshire DE24 8XL, (To get there print off the map on the Yell link below!).

From the the M1, exit at Junction 25 and take the A52 towards Derby. The ground is signposted off the A52 after about seven miles. There is not a great deal of parking available around the stadium so it may an idea to park in the centre of town and then walk out to the ground. A better place to park for all fans is the cattle market car park. This costs £2 and is about 15-20 minute walk from the ground and is just off the A52. To get there, go past the normal turning for the stadium and go up to the 'pentagon roundabout;' take the first turning off there and then take the next left - you then drive about 300 yards back on yourself, passing it on your left as you drive along the A52'.

Alternatively you can park in the Station Car Park if you go to out pub of choice!

Our equal 2nd favourite place to drink as away fans, and I would heartedly recommend it to anyone. Brilliant traditional Ale House in a period setting, wide range of beers, similar to The Shakespeare in Spon End, Old Worlde type pub but a great place to drink. You will not be disappointed, after a few decent pints a bracing walk along the Trent will do you good too!

The Brunswick Inn, 1, Railway Terrace, Derby, Derbyshire DE1 2RU, Tel: 01332 290 677

You can find a map of how to get there here: (click the logo)

Derby County were formed in 1884 and were one of the 12 founder members of the Football League.

Their original kit was ‘chocolate’ (brown), amber and pale blue. (nice).

They played their first games at the old Baseball Ground until they moved to Pride Park in 1997 a total of 103 years!

Their first manager was Harry Newbold from 1896-1906 who was succeeded by Methven in 1922, Potter 1925 and then Jobey who stayed until 1941.

In 1971-72 Derby won the league under Old Big ‘Ed by a single point from Leeds, Liverpool & Man City. Winning the League again in ’74-’75.

In 72-73 they reached the semi-final of the old European Cup, (solely for Champions, defeated by Juventus 3-1 after drawing 0-0 at home.

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