With three wins from three , Derby County fans could be excused for having a little extra excitement toward this season than they may have previously anticipated. Not since 1973 have Derby County started a season so well. Victories against the more fancied Blackpool and Birmingham City will have added confidence to a young side in search of the needed consistency for eventual promotion. Admittedly Blackpool and Birmingham have both lost their marquee names; but on paper both would seemingly still have squads strong enough to cause some form of envy amongst Rams fans.
Yet Derby, in resilient fashion, have forced victories of the ilk that are necessary for success in the Championship.Every year the Championship gives us something unexpected. Burnley, Blackpool and Norwich City spring to mind. Yet can Derby follow their feats?
Their fan base merits such achievement. Even after last seasons flirtation with the lower regions of the league, Derby were able to announce a season ticket sales of 16,000 for this campaign. An average attendance of near to 28,000 highlight this support further and Pride Park is arguably one of the best grounds outside the Premierships big boys.
The manager is intriguing also. Successful in the conference with Burton Albion, Nigel Clough has so far shown himself to be a solid, if unspectacular, Championship manager. But he is still learning his trade, gaining experience and has the persistent and unfortunate comparisons with his famous and successful father Brian Clough which in a professional sense can not be helpful. But recent acquisitions could suggest that Clough junior is beginning to start something interesting.
Frankie Fielding, the England U-21 goalkeeper has been recruited from Blackburn permanently. Last season he displayed an increasing degree of compose at Championship level, and according to Four Four Two was one of the reasons why Derby ultimately avoided relegation. In front of Fielding, Jason Shackell has been purchased from Barnsley and he will only add experience and steel. He even grabbed a goal on his debut. Add to this the prospects of Chris Maguire,the Scottish striker recruited from Aberdeen and Ben Davies, a midfielder whose goals have already proved to be decisive in games this season, then Derby may have some of the ingredients to cause a stir this season.
Its more than simply luck that Derby have gained maximum points so far. But they may lack the necessities to sustain this, most fundamentally in the shape of a proven goalscorer. Much hope is pinned to Nathan Tyson, who left Derby’s fiercest rivals Nottingham Forest in the close season. Long term success may well hinge on the fitness of Tyson. Derby County don’t have the financial clout of other teams in the Championship, such as Leicester City or West Ham, so purchasing solutions to problem areas as they arise during the season will be much harder.
The coming fixtures will be key to determining whether Derby County’s early success can be continued. Home games against Doncaster and Burnley are most definitely winnable, followed by a trip to the inconsistent Coventry City and then an away date at Nottingham Forest on the 17th of September. If Derby are still with the leading pack by this point, then fans and pundits alike will be forced to consider Derby County as this seasons potential surprise package.
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