After it was confirmed that Steve McClaren has returned to Derby County for a second spell in charge, dcfc.co.uk takes a look back at the career of one of the game’s most highly-rated coaches…

Born in Fulford, the tiny Yorkshire village, Steve McClaren spent a large chunk of his playing career in football in the lower echelons of the game.A midfielder with Hull City, Derby County, Lincoln City, Bristol City and Oxford United – he amassed over 300 career appearances before he hung up his boots in 1992.It was from there, however, that his career blossomed as he turned his hand to coaching, a discipline in which he quickly established himself as a natural and one of the game’s most tactically astute coaches in the countryMcClaren’s transition from player to coach started at Oxford, beginning with their youth and reserve team set ups, before his first return to Derby came in 1995 after Jim Smith moved to name him as his assistant manager.Promotion followed at the end of his first season at the Baseball Ground, consolidation after that and after four years his coaching continued on its upward trajectory as Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United came knocking.His first season at Old Trafford was distinguished by The Treble as the Red Devils lifted the Premier League, the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League – United lifted the league title in each of the seasons that McClaren was assistant manager.He also held a role with the England national team too as his stock continued to rise.He dipped his toes into management for the first time in 2001 and enjoyed a hugely successful first spell at the helm of the dugout with Middlesbrough – guiding them to League Cup success and into Europe for the first time as well as a number of cup semi-finals.McClaren left after five years in 2006, with his next position in club football taking him to FC Twente in Holland.More success followed. He guided the Dutch outfit to a second place and a domestic cup final, before becoming champions the year after for the first time – a feat that led to him being name Dutch Manager of the Year.McClaren left to join Vfl Wolfsburg in 2010 – becoming the first Englishman to manage a top flight German side, but left in February 2011.Spells with Nottingham Forest and another at FC Twente followed, but it was back at Derby where his reputation soared once more as he, largely, enjoyed two successful years at the iPro Stadium.McClaren took up the reins in 2013, guiding the Rams to a third place finish, before they ultimately missed out on capping off a memorable year by being defeated by Queens Park Rangers in the play-off final.Derby missed out on a play-off berth a year later and left at the end of the 2014/15 campaign, taking up the head coach’s position with Newcastle United shortly after. Tweets by @ dcfcofficial