Fixture release day. The day every football fan attempts to predict the unpredictable. The day we scrutinise over the start the team will get off to, the slog over the festive period and the cut and thrust of the business end. One thing is for certain though, that there is a lot to look forward to.
We hear it all the time in the Sky Bet Championship: ‘anyone can beat anyone’, ‘the next game is the most important’ and ‘we all have to play each other twice’.
But there are always those certain games to look out for and highlight in the calendar.
Here, dcfc.co.uk have picked a selection of fixtures to look forward to ahead of the 2020/21 season.
Huddersfield Town Vs Derby County
21st October 2020
A return to the John Smith’s Stadium is sure to send happy memories flooding back to the beginning of last season, where Phillip Cocu got off to a winning start as the new manager of Derby County.
It was a tough opening fixture for the Dutchman and the Rams, facing the side who had just come down from the Premier League in their home ground.
However, two quickfire goals from Tom Lawrence in the 22nd and 25th minute ensured Cocu was victorious in his first game in charge of the Rams as they claimed a 2-1 victory.
The Terriers managed a bottom half finish last season, finishing 18th, but will surely be looking to build on that this campaign under new Head Coach Carlos Corberán following his recent appointment.
Once again, the Rams will meet Huddersfield towards the start of the season, just six games in and the third away match, and coming just after the October international break.
Cocu’s side struggled to replicate their impressive form at Pride Park Stadium on the road last season, after such a positive opening day result, but will be looking to improve on that this time around.
Derby County Vs Nottingham Forest
24th October 2020; 27th February 2021
Derby County and Nottingham Forest remain together in the Championship for the twelfth successive season - meaning there is two more East Midlands derby fixtures on the cards for this season - and no doubt will be marked out for all with an association with both teams.
There is not denying that the Reds have got the better of Derby over the past few seasons, having not won against their local rivals since a 2-0 victory at Pride Park Stadium in October 2017.
The Rams faced Forest three times last season, twice in the league and once in the Carabao Cup. The two visits to the City Ground resulted in a 3-0 defeat in the Carabao Cup Second Round and a 1-0 loss in the Championship.
However, in the last meeting a month and a half ago, Phillip Cocu’s side hit a blow against Sabri Lamouchi’s side in their bid for the play-offs with Chris Martin’s injury time equaliser earning the Rams a 1-1 draw at Pride Park Stadium.
This season, Derby will be looking to take that one further and reclaim the Brian Clough Trophy, while the fans will be sure to look forward to the same amount of drama from the final minutes of their last meeting.
Derby County Vs Coventry City
1st December 2020
Promotions in the 2017/18 and 2019/20 seasons have seen Coventry City return to the Sky Bet Championship after an eight-year absence.
The Sky Blues, who were once a second-tier mainstay following 11 consecutive seasons in the league, drifted down to League Two with relegations in 2012 and 2017.
However, they are back on the upturn with their first promotion from any tier since 1967 sending them back to League One in 2018 – via the play-offs - and their title-winning 2019/20 season saw them seal their return the Championship.
The Rams will welcome the West Midlands outfit back to Pride Park Stadium for the first time since January 2012, where Callum Ball scored the only goal of the game to secure a 1-0 victory for Derby.
You will have to go back to 2003 to find the last, and only time, Coventry claimed a victory at Pride Park Stadium when they earned a 2-1 win in the 2003/04 season in the First Division. Since then, the Rams have recorded three wins and four draws in the home meetings since and will look to improve on that record in the upcoming season.
This meeting also comes midway through a nine-game slog over a four-week period over November and December.
That could even be extended right through to the New Year should Derby progress in the Carabao Cup to bring six successive weeks of Saturday-midweek fixtures. Therefore, a good result here could prove even more important for the Rams in the busiest point of the season.
Wycombe Wanderers Vs Derby County
16th February 2021
The Rams’ trip to Buckinghamshire will be a historic occasion, as they will play their first-ever game at Adams Park and it is sure to be noted in the diary for Derby’s potential travelling faithful for the opportunity to tick off another away ground, of course depending on the COVID-19 guidelines.
In fact, the 2020/21 campaign will see the first-ever meeting with Wycombe when they visit Pride Park Stadium in November, which is some feat since both of the clubs were formed way back in the 1880s.
The Chairboys embark on their maiden campaign in English Football’s second tier after gaining promotion from the League One Play-Offs last season, where they beat Oxford United 2-1 in the Final at Wembley Stadium.
Gareth Ainsworth’s side will be looking to make an impression on home turf against the Rams in a bid to build on their most successful season in their history and survive in the Championship.
Derby County Vs Norwich City
10th April 2021
There are seven long months and a lot of football to be played until we welcome the Canaries back to Pride Park Stadium in April.
As we have already covered, the unpredictability of the Championship is the only thing to predict, but, ‘on paper’ as they say, Norwich could be Derby’s toughest test in the final month of the season.
After their title-winning campaign in 2018/19, Daniel Farke’s side will sure to be looking to bounce straight back to the Premier League after suffering the relegation last season.
A positive result at home for the Rams could be all important heading into the final five fixtures of the season, which includes away trips north to Blackburn Rovers and Preston North End, a return home to face Birmingham City before a long trip to Swansea City and a final day meeting at Pride Park Stadium against Sheffield Wednesday.
Results aside, if the 2018/19 season meetings between these two sides are anything to go by, we will be in for a treat again this season.
Craig Bryson’s late equaliser secured a 1-1 at Pride Park before the floodlight failure at Carrow Road inspired a sensational comeback victory by Frank Lampard’s side, recovering from 3-2 down to win 4-3, to provide one of the best of many highlights over the course of that campaign.
