Infamous in English football's vast lore, the Derby 07/08 side accumulated just 11 points in 38 games, and have since held the unwanted title of the ‘worst Premier League team ever'.
To put that pitiful tally into context, even last season’s long-condemned Sheffield United team managed to scrabble together 16 points. Here, we look at just how, and why, it all went so wrong for the Rams.
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Promotion problems hint at difficult times for worst Premier League team to-be
Derby spent a good chunk of the 2006/07 Championship season sitting atop England’s second tier, but suffered a serious slump towards the end of their campaign, winning just four of their last ten and slipping out of the promotion spots. They also only scored just 62 goals across the 46-game regular season.
The Rams’ salvation came in the form of the playoffs, in which they scraped past Southampton on penalties in the semi finals before edging out West Bromwich Albion 1-0 at Wembley.
It was something of a surprise, given that West Brom were the side with more recent promotion experience. And in a similar turn of events to 1993, when Swindon unexpectedly beat Leicester in the Division One playoff final, the Premier League now had a team that was woefully unprepared for its relentless demands.
Derby 07/08 side suffer after an underwhelming summer
The Rams’ big signing of summer 2007 was Robert Earnshaw, who had just enjoyed a 19-goal season in the Championship with Norwich City. But Earnshaw – as well as other summer acquisitions, such as Kenny Miller, Claude Davis, Andy Griffin and Andy Todd – lacked the quality and experience necessary to consistently deliver at the highest level.
A glimmer of hope appeared at the start of the season, as the Rams drew 2-2 with top-half challengers and eventual 2007/08 FA Cup winners Portsmouth on the opening day. They would lose their next four, but then beat Newcastle United 1-0 at the start of September.
Unfortunately for Derby, that September win would prove to be their only victory all season, as they embarked on a torrid run of 32 games without a win, which still stands as a Premier League record to this day.
Manager Billy Davies was duly sacked in November 2007, just six months after their euphoric playoff promotion.
Jewell fails to gleam as Rams sink rapidly
Paul Jewell came in to replace Davies. The former Wigan boss was warned of the perils of the job by fellow manager David Moyes, but wanted to try his hand regardless. He was unable to arrest the club’s decline, however.
This was in spite of a January takeover from Adam Pearson that saw Jewell add veterans Robbie Savage and Laurent Robert to the squad, as well as Danny Mills on loan from Manchester City.
Jewell later admitted that the January splurge was a desperate and ill-fated move, with the Rams already well adrift, telling the BBC “I should have kept my powder dry money-wise for the summer and had a good go at going back up.”
The Rams managed just two points in the final three months of the season, and were even beaten 4-0 at home on the final day by fellow relegated club Reading.
Derby 07/08 still hold the unwanted records for the fewest goals scored (20), points accumulated, most defeats (29), fewest points (11) and longest run of games without a win (32). Their former record of 89 goals conceded in a 38-game Premier League season was surpassed by Sheffield United (with 104) only last season.
