During the 2004–05 English football season, Derby County F.C. competed in the Football League Championship.

Season summary With little money to spend, Burley played the markets and made two key free signings in Iñigo Idiakez and Grzegorz Rasiak. Idiakez was voted the club's Player of the Season and Rasiak finished top scorer (with 17 goals) as Derby confounded their form of the last 5 years to grab a fourth-placed finish in the newly rebranded Football League Championship and entrance into the 2004–05 play-offs. With a more settled side than he was previously allowed – Burley only used 24 players, 7 of whom were involved in 10 or less games – and a strong mix of academy graduates (Lee Grant, Pablo Mills, Tom Huddlestone, Marcus Tudgay) and inspired purchases (Rasiak, Idiakez, Tommy Smith) Derby enjoyed a splendid second half to the season, recording just 6 defeats in their final 24 fixtures, including a run of 1 defeat in 14, and equalled the club record for away wins in a season and setting a club record of 6 consecutive away victories. However, the club entered the play-offs without the presence of key duo Rasiak and Idiakez – both unavailable through injury – and a 2–0 defeat in the first leg away to Preston North End proved impossible to overturn in the second leg at Pride Park, which finished 0–0 in front of a crowd of over 31,000. Behind the scenes, circumstances were deteriorating, and Burley left his position, citing interference from football agent turned Director of Football Murdo Mackay, and the sale of Huddlestone, to Tottenham Hotspur, against his wishes. Financial circumstances were worsening as the debt spiralled to over £30m, despite Burley building success on the pitch without any transfer funds. A refinancing scheme was put in place which saw Pride Park sold to the "mysterious" Panama-based ABC Corporation and the club paying rent of £1m a year to play there, which local journalist Gerald Mortimer described as "an affront . . . to those who put everything into building (the ground)."

Final league table

Results Derby County's score comes first

Legend WinDrawLoss

Football League Championship DateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceScorers 7 August 2004 Leeds UnitedA0–130,459 11 August 2004 Leicester CityH1–226,650Tudgay 14 August 2004 Ipswich TownH3–222,234Reich (2), Idiakez 21 August 2004 Queens Park RangersA2–015,295Smith, Tudgay 28 August 2004 Crewe AlexandraH2–424,436Tudgay, Idiakez 30 August 2004 Stoke CityA0–118,673 11 September 2004 ReadingH2–122,096Smith, Tudgay 18 September 2004 Cardiff CityA2–023,422Reich, Taylor 22 September 2004 MillwallA1–39,132Reich 25 September 2004 Wigan AthleticH1–126,113Smith 29 September 2004 West Ham UnitedH1–123,112Johnson 2 October 2004 SunderlandA0–029,881 16 October 2004 WatfordH2–223,253Smith, Rasiak 19 October 2004 Wolverhampton WanderersA0–226,465 22 October 2004 BurnleyA2–013,703Tudgay, Reich 30 October 2004 Rotherham UnitedH3–225,096Rasiak, Peschisolido, Vincent 3 November 2004 Brighton & Hove AlbionH3–022,480Smith, Rasiak (2) 6 November 2004 WatfordA2–213,689Taylor, Peschisolido 13 November 2004 GillinghamA2–08,015Rasiak, Taylor 20 November 2004 Sheffield UnitedH0–125,725 27 November 2004 Preston North EndA0–312,702 4 December 2004 Coventry CityH2–222,648Rasiak, Peschisolido 11 December 2004 Nottingham ForestH3–030,793Smith, Rasiak (2) 18 December 2004 Plymouth ArgyleA2–015,335Coughlan (own goal), Peschisolido 26 December 2004 Wigan AthleticA2–112,420Rasiak, Smith 28 December 2004 MillwallH0–327,725 1 January 2005 Cardiff CityH0–122,800 3 January 2005 ReadingA1–015,491Smith 16 January 2005 SunderlandH0–222,995 23 January 2005 West Ham UnitedA2–130,347Rasiak (2) 26 January 2005 Leeds UnitedH2–025,648Smith, Bolder 5 February 2005 Brighton & Hove AlbionA3–26,587Bisgaard, Tudgay (2) 19 February 2005 Rotherham UnitedA3–17,937Rasiak, Tudgay, Idiakez (pen) 23 February 2005 BurnleyH1–123,701Peschisolido 26 February 2005 Nottingham ForestA2–226,160Rasiak (2) 2 March 2005 Wolverhampton WanderersH3–324,109Idiakez (2, 1 pen), Reich 5 March 2005 Plymouth ArgyleH1–027,581Idiakez 16 March 2005 Queens Park RangersH0–024,486 2 April 2005 Ipswich TownA2–328,796Tudgay, Idiakez 5 April 2005 Crewe AlexandraA2–18,026Rasiak, Smith 9 April 2005 Stoke CityH3–127,640Rasiak, Bisgaard, Idiakez 15 April 2005 Sheffield UnitedA1–020,794Bisgaard 23 April 2005 GillinghamH2–027,481Bisgaard, Peschisolido 26 April 2005 Leicester CityA0–125,762 30 April 2005 Coventry CityA2–622,728Bolder, Peschisolido 8 May 2005 Preston North EndH3–131,237Idiakez, Smith, Peschisolido

Championship play-offs +RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersSF 1st Leg15 May 2005 Preston North EndA0–220,315SF 2nd Leg19 May 2005 Preston North EndH0–031,310

FA Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR38 January 2005 Wigan AthleticH2–114,457Idiakez, JúniorR429 January 2005 FulhamH1–122,040TudgayR4R12 February 2005 FulhamA2–415,528Rasiak, Peschisolido

League Cup

+RoundDateOpponentVenueResultAttendanceGoalscorersR124 August 2004 Lincoln CityA1–34,982Idiakez

Squad

Left club during season

References

Notes