Meet the opposition | Derby County

As Swansea City get set to face Derby County at Pride Park, we take a closer look at the Rams.

What’s their story?

Initially founded in 1884 as an offshoot of the Derbyshire County Cricket Club, the club is one of 12 founder members of the Football League and one of just 10 clubs who have never been relegated out of the Football League system.

The 1970s provided something of a heyday for the club. They won the top-flight title twice in that decade and reached the European Cup semi-finals. Their sole FA Cup win came in 1946.

In the entirety of their 140-year history, they have only been outside of the top two flights for six seasons in total, and they returned to the second tier by securing promotion from League One at the end of last season.

How’s their form?

Improving at a key time. Derby had not won any game of football between Boxing Day and the start of March, and had fallen into the relegation places.

They are now out of the bottom three, having put together a run of four wins on the bounce which has put their second-tier status back in their own hands with seven games to go. 

Who’s the gaffer?

John Eustace is a matter of weeks into being the head coach of the Rams, having elected to leave play-off contenders Blackburn Rovers to take charge at Pride Park in mid-February.

Eustace enjoyed a long-playing career, with the midfielder making over 390 league appearances for several different clubs.

His most successful spell came at Watford, where he made 157 league appearances, scored 16 goals, and was captain of the club for three seasons before leaving for Derby County. 

Eustace started his managerial career in 2016, when he was appointed manager of National League side Kidderminster Harriers. He led the side to two play-off campaigns while transforming the their style of play.

Eustace then left the club to join Queens Park Rangers where he would become assistant to former England manager Steve McClaren.

He also had a brief spell as caretaker manager at the R's and helped them avoid relegation in 2019.

He was then appointed head coach of Championship side Birmingham City in 2022 where he guided the club to their highest points tally since 2016.

Eustace left the club in October 2023 with the Blues in sixth place with 18 points from 11 matches, before being appointed by Rovers four months later.

He did an outstanding job to turn the Lancashire side into top-six contenders, before deciding to move to the Rams.

Who’s the captain?

Nathaniel Mendez-Laing. The winger was handed the armband last summer by former boss Paul Warne after his impressive performances since joining the club in 2022, but has not been a regular stater and Ebou Adams has been handed the captaincy in recent games under John Eustace.

Mendez-Laing came through the Wolves academy system and had loan spells with Peterborough United and Sheffield United, before joining Posh on a permanent deal.

While at London Road he had temporary spells with Portsmouth, Shrewsbury Town and Cambridge United before a switch to Rochdale in 2015.

He caught the eye during his two years there and went on to join Cardiff City, helping them secure promotion to the Premier League and then featuring regularly in the top-flight, including scoring a brace in victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

However, his contract was terminated in 2020 after the player tested positive for cocaine in two separate samples provided to doping officials.

After serving two three-month bans, he returned to the game with Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday, and then made the move to Derby.

He has 20 goals in 138 appearances for the Rams.

Who are the key men?

Gambia international Ebou Adams has enjoyed an impressive season to date, having made a permanent move to Derby following a successful loan spell last term.

The Greenwich-born defender had a spell with Dartford before being snapped up by Norwich City. He did not make a senior appearance for the Canaries, having stints on loan with Braintree, Shrewsbury and Leyton Orient before moving to Ebbsfleet.

He made his breakthrough with Forest Green Rovers, being a regular over three seasons in Nailsworth and helping them reach the heights of League One by winning the League Two title.

Adams joined Cardiff in 2022, but injuries meant he did not make a single first-team appearance during his first campaign, but he returned to fitness the following season and his loan move to Pride Park saw him help the Rams secure promotion.

No player has made more successful tackles in the Championship than Adams, and he has contributed five goals.

Midfielder Harrison Armstrong, who joined on loan from Everton in January, has made some eye-catching appearances in his short time at the club.

The teenager scored his first senior goal when he found the net in the crucial victory over Plymouth, and his energy and drive have helped to deal with the blow of losing fellow loanee David Ozoh to a season-ending thigh injury.

The 18-year-old has been with Everton since the age of five, and made his first-team bow at Tottenham earlier this season. 

He went on to feature in League Cup ties against Doncaster and Southampton, before starting an FA Cup win over Peterborough United shortly before his move to Pride Park.

Armstrong is an England Under-18 international and captained them during the recent international break.

Marcus Harness has scored three vitally-important goals for Derby in their last three games, helping secure wins against Coventry City and Plymouth Argyle that have breathed life into their hopes of avoiding the drop.

Harness joined on loan from Ipswich Town last summer, having helped the Tractor Boys secure promotion from League One to the Premier League in successive seasons.

He started his career in the youth ranks at Coventry and Burton, reaching senior level with the Brewers.

While with Albion, where he secured back-to-back promotions from League Two, Harness had loan spells with Ilkeston, Aldershot and Port Vale and went on to join Portsmouth in 2019.

He spent three seasons at Fratton Park, scoring 31 goals in 132 appearances before moving to Portman Road.