Eustace's return & fan expectation - Derby's 2025

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What a year 2025 was for Derby County.

It began with a thumping 4-2 defeat at Hillsborough by Sheffield Wednesday, which included a goal from inside his own half by Josh Windass.

At that time, there were serious rumblings from supporters about the Rams' trajectory... it was simply going south.

Despite a win at home on Boxing Day 2024 against West Brom at Pride Park, that was only their seventh victory, and little did we know it would be their last until March.

Seven straight defeats and an FA Cup third-round exit on penalties to League One Leyton Orient left many of us believing something had to change. Add to that, the Rams missed out on much-needed coffers in the fourth round as Orient welcomed Manchester City.

A huge decision came on the eve of the Rams' trip to Norwich City in February.

Head coach Paul Warne was sacked and Sportscene went into emergency talk-in mode on the A14 in Cambridgeshire.

Two hard-earned points at Carrow Road and at home to Oxford followed under Matt Hamshaw, while talk of getting John Eustace out of his contract at Blackburn Rovers intensified.

Eustace, an ex-midfield maestro at Pride Park, had previously told me of his fondness for the Rams and how he'd like to return as manager one day. Well, this was the moment.

After protracted negotiations at Ewood Park, Eustace took charge in his first game against QPR at Loftus Road. The Rams were thumped 4-0 and, despite the new dawn, a lot of fragile confidence and overthinking bled into the Rams' performance.

After that, though, things did change. They became organised and harder to beat. Millwall stole a 90th-minute winner in a dull affair at Pride Park, before a late mistake gave Middlesbrough a 1–0 win at the Riverside.

Eustace's practices started to make subtle changes - consistent selection, figuring out who was best where, and how he could make them believe in themselves.

Sondre Langas, Nat Phillips and Matt Clarke became a wall. Loan midfielder Harrison Armstrong took hold of the midfield, and captain Ebou Adams led with passion. Goals were in short supply, but Marcus Harness and Jerry Yates never gave up.

The Rams won four in a row, including a brilliant five-goal thriller at Plymouth.

They were out of the bottom three, and only a couple more wins would see an incredible end to the season and an act of salvation by Eustace. The wins came at West Brom and Hull City, which left some bizarre mathematics on the final day to relegate them. Survival achieved.

In August, expectation was high, but it was tempered by the head coach, who in his first interview with BBC Radio Derby said it would be a slow start as new signings were not up to speed and some players were injured.

He was right. One win in the first 10 games, and a thumping 5-3 home defeat by Coventry City, led to a few minor alarm bells.

But you must trust the process, and what the head coach tells you is true. He was right again. A fully fit squad led to five straight Championship wins and six from seven overall.

Losing new signings Carlton Morris, Lewis Travis, Owen Beck, Max Johnston and David Ozoh to injury has scuppered progression. But they will be back in 2026, which can really cement the Rams in the Championship.

Perspective in football is key. January will see the fourth anniversary of the fans' march from the city centre to Pride Park ahead of the Birmingham City game.

We had no idea what was to come; now we do. And the conversation is full of opinion and expectation, shrouded in the odd spot of gloom. That's football - we have it in Derby, and we pray it never changes.

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