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Derby County League Cup preview

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Derby County League Cup preview

Postby Sweden Stag » Mon Aug 08, 2022 6:39 am

Following the well-deserved 1-0 home League Two victory against Tranmere Rovers last Saturday, the Stags are in Cup action on Tuesday night. And at headquarters, against Derby County, another victim of Championship points deductions in recent seasons.

Fact is, without the 21-point deduction, the Rams would have finished in Championship mid-table position instead of a relegation one. But in the 2020-21 season, the Rams themselves were reprieved due to a twelve point deduction imposed on Sheffield Wednesday. And in the 2019-20 season, Barnsley, for the second time (first one in 2011-12 when Portsmouth were on the slide) were reprieved when Wigan went into admin.

But the first-ever reprieve in post-WW II League history saw the Stags benefitting. This happened in 1967-68 when Peterborough, on the field in ninth position, were demoted to the Fourth Division due to illegal payments to players.

On Tuesday, it will be the first time in six years, the Stags face Derby County. Six years ago, the Stags faced Derby County in the EFL Trophy at their place. Then, two future Stags starred for the Derby County U 23 side. The names: Kellan Gordon and Farrend Rawson. Neither were to make the Derby County first team and their only games for the Rams were in cup competitions. Rawson might face Derby later this season when they face Morecambe for the first time ever.

When the Stags played the Rams U 23 in 2016, it was the first time in 60 years the Stags played an away fixture at Derby. Fact is, when Derby County slid from the old first division to the old division 3 (N) within three seasons during the mid-fifties, the Rams faced the Stags in both their seasons at division 3 (N) level.

And Derby County’s first-ever game outside the top two divisions was against the Stags at the Rams’ old Baseball Ground where the Rams ran out 4-0 winners on August 20, 1955 in front of over 24000. That same 4-0 scoreline in favour of Derby was in the corresponding fixture the following campaign on March 2, 1957, in front of nearly 23000.

Top five then: Derby County, Hartlepools (as they were called then), the old Accrington club, Workington and Stockport in that order while the Stags finished lower mid-table, a position that in the 1957-58 season had meant Division Four.

At Mansfield, the sides drew 1-1 on December 17, 1955, Stags scorer Watkin, while Derby County had the upper hand on October 20, 1956 to a 2-1 scoreline in front of over 16000 at Field Mill who saw Kenneth Murray hit the net for the Stags.

Just like the Stags, Derby have won once and lost once in League One. Their opener was a 1-0 home victory against Oxford in front of a sell-out 31053 crowd, a gate worthy of the Premier League. And last Saturday, they lost at Charlton to a 1-0 scoreline in a fixture which for the first time was one outside the top two divisions (a PL one in the early 2000’s and a stalwart 1960’s one in the old second division, among those for twelve consecutive campaigns between 1957-58 and 1968-69, the latter under Brian Clough.

Once before have the sides met in League Cup. On September 10, 2002, the sides met in the League Cup at Mansfield. A sending-off incurred on Lee Williamson after just two minutes was instrumental in the Rams going through to a 3-1 scoreline despite the Stags taking the lead just a few minutes after the red card.

But for four seasons at third level before this season, the latter two in the mid-eighties, Derby County have spent their entire FL life in the top two divisions, seven of those in the PL, and despite being whipping-boys in 2007-08, nearly all home fixtures were sell-outs. On the other hand, Derby have been FL champions twice, in 1971-72 and in the Stags’ first Championship season way back in 1974-75.

Played for both sides: George Antonio, Jake Buxton, Jeffrey Chandler, Steve Cherry, Trevor Christie, Simon Coleman, Bill Curry, Timi Elšnik, George Foster, Kieron Freeman, Kellan Gordon, Ian Hall, Michael Hopkinson, George Mee, Jim Moore, Adam Murray, Tom Naylor, Don O’Riordan, Anthony Parry, Lewis Price, Farrend Rawson (incidentally against the Stags for Derby U 23 in 2016!), Keith Savin, Steve Spooner, Jack Stamps, Ray Straw, Steve Sutton, Phil Waller, Frank Wignall, Albert Wilson, William White

Managed both sides: George Jobey, Billy McEwan, Nigel Clough

Previous games between the sides:

Home games: P 2, W 0, D 1, L 1, GF 2, GA 3
Away games: P 2, W 0, D 0, L 2, GF 0, GA 8

Season Home Date Away Date

1955-56 1-1 1955-12-17 0-4 1955-08-20 Div 3 (N)
1956-57 1-2 1956-10-20 0-4 1957-03-02 Div 3 (N)

League Cup:

2002-03 1-3 2002-09-10 at Field Mill

EFL Trophy (against Derby County U 23 at Pride Park)

2016-17 3-2 2016-11-08 at Pride Park (group stage)

A stern test is to be expected. Come on Mansfield!
Stockholm, July 4, 2008, 15.00 GMT. Good news came, K.H. gone. March 1, 2012. Ground purchased.
Sweden Stag
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