Football Season Guide

Derby will play in the third tier of English football for the first time since 1986 following their relegation from the Championship. The Rams actually did pretty well in 21/22 considering they were hampered by points deductions and transfer embargos, and at one point looked as if they might pull off a miraculous escape but ultimately failed to beat the drop. The close season has been a turbulent one as they battled to find a new owner but they have now finally found one (a Derbyshire-based property developer). The summer has also seen the departure of manager Wayne Rooney, his assistant Liam Rosenior is currently in interim charge. With a new owner now in place, Derby fans can be positive about this season and they look to have made some astute additions. To complement the quality youngsters at the club they have mainly concentrated on recruiting experienced campaigners who know what it takes to perform at this level. Some star players have departed, most notably talismanic skipper and top scorer from last season Lawrence. The biggest challenge for Derby this season could be adapting to this level but with the quality in their squad they should be challenging towards the top of the table.