The 2022/23 season was always going to be one like no other for Derby County.
There was new ownership, new management and 15 new players - and that was all before September was out!
Memorable victories in League One came at Pride Park Stadium and on the road, whilst a trip to Anfield to face Liverpool in the Carabao Cup and the visit of West Ham United in the Emirates FA Cup brought with them welcome distractions from league action.
An incredible 19 game unbeaten, which ran from late 2022 into early 2023, saw the team strengthen their bid for a play-off spot but in true Derby County fashion, the outcome of the campaign would go right down to the wire.
Here, dcfc.co.uk has gone back to the start with a round-up of July and August.
July
Due to the winter FIFA World Cup getting underway in November, the EFL handed out an early start date with the first round of fixtures getting underway at the end of July rather than in early August.
It meant that the Rams had five pre-season games plus the first match of the Sky Bet League One campaign to cram into an action-packed July.
Not only this, but the squad was still being formed with a large number of players arriving as the month progressed after the takeover of the club by Clowes Developments (UK) Ltd at the start of July.
By no means was it ideal but Interim Manager Liam Rosenior and staff behind-the-scenes cracked on and prepared as best they could ahead of the 30th July opener against Oxford United on home turf.
The Rams, backed by a crowd of over 31,000 at Pride Park, got the job done when the points were on offer from the off to begin an exciting new era under the onlooking David Clowes in style.
Seven new faces started the game against the U’s and one of those new signings, Conor Hourihane, was the hero on the day when his late strike cemented the first three points of the season.
Results
Sky Bet League One - Derby County 1-0 Oxford United (Hourihane)
August
There’s no such thing as easing your way into the season and that was proved by an incredibly hectic August which saw the Rams play eight games and take part in three different competitions.
Despite dominating for large periods and creating a large number of chances, the first away trip of the season in League One ended in a narrow 1-0 defeat at Charlton Athletic.
That loss only seemed to inspire Derby though and they went on to complete the remainder of the month unbeaten.
A 2-1 victory at Sky Bet League Two side Mansfield Town saw the Rams progress in the Carabao Cup and they followed that up with a well deserved 1-0 win over Championship outfit West Bromwich Albion in Round Two thanks to a fine effort from Louie Sibley.
Eight points from 12 were picked up in the league with draws on the road against Shrewsbury Town (0-0) and Fleetwood Town (0-0) being sandwiched between home victories over Barnsley (2-1) and Peterborough United (2-1), with the latter being secured thanks to a dramatic injury-time winner from David McGoldrick.
League Two side Grimsby Town also visited Pride Park to round off the month and a 3-1 win saw the Rams cement their first three points in the Papa Johns Trophy.
Results
Sky Bet League One - Charlton Athletic 1-0 Derby County
Carabao Cup Round One - Mansfield Town 1-2 Derby County (Hewitt OG, Barkhuizen)
Sky Bet League One - Derby County 2-1 Barnsley (McCarthy OG, Mendez-Laing)
Sky Bet League One - Shrewsbury Town 0-0 Derby County
Sky Bet League One - Fleetwood Town 0-0 Derby County
Carabao Cup Round Two - Derby County 1-0 West Bromwich Albion (Sibley)
Sky Bet League One – Derby County 2-1 Peterborough United (Knight, McGoldrick)
Papa Johns Trophy - Group Stage – Derby County 3-1 Grimsby Town (Mendez-Laing, Sibley, Bird)