# 2004–05 Derby County F.C. season

During the 2004–05 English football season, Derby County F.C. competed in the Football League Championship.

## Season summary

With little money to spend, Burley played the markets and made two key free signings in Iñigo Idiakez and Grzegorz Rasiak. Idiakez was voted the club's Player of the Season and Rasiak finished top scorer (with 17 goals) as Derby confounded their form of the last 5 years to grab a fourth-placed finish in the newly rebranded Football League Championship and entrance into the 2004–05 play-offs. With a more settled side than he was previously allowed – Burley only used 24 players, 7 of whom were involved in 10 or less games – and a strong mix of academy graduates (Lee Grant, Pablo Mills, Tom Huddlestone, Marcus Tudgay) and inspired purchases (Rasiak, Idiakez, Tommy Smith) Derby enjoyed a splendid second half to the season, recording just 6 defeats in their final 24 fixtures, including a run of 1 defeat in 14, and equalled the club record for away wins in a season and setting a club record of 6 consecutive away victories. However, the club entered the play-offs without the presence of key duo Rasiak and Idiakez – both unavailable through injury – and a 2–0 defeat in the first leg away to Preston North End proved impossible to overturn in the second leg at Pride Park, which finished 0–0 in front of a crowd of over 31,000. Behind the scenes, circumstances were deteriorating, and Burley left his position, citing interference from football agent turned Director of Football Murdo Mackay, and the sale of Huddlestone, to Tottenham Hotspur, against his wishes. Financial circumstances were worsening as the debt spiralled to over £30m, despite Burley building success on the pitch without any transfer funds. A refinancing scheme was put in place which saw Pride Park sold to the "mysterious" Panama-based ABC Corporation and the club paying rent of £1m a year to play there, which local journalist Gerald Mortimer described as "an affront . . . to those who put everything into building (the ground)."

## Final league table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 2 | Wigan Athletic (P) | 46 | 25 | 12 | 9 | 79 | 35 | +44 | 87 | Promotion to the FA Premier League |
| 3 | Ipswich Town | 46 | 24 | 13 | 9 | 85 | 56 | +29 | 85 | Qualification for Championship play-offs |
| 4 | Derby County | 46 | 22 | 10 | 14 | 71 | 60 | +11 | 76 | Qualification for Championship play-offs |
| 5 | Preston North End | 46 | 21 | 12 | 13 | 67 | 58 | +9 | 75 | Qualification for Championship play-offs |
| 6 | West Ham United (O, P) | 46 | 21 | 10 | 15 | 66 | 56 | +10 | 73 | 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 |
| 7 August 2004 | Leeds United | A | 0–1 | 30,459 | |
| 11 August 2004 | Leicester City | H | 1–2 | 26,650 | Tudgay |
| 14 August 2004 | Ipswich Town | H | 3–2 | 22,234 | Reich (2), Idiakez |
| 21 August 2004 | Queens Park Rangers | A | 2–0 | 15,295 | Smith, Tudgay |
| 28 August 2004 | Crewe Alexandra | H | 2–4 | 24,436 | Tudgay, Idiakez |
| 30 August 2004 | Stoke City | A | 0–1 | 18,673 | |
| 11 September 2004 | Reading | H | 2–1 | 22,096 | Smith, Tudgay |
| 18 September 2004 | Cardiff City | A | 2–0 | 23,422 | Reich, Taylor |
| 22 September 2004 | Millwall | A | 1–3 | 9,132 | Reich |
| 25 September 2004 | Wigan Athletic | H | 1–1 | 26,113 | Smith |
| 29 September 2004 | West Ham United | H | 1–1 | 23,112 | Johnson |
| 2 October 2004 | Sunderland | A | 0–0 | 29,881 | |
| 16 October 2004 | Watford | H | 2–2 | 23,253 | Smith, Rasiak |
| 19 October 2004 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | A | 0–2 | 26,465 | |
| 22 October 2004 | Burnley | A | 2–0 | 13,703 | Tudgay, Reich |
| 30 October 2004 | Rotherham United | H | 3–2 | 25,096 | Rasiak, Peschisolido, Vincent |
| 3 November 2004 | Brighton & Hove Albion | H | 3–0 | 22,480 | Smith, Rasiak (2) |
| 6 November 2004 | Watford | A | 2–2 | 13,689 | Taylor, Peschisolido |
| 13 November 2004 | Gillingham | A | 2–0 | 8,015 | Rasiak, Taylor |
| 20 November 2004 | Sheffield United | H | 0–1 | 25,725 | |
| 27 November 2004 | Preston North End | A | 0–3 | 12,702 | |
| 4 December 2004 | Coventry City | H | 2–2 | 22,648 | Rasiak, Peschisolido |
| 11 December 2004 | Nottingham Forest | H | 3–0 | 30,793 | Smith, Rasiak (2) |
| 18 December 2004 | Plymouth Argyle | A | 2–0 | 15,335 | Coughlan (own goal), Peschisolido |
| 26 December 2004 | Wigan Athletic | A | 2–1 | 12,420 | Rasiak, Smith |
| 28 December 2004 | Millwall | H | 0–3 | 27,725 | |
| 1 January 2005 | Cardiff City | H | 0–1 | 22,800 | |
| 3 January 2005 | Reading | A | 1–0 | 15,491 | Smith |
| 16 January 2005 | Sunderland | H | 0–2 | 22,995 | |
| 23 January 2005 | West Ham United | A | 2–1 | 30,347 | Rasiak (2) |
| 26 January 2005 | Leeds United | H | 2–0 | 25,648 | Smith, Bolder |
| 5 February 2005 | Brighton & Hove Albion | A | 3–2 | 6,587 | Bisgaard, Tudgay (2) |
| 19 February 2005 | Rotherham United | A | 3–1 | 7,937 | Rasiak, Tudgay, Idiakez (pen) |
| 23 February 2005 | Burnley | H | 1–1 | 23,701 | Peschisolido |
| 26 February 2005 | Nottingham Forest | A | 2–2 | 26,160 | Rasiak (2) |
| 2 March 2005 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | H | 3–3 | 24,109 | Idiakez (2, 1 pen), Reich |
| 5 March 2005 | Plymouth Argyle | H | 1–0 | 27,581 | Idiakez |
| 16 March 2005 | Queens Park Rangers | H | 0–0 | 24,486 | |
| 2 April 2005 | Ipswich Town | A | 2–3 | 28,796 | Tudgay, Idiakez |
| 5 April 2005 | Crewe Alexandra | A | 2–1 | 8,026 | Rasiak, Smith |
| 9 April 2005 | Stoke City | H | 3–1 | 27,640 | Rasiak, Bisgaard, Idiakez |
| 15 April 2005 | Sheffield United | A | 1–0 | 20,794 | Bisgaard |
| 23 April 2005 | Gillingham | H | 2–0 | 27,481 | Bisgaard, Peschisolido |
| 26 April 2005 | Leicester City | A | 0–1 | 25,762 | |
| 30 April 2005 | Coventry City | A | 2–6 | 22,728 | Bolder, Peschisolido |
| 8 May 2005 | Preston North End | H | 3–1 | 31,237 | Idiakez, Smith, Peschisolido |

### Championship play-offs

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| SF 1st Leg | 15 May 2005 | Preston North End | A | 0–2 | 20,315 | |
| SF 2nd Leg | 19 May 2005 | Preston North End | H | 0–0 | 31,310 | |

### FA Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R3 | 8 January 2005 | Wigan Athletic | H | 2–1 | 14,457 | Idiakez, Júnior |
| R4 | 29 January 2005 | Fulham | H | 1–1 | 22,040 | Tudgay |
| R4R | 12 February 2005 | Fulham | A | 2–4 | 15,528 | Rasiak, Peschisolido |

### League Cup

| Round | Date | Opponent | Venue | Result | Attendance | Goalscorers |
| R1 | 24 August 2004 | Lincoln City | A | 1–3 | 4,982 | Idiakez |

## Squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | ENG | Kevin Miller (on loan from Bristol Rovers) |
| 2 | DF | BIH | Muhamed Konjić |
| 3 | DF | ENG | Jamie Vincent |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Chris Makin (on loan from Leicester City) |
| 5 | DF | IRL | Jeff Kenna |
| 6 | DF | ENG | Pablo Mills |
| 7 | MF | ENG | Ian Taylor (captain) |
| 8 | MF | DEN | Morten Bisgaard |
| 9 | FW | BRA | José Júnior |
| 10 | DF | JAM | Michael Johnson |
| 11 | FW | CAN | Paul Peschisolido |
| 12 | FW | ENG | Tommy Smith |
| 13 | GK | ENG | Lee Grant |
| 14 | DF | ENG | Richard Jackson |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 15 | MF | ENG | Adam Bolder |
| 16 | MF | ENG | Tom Huddlestone |
| 17 | DF | ENG | Paul Boertien |
| 18 | FW | POL | Grzegorz Rasiak |
| 19 | MF | ENG | Nathan Doyle |
| 20 | MF | ENG | Lee Holmes |
| 21 | DF | NIR | Chris Turner |
| 22 | FW | GER | Marco Reich |
| 23 | FW | ENG | Marcus Tudgay |
| 24 | GK | ENG | Lee Camp |
| 25 | MF | IRL | David Cassidy |
| 26 | GK | ENG | Liam Richardson |
| 27 | MF | ESP | Iñigo Idiakez |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | ENG | Andy Oakes (to Walsall) |
| 4 | MF | NGA | Blessing Kaku (on loan from Bolton Wanderers) |
| 4 | DF | ENG | Jason Talbot (on loan from Bolton Wanderers) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 21 | FW | PER | Gianfranco Labarthe (released) |
| 26 | MF | FIN | Kris Weckström (released) |