Derby County nearly sneaked £100m+ jackpot with the help of Chelsea and Liverpool
The 2018/19 Championship season was full of highly-rated performers that would eventually go on to make a name for themselves, and Derby County were a huge part of that.
After missing out on a return to the Premier League under Gary Rowett in the 2017/18 play-off semi-finals at the hands of Fulham, the Rams would go in a completely different direction, appointing former Chelsea and England icon Frank Lampard, in what was the ex-midfielder’s first managerial job.
Unsurprisingly, Lampard’s appointment generated plenty of hype and discourse regarding how the East Midlands side would operate in the transfer market and perform across a gruelling 46-game season and beyond, with the Londoner handed a three-year contract at Pride Park.
And, whilst Derby were unable to end their exile from the top-flight under his management, they came almighty close and that was, in no small part, down to their boss’ pre-established connections at Stamford Bridge, as well as another impressive loan capture from Liverpool.
Harry Wilson, Fikayo Tomori and Mason Mount all excelled on loan for Derby
Lampard’s first game in charge came in a 2-1 victory away to Reading, in which Cobham prodigy, Mason Mount, netted his first senior goal to level the scores, in what was a sign of things to come from the attacking midfielder in Black and White and throughout the early stages of his career.
Fikayo Tomori and Harry Wilson were also extremely well thought of in the developmental stages of their respective careers too, and after being teammates for a six-month period at Hull City, where the Welsh winger initially showcased his talent with seven goals in 13, the duo would link up once again, this time for the Rams.
Derby had a nice blend of youth and experience throughout their ranks throughout the campaign, but it’s safe to say that it could have panned out extremely differently had it not been for Wilson and Mount in particular, who were responsible for 31 of the 69 goals scored throughout the regular season, as well as playing their part in the dramatic turnaround against Leeds United in the play-off semi-finals.
