1991–92 Derby County F.C. season

During the 1991–92 English football season, Derby County F.C. competed in the Football League Second Division, following relegation from the First Division the previous season.

Derby County
1991–92 season
ChairmanEngland Lionel Pickering
ManagerEngland Arthur Cox
StadiumBaseball Ground
Second Division3rd
PlayoffsSemi-finals
FA CupFourth round
League CupThird round

Season summary edit

Despite the loss of key players like Mark Wright and Dean Saunders, Derby County emerged as genuine contenders for an automatic return to English football's top flight (which would be renamed the FA Premier League from the start of the next season) after the takeover by Lionel Pickering made Derby one of the richest clubs in the Second Division. Derby smashed their transfer record twice during the season, signing striker Paul Kitson for £1.3 million from East Midlands rivals Leicester City in March, followed by the signing of striker Tommy Johnson from First Division strugglers Notts County for the same fee. Club legend Bobby Davison was also re-signed, on loan from Leeds United; he scored 8 goals in 10 games to reach a century of goals for the Rams. However, in spite of this flurry of transfer activity and breaking the club's record for away wins (12) Derby were unable to gain automatic promotion, finishing two points adrift of second-placed Middlesbrough. Derby qualified for the playoffs, but were knocked out in the semi-finals by Blackburn Rovers on a 5–4 scoreline over two legs.

At the end of the season, Scottish winger Ted McMinn was named the club's player of the season.

November saw the death of former chairman Robert Maxwell, who had just sold the club to Lionel Pickering earlier in the year. Maxwell disappeared from his luxury yacht, the Lady Ghislaine, while it was cruising off the Canary Islands; his body was later found drifting in the Atlantic Ocean. His death was officially ruled as accidental drowning after he supposedly fell off the yacht, though commentators have alleged it was murder or suicide.

Kit edit

Derby's kit was manufactured by English company Umbro and were sponsored by Auto Windscreens.

First-team squad edit

Squad at end of season[1]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
GK   ENG Peter Shilton
GK   ENG Steve Sutton
GK   ENG Martin Taylor
DF   ENG Simon Coleman
DF   ENG Andy Comyn
DF   ENG Steve Cross
DF   ENG Jonathan Davidson
DF   ENG Michael Forsyth
DF   ENG Jason Kavanagh
DF   ENG Shane Nicholson
DF   ENG Mark Patterson
DF   ENG Steve Round
DF   ENG Mel Sage
DF   ENG Paul Williams
No. Pos. Nation Player
MF   ENG Martin Chalk
MF   ENG Tom Curtis
MF   ENG Steve Hayward
MF   ENG Gary Micklewhite
MF   ENG Craig Ramage
MF   ENG Paul Simpson (from February)
MF   WAL Geraint Williams
MF   SCO Ted McMinn
FW   ENG Marco Gabbiadini
FW   ENG Tommy Johnson
FW   ENG Paul Kitson (from March)
FW   ENG Mark Stallard
FW   ENG Dean Sturridge
FW   ENG Jason White

Left club during season edit

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
MF   ENG Nick Pickering (to Darlington)
FW   ENG Phil Gee (to Leicester City)
FW   ENG Mick Harford (to Luton Town)
No. Pos. Nation Player
FW   ENG Ian Ormondroyd (to Leicester City)
FW   ENG Bobby Davison (on loan from Leeds United)

Transfers edit

In edit

Out edit

Results edit

Football League Second Division edit

Date Match
No.
Opponents Home/
Away
Result
F – A
Derby Scorers Attendance Pos
17 August 1991 1 Sunderland A 1–1 11

[1]

Second Division edit

August edit

September edit

October edit

November edit

December edit

January edit

February edit

  • 1 February: Portsmouth 0–1 Derby County

March edit

  • 11 March: Derby County 3–1 Port Vale

April edit

Unknown date edit

  • Derby County 1–1 Barnsley
  • Derby County 0–2 Blackburn Rovers
  • Derby County 3–1 Brighton & Hove Albion
  • Derby County 4–1 Bristol City
  • Derby County 1–0 Bristol Rovers
  • Derby County 0–0 Cambridge United
  • Derby County 1–2 Charlton Athletic
  • Derby County 2–1 Grimsby Town
  • Derby County 1–0 Ipswich Town
  • Derby County 1–2 Leicester City
  • Derby County 2–0 Middlesbrough
  • Derby County 0–2 Millwall
  • Derby County 4–1 Newcastle United
  • Derby County 2–2 Oxford United
  • Derby County 2–0 Plymouth Argyle
  • Derby County 1–2 Southend United
  • Derby County 1–2 Sunderland
  • Derby County 2–1 Swindon Town
  • Derby County 0–1 Tranmere Rovers
  • Derby County 3–1 Watford
  • Derby County 1–2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
  • Barnsley 0–3 Derby County
  • Blackburn Rovers 2–0 Derby County
  • Brighton & Hove Albion 1–2 Derby County
  • Bristol City 1–2 Derby County
  • Bristol Rovers 2–3 Derby County
  • Cambridge United 0–0 Derby County
  • Charlton Athletic 0–2 Derby County
  • Grimsby Town 0–1 Derby County
  • Ipswich Town 2–1 Derby County
  • Leicester City 1–2 Derby County
  • Middlesbrough 1–1 Derby County
  • Millwall 1–2 Derby County
  • Newcastle United 2–2 Derby County
  • Oxford United 2–0 Derby County
  • Plymouth Argyle 1–1 Derby County
  • Southend United 1–0 Derby County
  • Sunderland 1–1 Derby County
  • Swindon Town 1–2 Derby County
  • Tranmere Rovers 4–3 Derby County
  • Watford 1–2 Derby County
  • Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–3 Derby County

League Cup edit

FA Cup edit

  • 4–6 January: Burnley 2–2 Derby County (Chalk, Comyn)
  • 14–15 January: Derby County 2–0 Burnley (replay; abandoned 75' due to freezing fog) (Gee, Patterson)
  • 25 January: Derby County 2–0 Burnley (replay) (Williams, Ormondroyd)
  • 25–27 January: Derby County 3–4 Aston Villa (Gee 2, P. Williams)

Playoffs edit

  • Blackburn Rovers 4–2 Derby County
  • Derby County 2–1 Blackburn Rovers

References edit

  1. ^ "Derby County - Squad 1991/1992".