Derby County are back in action on home turf on Saturday afternoon against Millwall in the Sky Bet Championship for what will be their final fixture at Pride Park Stadium before Christmas (3pm kick-off).
Phillip Cocu’s side are unbeaten in nine matches on home turf and will look to keep that fine run going against the Lions.
Here, dcfc.co.uk has gathered all the information you will need ahead of the clash with Gary Rowett's side.
TEAM NEWS…
Derby have no fresh injury concerns to report ahead of Saturday's game but are still sweating on the fitness of midfielder Krystian Bielik.
Bielik missed the 1-1 draw against Sheffield Wednesday in midweek with a hip issue which also forced him to sit out the home fixture against Queens Park Rangers at the end of November.
The Polish international will have his fitness assessed before a final decision is made on if he will be involved in the matchday squad.
Youngsters Morgan Whittaker and Jason Knight could again feature after starting in midweek, but Martyn Waghorn and Jack Marriott are pushing for starts after coming off the bench against the Owls.
Tom Huddlestone (hamstring) and Matt Clarke (knee) are making good progress in their rehabilitation programmes and, despite being back on the grass stepping up their recovery, they remain out of action.
Graeme Shinnie (hamstring), Mason Bennett (ankle) and Ikechi Anya (calf) are still out.
Wayne Rooney, while still training with the Rams, is not eligible for selection until January and will instead join the coaching staff on the bench for the game once again.
PRE-MATCH THOUGHTS…
Speaking to RamsTV ahead of Saturday's fixture, manager Phillip Cocu said: “It will be even more important for us on Saturday after a draw to get a win.
“As always, we will focus on our game play and if the lads give everything on the pitch, the fans will see that and that is what I ask for on Saturday.
“It will be similar to the game on Wednesday in terms of the challenge we will face."
He added: “If we show our face like we did the second half in midweek, then I think we can get a good result.”
More pre-match thoughts from the Derby boss in the lead-up to this weekend's game can be found across dcfc.co.uk and RamsTV.
HOW TO SECURE YOUR SEAT…
Tickets are still available for Saturday's game at Pride Park Stadium.
Supporters are advised to avoid the matchday ticket price increase, which comes into play at 10am on the day of the game.
Match Tickets for Home Members start at:
* £ 8.00 Child (Age 2-12)
* £12.80 Youth (Age 13-17)
* £16.80 Young Adult (Age 18-21)
* £24.00 Adult (Age 22-64)
* £16.00 Senior (Age 65+)
Important! Home Membership benefits include: 20% Discount on General Public Match Ticket pricing; free ticket to a club selected match; early access to tickets prior to general public on-sale; and zero online booking fees. Click here for more information.
Match Tickets for General Public start at:
* £10.00 Child (Age 2-12)
* £16.00 Youth (Age 13-17)
* £21.00 Young Adult (Age 18-21)
* £30.00 Adult (Age 22-64)
* £20.00 Senior (Age 65+)
Tickets can be purchased without a booking fee from the Derby County Ticket Office, presented by SeatGeek, but are subject to £1 per ticket booking fee if purchased online or via phone 0871 472 1884 (calls cost 13p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge); and an additional £1 per transaction delivery fee is applicable for tickets posted. Buy your match tickets here.
And have you tried this season’s brand new matchday experience, the Captain's Club?
Offering one of the best views in the stadium from only £60 (+ VAT) including match ticket and unlimited chef’s buffet table, the Captain’s Club is a relaxed informal matchday hospitality experience in contemporary surroundings with regular visits from captains, past and present. Book the Captain’s Club here.
For more matchday hospitality options, please email hospitality@dcfc.co.uk or call 01332 821073.
Match Tickets and Matchday Hospitality subject to availability. Terms & Conditions apply.
JIM SMITH...
Derby County will be celebrating the life of former manager Jim Smith ahead of Saturday’s home game.
Smith, who was the Rams’ boss between 1995 and 2001, sadly passed away on Tuesday of this week at the age of 79.
The popular former manager guided Derby to automatic promotion to the top-flight in the 1995/96 season and established them amongst the country’s elite whilst also overseeing the transition from the Baseball Ground to Pride Park Stadium in the late 1990s.
The club staged a minute’s applause ahead of Wednesday’s home fixture against Sheffield Wednesday in memory of Smith, but will be paying a full tribute ahead of the clash with the Lions.
The Ram, Derby’s official matchday programme, will proudly feature Smith on the cover and there also eight pages of the latest edition dedicated to the Bald Eagle and his achievements with the club. Copies will be available in and around the stadium, priced at £3.
A minute’s applause will be staged ahead of kick-off with several of Smith’s former players and colleagues are set to be in attendance, while a wreath is due to be laid in his memory in the centre circle before kick-off.
Darryl Powell, Deon Burton, Darren Wassall, Christian Dailly, Rob Kozluk, Chris Powell, Matt Carbon, Steve McClaren and Paul Simpson are confirmed attendees for the game, while Millwall are managed by another of Smith’s former players in Gary Rowett.
Derby County’s Executive Chairman Mel Morris CBE and Chief Executive Officer Stephen Pearce will join the former players and staff members in the laying of the wreath.
Finally, prior to kick-off, a video remembering Smith will be played on the Big Screen for supporters to look back fondly on one of the most successful periods of Derby County’s long and distinguished history.
WHAT'S TO COME IN THE RAM...
In the 12th edition of the 2019/20 season, The Ram celebrates the life of Jim Smith.
The cover will proudly feature Smith while inside, we pay tribute to the Bald Eagle, spanning over eight pages looking back over five of his most memorable games in charge of the Rams and we share memories from his former players.
As ever, The Ram will be jam-packed with news and features and retails at just £3 from around Pride Park Stadium.
Here’s a brief review of what else you can expect from our #DCFCvMFC edition of The Ram…
Exclusive Columns: Back in the Pride Park dugout, Phillip Cocu pens his exclusive column, whilst Match of the Day commentator Martin Fisher tests your football knowledge with a quiz.
Introducing… Millwall: Former Rams boss Gary Rowett returns to Pride Park Stadium for the first time since leaving the club in 2018 and we have you covered with an extensive opposition guide. We also take a look at a memorable match between the two sides.
Back in the Big Time: Our season-long historical feature takes us back 50 years as we look back on Brian Clough and Peter Taylor’s first season in Division One.
Academy In Focus: We reflect on another moment of history for the Derby County Academy as the Under-23s qualified for the Premier League International Cup quarter final for the first time.
Ewe Rams: As the half-way mark of the season draws closer, we take a look at the Ewes season so far.
Around The League: We conclude the programme with a look at all the weekend’s action from around the Sky Bet Championship.
With all that in mind, written and designed in-house, in partnership with Ignition Sports media, The Ram, our award-winning official programme, really is the essential matchday purchase.
Alternatively, Ignition Sports Media offer a subscription service to ensure you receive every copy of your programme delivered directly to your door. Click here for further details of how you can order your copy now.
WHO’S THE MAN IN THE MIDDLE…
Premier League official Chris Kavanagh will be the man in the middle on Saturday for what will be his first Championship fixture of the season.
His last Derby County fixture was the 3-1 home win over Birmingham City at Pride Park Stadium last season.
He has overseen 15 matches so far this season, in all competitions, producing 59 yellows and no red cards.
Kevanagh will be assisted by Sian Massey-Ellis and Marc Perry on the lines, whilst Leigh Doughty has been appointed as the fourth official.
HOW TO FOLLOW THE ACTION…
Supporters based outside the UK & Ireland can watch Saturday’s game LIVE on RamsTV.
RamsTV’s Matchday Live show will begin from 2:30pm with Owen Bradley and former Ram Shane Nicholson building up to kick-off with full team news, exclusive interviews, features, stats, match clips, analysis, lively discussion and tributes to former manager Jim Smith, who sadly passed away this week.
There’ll then be LIVE HD multi-camera coverage, with instant replays and full match commentary from Owen and Shane for all the action at Pride Park on Saturday afternoon.
Fans based outside of the UK and Ireland will be able to stream the game as part of their RamsTV subscription or for the one-off pay-per-view price of £5, whilst a live audio stream of the game will be available for fans based inside the UK and Ireland.
Full streaming options can be found here.
As usual, all of RamsTV’s content building up to the game, as well as all post-match reaction, will be available to watch for FREE across Derby County’s website, Official App and YouTube Channel.