Derby County’s top five scorers of all time, including 23-capped England international and First Division champion

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There are few clubs in the EFL with a history quite like Derby County’s, and with that comes some names that dominated English football over the course of different eras.

While the Rams have struggled for success in the 21st century, with their record-breaking 2007/08 campaign remaining a sour point, they were one of the country’s leading clubs in the 1970s and as such they had some star players.

Strikers are where the money is made, with Derby’s record sale, Matej Vydra, playing in a forward role when he won the Championship Golden Boot in 2017/18.

However, the 27 goals that he scored in black-and-white barely comes close to the top 10 of one particular list and EFL Analysis has taken a look at Derby’s top five scorers of all time.

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Derby County’s top five scorers

5. Jackie Stamps – 126 goals

Jackie Stamps comes in fifth on the list of the Rams’ highest ever scorers, as the centre-forward scored 126 times for the club between 1938 and 1953.

The Second World War disrupted a lot of those years, but he found the back of the net twice in the 1946 FA Cup Final against Charlton Athletic in a 4-1 victory, as the East Midlands outfit lifted England’s most prestigious cup for the first and only time in their history.

His name is now adorned on Derby’s Player of the Year award, which was won by Ebou Adams in 2024/25, a player who praised John Eustace for keeping the club in the Championship.

4. Harry Bedford – 152 goals

Next on the list is Harry Bedford, who scored 152 goals in 218 games for the Rams between 1925 and 1930. He helped the club to promotion to the First Division in his first season, and gradual improvements saw Derby eventually finish second his final full campaign at the Baseball Ground.

Bedford moved to Newcastle United soon after, playing for Sunderland, Bradford Park Avenue and then eventually Chesterfield – the club where he saw out his career.

3. Jack Bowers – 183 goals

Jack Bowers is Derby’s third top scorer of all time, as the Scunthorpe-born centre-forward fired in 183 goals in 220 matches while playing for the East Midlands side for nine years after joining in 1927.

A teammate of Bedford, he twice saw the Rams finish as runners-up in the First Division before leaving for Leicester City in 1937. He officially retired in 1943, with the Second World War interrupting the final days of his career.

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2. Kevin Hector – 201 goals

The most recent player to have played for Derby on this list, Kevin Hector had two spells at the Baseball Ground, as he scored 201 goals in 590 appearances over the course of 14 years. But it was his first stint that was by far the most memorable.

The striker, who is now 80, left Bradford PA for the Rams in 1966 and he became a club legend over the course of the next 12 years as he scored vital goals under the guidance of Brian Clough and Dave Mackay.

Hector helped Derby to the First Division title twice in 1971/72 and 1974/75 before leaving for Vancouver Whitecaps in 1978. He moved back to the club that he made his name at soon after, allowing him to reach the 200-goal mark. He ended his career in non-league football.

1. Steve Bloomer – 332 goals

It’s no surprise to see who the Rams’ record goal scorer is, with Steve Bloomer taking the accolade after finding the back of the net an incredible 332 times in 525 games.

Like Hector, Bloomer scored those goals in two different stints at the club after first playing for the current Championship side in 1892, joining Middlesbrough in 1905. He then moved back to the Midlands in 1910 and his final game came in 1914 against Burnley at the age of 40.

The striker scored 28 goals for England, picking up 23 caps for his country and is regarded as football’s first superstar. He is still remembered to this day at Pride Park, with fans singing ‘Steve Bloomer’s Watching’ ahead of every home match.

Derby County’s current top scorer is a surprise

While the Rams do have a rich history of goal scorers, they are currently lacking a true threat in the final third.

Currently, the club’s top scorer out of the current squad is Craig Forsyth, a player who joined in 2013. The left-back has reportedly signed a new two-year deal at Derby and he is the only active member of the team to have scored more than 10 goals.

Forsyth currently has 13 goals from the left side of defence, and at 36, he will be hoping to add a couple more to that tally before his career comes to an end.