# 2006–07 Derby County F.C. season

During the 2006–07 English football season, Derby County competed in the Football League Championship.

## Season summary

Derby County finished the season in third place in the Championship, four points behind champions Sunderland and two points behind runners-up Birmingham City. With new ownership, Derby had been able to compete in the transfer market for the first time in a number of years, with Luton Town's Steve Howard becoming the club's first £1 million signing since François Grenet six years previously and, alongside captures from Premiership clubs such as West Ham United's Stephen Bywater and Fulham's Dean Leacock, manager Billy Davies began shaping a side capable of competing at the right end of the table. This wasn't apparent from the off, however, and a return of just five points from the club's opening six fixtures did not hint at instant success for Davies, leaving influential and creative players such as Tommy Smith and Iñigo Idiakez to depart the club prior to the closing of the August transfer window.
However, a 1–0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers on 12 September proved a catalyst as the club lost only four of its next 27 fixtures (a run which included winning all six league fixtures in November and an eight-match winning streak of six league and two FA Cup games from 30 December to 10 February). After a 2–2 draw at home to Hull City on 10 February, Derby were six points clear at the top of the table and had strengthened for the promotion run-in with the signing of Tyrone Mears, Jay McEveley, Gary Teale, David Jones, Craig Fagan, Stephen Pearson and Jon Macken for a combined £5 million. However, a 2–0 defeat away to Plymouth Argyle in the fifth round preceded a notable wobble in results and the club recorded a return of just six points from the next five games, conceding top spot to Birmingham City after a 1–0 defeat at St. Andrews on 9 March. A resounding 5–1 win against Colchester United (by far the biggest win of a campaign which saw victory by a two-goal margin or greater on just six occasions) looked to have put the club back on track, but, after taking just 12 points from the next ten fixtures, the club slipped out of the automatic promotion places altogether and a 2–0 defeat at Crystal Palace in the penultimate game of the season confirmed a 3rd-placed finish and entry into the 2006–07 Championship playoffs.
Derby defeated West Bromwich Albion 1–0 in the play-off final with a goal from Stephen Pearson to return Derby to the topflight of English football for the first time in five seasons.
Striker Steve Howard, who was also Derby's top scorer that season, was awarded the Jack Stamps Trophy as Derby's player of the season. Defender Darren Moore was named in the PFA's Championship Team of the Year.

## Kit

Spanish company Joma remained Derby's kits manufacturers, and introduced a new home kit for the season, the first time since 1998 that Derby had not used the same kit for two seasons running. The Derbyshire Building Society continued sponsoring the kits.

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Sunderland (C, P) | 46 | 27 | 7 | 12 | 76 | 47 | +29 | 88 | Promotion to the Premier League |
| 2 | Birmingham City (P) | 46 | 26 | 8 | 12 | 67 | 42 | +25 | 86 | Promotion to the Premier League |
| 3 | Derby County (O, P) | 46 | 25 | 9 | 12 | 62 | 46 | +16 | 84 | Qualification for Championship play-offs |
| 4 | West Bromwich Albion | 46 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 81 | 55 | +26 | 76 | Qualification for Championship play-offs |
| 5 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 46 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 59 | 56 | +3 | 76 | Qualification for Championship play-offs |

## Results

Derby County's score comes first

### Legend

| Win | Draw | Loss |

### Football League Championship

| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Scorers |
| 6 August 2006 | Southampton | H | 2–2 | 21,939 | S Johnson, Peschisolido |
| 8 August 2006 | Stoke City | A | 0–2 | 20,013 | |
| 12 August 2006 | Hull City | A | 2–1 | 15,261 | Oakley, Smith (pen) |
| 19 August 2006 | Norwich City | H | 0–0 | 22,196 | |
| 26 August 2006 | Colchester United | A | 3–4 | 4,574 | Lupoli (2), Peschisolido |
| 9 September 2006 | Sunderland | H | 1–2 | 26,502 | Oakley |
| 12 September 2006 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 1–0 | 21,546 | Howard |
| 16 September 2006 | Preston North End | H | 1–1 | 22,220 | Howard (pen) |
| 23 September 2006 | Sheffield Wednesday | A | 2–1 | 23,659 | Peschisolido, Howard |
| 30 September 2006 | Southend United | H | 3–0 | 22,395 | Lupoli (2), M Johnson |
| 15 October 2006 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 1–3 | 13,622 | Lupoli |
| 17 October 2006 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 2–1 | 10,882 | Bisgaard, Howard |
| 21 October 2006 | Birmingham City | H | 0–1 | 25,673 | |
| 28 October 2006 | Cardiff City | A | 2–2 | 17,371 | Howard, Barnes |
| 1 November 2006 | Barnsley | H | 2–1 | 21,295 | Barnes (2) |
| 4 November 2006 | West Bromwich Albion | H | 2–1 | 25,342 | Oakley, Barnes |
| 11 November 2006 | Coventry City | A | 2–1 | 19,701 | Stead, Howard |
| 18 November 2006 | Luton Town | A | 2–0 | 9,708 | Stead, Howard |
| 25 November 2006 | Leicester City | H | 1–0 | 28,315 | Stead |
| 29 November 2006 | Ipswich Town | H | 2–1 | 22,606 | Howard, Lupoli |
| 2 December 2006 | West Bromwich Albion | A | 0–1 | 20,494 | |
| 9 December 2006 | Leeds United | A | 1–0 | 20,087 | Barnes |
| 16 December 2006 | Crystal Palace | H | 1–0 | 23,875 | Jones |
| 23 December 2006 | Burnley | A | 0–0 | 12,825 | |
| 26 December 2006 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 0–2 | 31,920 | |
| 30 December 2006 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 1–0 | 25,775 | Bisgaard |
| 1 January 2007 | Preston North End | A | 2–1 | 19,204 | Howard (2, 1 pen) |
| 13 January 2007 | Sheffield Wednesday | H | 1–0 | 28,936 | Jones |
| 20 January 2007 | Southend United | A | 1–0 | 10,745 | Howard |
| 30 January 2007 | Burnley | H | 1–0 | 23,122 | Howard |
| 3 February 2007 | Southampton | A | 1–0 | 27,656 | Howard |
| 10 February 2007 | Hull City | H | 2–2 | 28,140 | Teale, Moore |
| 21 February 2007 | Stoke City | H | 0–2 | 24,897 | |
| 24 February 2007 | Sunderland | A | 1–2 | 36,049 | Barnes |
| 2 March 2007 | Colchester United | H | 5–1 | 26,704 | Jones, Lupoli, Barnes, Howard (pen), Barker (own goal) |
| 6 March 2007 | Norwich City | A | 2–1 | 23,462 | Jones (2) |
| 9 March 2007 | Birmingham City | A | 0–1 | 20,962 | |
| 13 March 2007 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 1–1 | 27,567 | Moore |
| 17 March 2007 | Cardiff City | H | 3–1 | 27,689 | Howard (2, 1 pen), Barnes |
| 31 March 2007 | Barnsley | A | 2–1 | 17,059 | Jones, Oakley |
| 6 April 2007 | Leicester City | A | 1–1 | 24,704 | Fagan |
| 9 April 2007 | Coventry City | H | 1–1 | 29,940 | Oakley |
| 14 April 2007 | Ipswich Town | A | 1–2 | 24,319 | Oakley |
| 20 April 2007 | Luton Town | H | 1–0 | 28,499 | Nyatanga |
| 29 April 2007 | Crystal Palace | A | 0–2 | 19,545 | |
| 6 May 2007 | Leeds United | H | 2–0 | 31,183 | Currie, Mears |

### Championship play-offs

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| SF 1st Leg | 12 May 2007 | Southampton | A | 2–1 | 30,602 | Howard (2, 1 pen) |
| SF 2nd Leg | 15 May 2007 | Southampton | H | 2–3 (won 4–3 on pens) | 31,569 | Moore, Best (own goal) |
| F | 28 May 2007 | West Bromwich Albion | N | 1–0 | 74,993 | Pearson |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 6 January 2007 | Wrexham | H | 3–1 | 15,609 | Lupoli (3) |
| R4 | 27 January 2007 | Bristol Rovers | H | 1–0 | 25,033 | Peschisolido |
| R5 | 17 February 2007 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 0–2 | 18,026 | |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 22 August 2006 | Stockport County | A | 1–0 | 3,394 | M Johnson |
| R2 | 20 September 2006 | Doncaster Rovers | A | 3–3 (lost 7–8 on pens) | 5,598 | Howard, Moore, Lupoli |

## Players
### First-team squad

    Squad at end of season
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | ENG | Lee Camp |
| 2 | DF | ENG | Marc Edworthy |
| 3 | DF | GUI | Mo Camara |
| 4 | DF | SCO | Jay McEveley |
| 5 | DF | ENG | Dean Leacock |
| 6 | DF | JAM | Michael Johnson |
| 7 | MF | ENG | David Jones |
| 8 | MF | DEN | Morten Bisgaard |
| 9 | FW | ENG | Steve Howard |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Craig Fagan |
| 11 | FW | CAN | Paul Peschisolido |
| 12 | FW | IRL | Jon Macken |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Lee Grant |
| 14 | DF | ENG | Richard Jackson |
| 15 | MF | ENG | Ryan Smith |
| 16 | FW | ITA | Arturo Lupoli (on loan from Arsenal) |
| 17 | DF | ENG | Paul Boertien |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 18 | MF | ENG | Seth Johnson |
| 19 | MF | ENG | Darren Currie (on loan from Ipswich Town) |
| 20 | FW | ENG | Lee Holmes |
| 21 | DF | SCO | Bob Malcolm |
| 22 | MF | ENG | Matt Oakley (captain) |
| 23 | DF | JAM | Darren Moore |
| 24 | DF | ENG | Tyrone Mears (on loan from West Ham United) |
| 25 | MF | SCO | Stephen Pearson |
| 27 | MF | SCO | Gary Teale |
| 28 | FW | ENG | Giles Barnes |
| 29 | FW | ENG | Lionel Ainsworth |
| 30 | DF | WAL | Lewin Nyatanga |
| 31 | DF | AUS | James Meredith |
| 32 | MF | ENG | Tom Cumberworth |
| 34 | MF | BEL | Jeremy Bossekota |
| 35 | GK | WAL | Steven Cann |
| 43 | GK | ENG | Stephen Bywater |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 4 | MF | ENG | Adam Bolder (to Queens Park Rangers) |
| 7 | FW | ENG | Tommy Smith (to Watford) |
| 10 | FW | ENG | Jon Stead (on loan from Sunderland) |
| 12 | MF | ENG | Paul Thirlwell (to Carlisle United) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 19 | MF | ENG | Nathan Doyle (to Hull City) |
| 27 | FW | ESP | Iñigo Idiakez (to Southampton) |
| 33 | DF | ENG | Theo Streete (to Rotherham United) |