The History of Derby County Football Club is described in detail in two separate articles:
- History of Derby County F.C. (1884–1967)
This article covers the major events in the history of the club from its formation in 1884 up until the end of the 1966-1967 season.
This era saw Derby become one of the original twelve founder member of the Football League, finishing League Runners-Up on three occasions, and reach four FA Cup Finals, winning one and recorded the club record for the longest continued presence in the top tier of the English football league system, spending 27 years (and 20 seasons) there between 1926 and 1953. A sharp decline towards the end of the era saw Derby lose their status as full league members for the first time in their history with relegation to the Third Division North in 1955 before they returned at settled in the Second Tier for much of the next 15 years.
In terms of players, it saw arguably the club's greatest ever player, Steve Bloomer, who scored a club record 332 goals in 525 appearances, as well as other Football League greats such as John Goodall, Hughie Gallacher, Raich Carter and Peter Doherty.
- History of Derby County F.C. (1967–present)
This article covers the major events in the history of the club from Brian Clough assuming control in 1967 up until the 2008–09 season.
Whilst the first 80 years of Derby's existence had been relatively consistent, the era covered here saw the club experience five promotions and five relegations as it rose dramatically to its peak and back. After over a decade in the second tier of English football, Brian Clough took charge at Derby and kickstarted a revolution at the club; it went on to win the Football League First Division twice in the 1970s and reach the European Cup semi finals in 1973 before rapidly declining back to the third tier and near financial meltdown within ten years of its second Championship. A rise back to the top followed towards the end of the 1980s and start of the 1990s before a spell of flitting between top flight and second tier football followed over the next 20 years.
During this period the club was managed by its greatest ever manager, Brian Clough, and was represented by players such as Kevin Hector, Roy McFarland, Archie Gemmill, Stefano Eranio and Igor Stimac all of whom where voted into the club's All Time First Eleven in 2010.
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