Pre-Match Pack: Preston North End (H)

Derby County will welcome Preston North End to Pride Park Stadium on Saturday afternoon as they return to action following the final international break of the season.

dcfc.co.uk has gathered all the information you need to know ahead of the Sky Bet Championship match (3pm kick-off).

TICKET NEWS…

Tickets for the game will be on sale right up until kick-off.

Supporters are advised to buy tickets as early as possible and if they wish to purchase on arrival ahead of kick-off, please do so as early as possible to avoid queues and potentially missing the start of the game.

Fans wishing to purchase a ticket on arrival at Pride Park Stadium are requested to ensure they have a Fan ID created on dcfc.co.uk to avoid the time-consuming process and to help provide a smooth customer service process.

Derby County Vs Preston North End
Saturday 2nd April 2022 (3pm kick-off)
Sky Bet Championship

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Important Ticket Information...

* 2021/22 Season Ticket Holders' cards are now active and available to use.

* Derby County Membership Holders have the chance to purchase a ticket with 10% Discount off the General Admission Match Ticket Price.

* Match Tickets are available until 1pm online on the day of the match and until kick-off from the Ticket Office in person.

Car Parking

In conjunction with Derby City Council, an online booking system for Pride Park Stadium matchday car parking, priced £8.50 per car.

Seasonal Parking Pass holders are not required to book online but must continue to display their car park hanger on the day to avoid incurring a fine.

Non-Seasonal Parking Pass holders are advised that parking in Car Park A or B without booking via the link provided below risk incurring a fine.

For more information and to reserve your space in advance of attending any first team match, visit secure.mipermit.com/derby/Account/PayAndStayAdd.aspx.

If you have any questions regarding the matchday parking ticket, please email [email protected].

Contact Information/Current Ticket Office Opening Hours

Ticket Office Counters (located at Pride Park Stadium with parking available in the West Stand car park)

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday - 10am-4pm

Home Matchday - 10am-Kick-Off

Ticket Office Phone Lines (by calling 0871 472 1884 - Calls cost 13p per minute, plus your phone company's access charge)

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday - 10am-4pm

Ticket Office Email Helpdesk (by emailing [email protected])

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday - 9am-5pm

COVID PASS RULES CHANGES...

From 27th January 2022, it was no longer mandatory for venues to require attendees to be checked for their COVID-19 status and this applies for matches at Derby County Football Club.

However, some venues or events may still choose to require proof of COVID-19 status as a condition of entry and supporters attending away matches are recommended to check each club’s policy in advance.

Supporters are recommended to keep up to date with the latest UK Government guidelines in relation to COVID-19 by visiting gov.uk/coronavirus.

TEAM NEWS…

Manager Wayne Rooney has no fresh injury or suspension issues for the meeting with Preston as they look to return to action on a winning note.

Midfielder Ravel Morrison is unlikely to start the game after completing three full 90 minutes for Jamacia during the international window and only arriving back in Derby in the early hours of Friday morning.

Striker Colin Kazim-Richards will again miss out after picking up an ankle injury in the side's 3-1 loss at Blackburn Rovers recently. He is set to miss the rest of the season as a result and is working his way back to fitness.

MANAGER'S THOUGHTS…

Manager Wayne Rooney offered his pre-match views to RamsTV.

He said: “The international break came at a good time for us for some players to get a rest, get their legs back.

“We have had players who have been away with their international teams. We’ve got our last player back today in Ravel Morrison and we are ready to go again.

“Our form before the break was indifferent and it was a chance to look back at that but also now to look forward to the last seven games.

“We know what is ahead of us, it’s now time to go and give everything we can in these last seven games to try and stay up.”

He added: “The lads have been great all season long. We keep pushing, keep trying to pick up points and we know tomorrow is a massive game and a must win game for us.

“It’s a chance for us to try and close that gap depending on other results. All we can do now is control our results, try and win the game and see where we are at. All we can try and do is get three points.”

FROM THE DRESSING ROOM…

Midfielder Max Bird spoke to RamsTV at Moor Farm Training Ground ahead of the Rams' return to action following the international break.

He said: “We know we have got some very important games coming up and as a team we want to finish on a high. We want to achieve the goal which we set out from the start of the season.

“We spoke this morning as a group about putting in good performances, but just not getting the results, recently.

“We have been working on the training ground on what we can do to pick up more points and get more wins which is ultimately going to help us stay in this division. That is what we want and what the fans want. I think the international break came at a good time.

“The lads went away with their countries or on holiday and had a good rest. Now, we are ready. You can see in training in the last couple of days that we are ready for the run in and we are going to give it our all.

“We have seven big games and we are going to give it everything. We can focus on other teams but that isn’t what we are choosing to do.

“We are going to focus on ourselves, take it each game as it comes like we have done all season and the main aim is to get the win and get three points. Then we will see where we are after that.”

MATCH OFFICIALS…

Geoff Eltringham will oversee Saturday afternoon's game at Pride Park Stadium.

Eltringham has overseen 27 games so far this season in all competitions, showing 114 yellow cards and three red cards.

His last Derby match was the 3-1 home win over Hull City in February, while he has also overseen the Rams' home draws against Huddersfield Town (1-1) and Luton Town (2-2) this term - as well as the 0-0 draw at Fulham.

He will be assisted by Nick Greenhalgh and Shaun Hudson on the lines, whilst Darren Handley has been appointed as the fourth official.

EFL SUBSTITUTE RULES…

The five substitutions rule has been scrapped for the 2021/22 season, the English Football League confirmed in July.

The rule allowing clubs to make five changes, as opposed to the usual three, was brought in following football's restart in June 2020 after a break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Given that games had to be condensed into a short period of time it was thought beneficial and allowed managers to make as many as five changes in three intervals during a match.

Clubs had a longer post-break between seasons this time around and so the temporary rule has been changed.

Teams will be able to name seven substitutes but only use a maximum of three.

STREAMING INFORMATION…

With COVID-19 capacity restrictions lifted and EFL fixtures being played in front of full crowds once again, the temporary change in streaming rules is no longer valid.

If you can't make the game in person, other options to catch up with the action on the pitch – including live TV, live radio, streaming of selected matches alongside highlights on TV and online of every Sky Bet EFL game.

Live TV (Domestic)

In the UK, Sky Sports will show 138 Sky Bet EFL matches, 15 Carabao Cup ties and the Semi Finals and Final of the Papa John’s Trophy.

In the case of Weekend Fixtures, the EFL’s designated kick-off times* for Sky Live Matches are usually scheduled as follows:

* Friday evenings at 7:45pm or 8pm

* Saturdays at 12:30pm; Sundays at 12-noon

Within the Sky contract there are other kick-off times that are available to the broadcaster

In the case of scheduled Midweek Matches, live Sky fixtures will be between 7:30pm and 8pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Radio

TalkSPORT offer exclusive live commentaries on national radio across the Sky Bet EFL as well as non-exclusive rights to the Carabao Cup that are shared by the BBC.Both TalkSPORT and the BBC have the ability to broadcast score flash updates across all competitions.BBC Local Radio also have individual commentary deals with selected EFL clubs.

Live TV (International)

Any match shown live on Sky Sports in the UK is made available overseas via the League’s international broadcast partners.As well as this fixture, a minimum of 36 Championship fixtures taking place on Saturdays at 3pm, will be distributed for international coverage, alongside selected League One and Two fixtures, Carabao Cup ties, and action from across the Sky Bet Play-Offs.

A full list of the EFL’s international broadcast partners are available here:efl.com/iFollow/international-broadcasters/

Highlights

In the UK, Quest will continue to be the home for all highlights of matches in the Sky Bet EFL, Carabao Cup and Papa John’s Trophy, with action from a full weekend schedule of matches broadcast at 9pm on Saturdays, and midweek League highlights and Carabao Cup midweek highlights also screened on applicable weeknights. Internationally, a number of the EFL’s broadcast partners show repeat transmissions and highlights.

Streaming

In respect of domestic streaming, the EFL will return to the position as was prior to the pandemic when the live broadcast or streaming of any match in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is prohibited between the hours of 2:45pm-5:15pm on Saturday afternoons.

EFL clubs will have the right to live-stream midweek matches on iFollow or Club equivalent service, with Sky Sports also able to stream the same Championship fixtures to subscribers across their Red Button interactive and digital services.

The position in each Sky Bet EFL division is as follows:

Championship - Domestic

* All scheduled midweek matches (unless selected as one of Sky Sports Exclusive midweek selections)

* Displaced weekend matches – matches which are moved from Saturday 3pm kick-offs for non-TV purposes (at the discretion of the Home club)

* Bank Holiday matches (at the discretion of the Home club)

Championship - International

Overseas supporters can watch live all EFL Championship league games provided that they have not been selected for international television broadcast in a territory that has an overseas broadcast partner