Derby County finished the season in third place in the Championship, four points behind champions
Sunderland and two points behind runners-up
Birmingham City. With new ownership, Derby had been able to compete in the transfer market for the first time in a number of years, with
Luton Town's
Steve Howard becoming the club's first Β£1 million signing since
François Grenet six years previously and, alongside captures from Premiership clubs such as
West Ham United's
Stephen Bywater and
Fulham's
Dean Leacock, manager Billy Davies began shaping a side capable of competing at the right end of the table. This wasn't apparent from the off, however, and a return of just five points from the club's opening six fixtures did not hint at instant success for Davies, leaving influential and creative players such as
Tommy Smith and
IΓ±igo Idiakez to depart the club prior to the closing of the August transfer window. However, a 1β0 win at
Wolverhampton Wanderers on 12 September proved a catalyst as the club lost only four of its next 27 fixtures (a run which included winning all six league fixtures in November and an eight-match winning streak of six league and two FA Cup games from 30 December to 10 February). After a 2β2 draw at home to
Hull City on 10 February, Derby were six points clear at the top of the table[3] and had strengthened for the promotion run-in with the signing of
Tyrone Mears,
Jay McEveley,
Gary Teale,
David Jones,
Craig Fagan,
Stephen Pearson and
Jon Macken for a combined Β£5 million. However, a 2β0 defeat away to
Plymouth Argyle in the fifth round preceded a notable wobble in results and the club recorded a return of just six points from the next five games, conceding top spot to Birmingham City after a 1β0 defeat at
St. Andrews on 9 March.[4] A resounding 5β1 win against
Colchester United (by far the biggest win of a campaign which saw victory by a two-goal margin or greater on just six occasions) looked to have put the club back on track, but, after taking just 12 points from the next ten fixtures, the club slipped out of the automatic promotion places altogether and a 2β0 defeat at
Crystal Palace in the penultimate game of the season confirmed
a 3rd-placed finish and entry into the
2006β07 Championship playoffs.
Derby defeated
West Bromwich Albion 1β0 in the play-off final with a goal from
Stephen Pearson to return Derby to the top flight of English football for the first time in five seasons.
Striker Steve Howard, who was also Derby's top scorer that season, was awarded the Jack Stamps Trophy as Derby's player of the season. Defender
Darren Moore was named in the PFA's Championship Team of the Year.
Kit
Spanish company
Joma remained Derby's kits manufacturers, and introduced a new home kit for the season, the first time since 1998 that Derby had not used the same kit for two seasons running. The
Derbyshire Building Society continued sponsoring the kits.[5]
Source:
RSSSF Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference (GD). (C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted
^Camp was born in
Derby,
England, and represented them at
U-21 level, but also qualifies to represent
Northern Ireland internationally and would make his full international debut for
Northern Ireland in March 2011.
^McEveley was born in
Liverpool,
England, and represented them at
U-20 and
U-21 level, but also qualified to represent
Scotland internationally and represented them at
B level before making his international debut for
Scotland in August 2007.
^Johnson was born in
Nottingham,
England, but also qualified to represent
Jamaica internationally and made his international debut for
Jamaica in 1999.
^Howard was born in
Durham,
England, but also qualified to represent
Scotland internationally and would later represent them at
B level.
^Moore was born in
Birmingham,
England, but also qualified to represent
Jamaica internationally through his parents and made his international debut for
Jamaica in 1999.
^Mears was born in
Chadderton,
England, but represented
Jamaica in February 2009, apparently qualifying through his father. It was later discovered that his father was actually from
Sierra Leone and Mears was ineligible to represent
Jamaica.
^Barnes was born in
Barking and Dagenham,
England, and represented them at U-19 level, but also qualifies to represent
Jamaica internationally through his paternal grandparents and would make his international debut for
Jamaica in May 2015.
^Nyatanga was born in
Burton upon Trent,
England, but also qualifies to represent
Wales internationally through his mother and
Zimbabwe through his father, and represented Wales at U-17 and U-21 level before making his international debut for
Wales in March 2006.
^Cann was born in
South Africa, but also qualifies to represent both
Wales and
England internationally, and has represented Wales at U-17, U-19, and semi-professional level.
Derby County finished the season in third place in the Championship, four points behind champions
Sunderland and two points behind runners-up
Birmingham City. With new ownership, Derby had been able to compete in the transfer market for the first time in a number of years, with
Luton Town's
Steve Howard becoming the club's first Β£1 million signing since
François Grenet six years previously and, alongside captures from Premiership clubs such as
West Ham United's
Stephen Bywater and
Fulham's
Dean Leacock, manager Billy Davies began shaping a side capable of competing at the right end of the table. This wasn't apparent from the off, however, and a return of just five points from the club's opening six fixtures did not hint at instant success for Davies, leaving influential and creative players such as
Tommy Smith and
IΓ±igo Idiakez to depart the club prior to the closing of the August transfer window. However, a 1β0 win at
Wolverhampton Wanderers on 12 September proved a catalyst as the club lost only four of its next 27 fixtures (a run which included winning all six league fixtures in November and an eight-match winning streak of six league and two FA Cup games from 30 December to 10 February). After a 2β2 draw at home to
Hull City on 10 February, Derby were six points clear at the top of the table[3] and had strengthened for the promotion run-in with the signing of
Tyrone Mears,
Jay McEveley,
Gary Teale,
David Jones,
Craig Fagan,
Stephen Pearson and
Jon Macken for a combined Β£5 million. However, a 2β0 defeat away to
Plymouth Argyle in the fifth round preceded a notable wobble in results and the club recorded a return of just six points from the next five games, conceding top spot to Birmingham City after a 1β0 defeat at
St. Andrews on 9 March.[4] A resounding 5β1 win against
Colchester United (by far the biggest win of a campaign which saw victory by a two-goal margin or greater on just six occasions) looked to have put the club back on track, but, after taking just 12 points from the next ten fixtures, the club slipped out of the automatic promotion places altogether and a 2β0 defeat at
Crystal Palace in the penultimate game of the season confirmed
a 3rd-placed finish and entry into the
2006β07 Championship playoffs.
Derby defeated
West Bromwich Albion 1β0 in the play-off final with a goal from
Stephen Pearson to return Derby to the top flight of English football for the first time in five seasons.
Striker Steve Howard, who was also Derby's top scorer that season, was awarded the Jack Stamps Trophy as Derby's player of the season. Defender
Darren Moore was named in the PFA's Championship Team of the Year.
Kit
Spanish company
Joma remained Derby's kits manufacturers, and introduced a new home kit for the season, the first time since 1998 that Derby had not used the same kit for two seasons running. The
Derbyshire Building Society continued sponsoring the kits.[5]
Source:
RSSSF Rules for classification: In the Football League goals scored (F) takes precedence over goal difference (GD). (C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted
^Camp was born in
Derby,
England, and represented them at
U-21 level, but also qualifies to represent
Northern Ireland internationally and would make his full international debut for
Northern Ireland in March 2011.
^McEveley was born in
Liverpool,
England, and represented them at
U-20 and
U-21 level, but also qualified to represent
Scotland internationally and represented them at
B level before making his international debut for
Scotland in August 2007.
^Johnson was born in
Nottingham,
England, but also qualified to represent
Jamaica internationally and made his international debut for
Jamaica in 1999.
^Howard was born in
Durham,
England, but also qualified to represent
Scotland internationally and would later represent them at
B level.
^Moore was born in
Birmingham,
England, but also qualified to represent
Jamaica internationally through his parents and made his international debut for
Jamaica in 1999.
^Mears was born in
Chadderton,
England, but represented
Jamaica in February 2009, apparently qualifying through his father. It was later discovered that his father was actually from
Sierra Leone and Mears was ineligible to represent
Jamaica.
^Barnes was born in
Barking and Dagenham,
England, and represented them at U-19 level, but also qualifies to represent
Jamaica internationally through his paternal grandparents and would make his international debut for
Jamaica in May 2015.
^Nyatanga was born in
Burton upon Trent,
England, but also qualifies to represent
Wales internationally through his mother and
Zimbabwe through his father, and represented Wales at U-17 and U-21 level before making his international debut for
Wales in March 2006.
^Cann was born in
South Africa, but also qualifies to represent both
Wales and
England internationally, and has represented Wales at U-17, U-19, and semi-professional level.