Burnley
Blackburn Rovers
Coventry City
Derby County
Leeds United
Luton Town
Middlesbrough
Millwall
Norwich City
Portsmouth
Sheffield Wednesday
Sheffield United
QPR
Derby County have spent the majority of the last 12 years in the Championship, with a two-year stint in League One the only time that they have been out of the second tier since 2008.
The Rams have pushed for promotion to the Premier League on numerous occasions since they were relegated 17 years ago with a record points low of 11, that was nearly matched by Southampton this season.
However, despite coming close and reaching the Championship play-off final twice in that time, they have never been able to get over that final hurdle and return to the promised land.
With John Eustace in charge following his Blackburn Rovers departure in February, hope has been renewed that the club can continue to rise up the second tier table in the coming years and eventually take that final step and for one Derby player, that will still be his dream – 12 years after joining.
- READ MORE – John Eustace made a mockery of Paul Warne’s December 2024 comments, fans were right to be furious
Craig Forsyth is a Derby County icon, Nigel Clough expected great things from him
Craig Forsyth joined the Rams back in March 2013, arriving on a short-term loan from Watford to help cover as injuries struck Nigel Clough’s team.
Originally a left-midfielder, the Scottish veteran started to feature more at left-back in black-and-white and it was a role that suited him really well as he had plenty of quality going forward and defensively as Derby started to push towards the top six in 2012/13.
He joined permanently that summer, and Clough was delighted to capture his loan star, making a prediction that came true very quickly. He said in July 2013 (via: dcfc.co.uk): “It’s a great addition and we’re really pleased Craig has finally joined us.
“It’s taken a bit of time but we’ve remained patient and it’s very pleasing to get him signed. He did very well during his loan spell and we think he’s got all the right attributes to be a very good left-back for us.
“We know he can play in a number of positions too which is always a good string to have to your bow, but from what we’ve seen of him already we think he’s very strong at left-back. He’s at the right age and provides some height for us as well, so it’s a good all-round signing and another important piece in the jigsaw.”
Craig Forsyth continues to shine bright at Pride Park
Over 12 years after making his debut for the club, Forsyth continues to be a player that can be relied on in just about any situation.
While he has lost a touch of pace over the course of the last few seasons, his experience is unmatched at this level and, after another excellent year at both centre-back and left-back, his former teammate turned manager, Eustace, has decided to keep him around in 2025/26.
Derby are heading into an exciting period of their history with investment looking likely, and with Forsyth set to grace the hallowed Pride Park turf once again from August, supporters will be raring to go as they look to push towards the top half of the Championship.