April 4
Skipper Paul Connolly netted a dramatic stoppage-time equaliser as Derby salvaged a 1-1 draw at home to promotion-chasing Burnley.
It looked as if the visitors were going to steal all three points after Chris McCann had put them in front shortly before the hour.
But with seconds of the game remaining Connolly dived in to head home Gary Teale's deep cross and earn the Rams a deserved point.
They had been on top for large periods of the first half with Brian Jensen producing three fine saves to keep his side on terms.
Burnley had the better of it after the break but without seriously threatening other than the goal, and it was left to the Rams' captain to strike at the death.
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April 4
A late equaliser from skipper Paul Connolly was the least Derby deserved from their clash with promotion-chasing Burnley, says Rams boss Nigel Clough.
Connolly dived in to head home Gary Teale's stoppage-time cross earned Derby a point after they had fallen behind on the hour.
"I thought over the course of the game we deserved it," Clough admitted.
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April 4
Skipper Paul Connolly watched Gary Teale line up a stoppage-time cross and thought: "This one's coming to me."
And in he dived to open up his Derby goalscoring account with only the second strike of his professional career and earn the Rams a deserved point against Premier League hopefuls Burnley.
"I can't believe I've got the equaliser," Connolly admitted after the game.
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April 8
Derby County have been given Silver accreditation by The Football League Trust for the club's work in the community.
The club will now receive £48k which will be invested into community activities.
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April 8
Derby slipped to a 4-1 defeat away to Cardiff City in a game that the scoreline failed to do justice to.
Mile Sterjovski and John Eustace both went close several times in the first half but Roger Johnson scored the opening 45's only goal.
Gavin Rae and Jay Bothroyd quickly made it three shortly after the hour and when Eddie Johnson added a fourth with 11 to go, the Rams were up against it.
Their travelling fans did have something to cheer right at the death when Gary Teale's corner was sliced in to his own net by Eddie Johnson for a consolation goal.
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April 10
Derby County has wished one of its longest-serving staff members a fond farewell with the retirement of Bill Morley as the club's education and welfare officer.
Bill, 65, has been in the role with the Academy for the last 12 years and has overseen and delivered the education programmes for the Rams' scholars alongside developments in the way youngsters are taught at football clubs.
And in recognition of his outstanding service the learning centre at Moor Farm has been renamed as the Bill Morley Education Suite.
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April 11
Rob Hulse's 17th goal of the season has put Derby in the box-seat for Championship survival after earning the Rams a 1-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday.
The former Sheffield United man rose in first-half stoppage-time to power home a header from Gary Teale's inviting free-kick.
It was a professional performance from Derby who looked comfortable for the most part, though they were given a scare when Darren Potter struck their bar before the goal.
But the Rams held firm to land themselves a crucial victory.
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April 11
Gary Crosby saluted a big three points earned from the Rams' 1-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday - but he insists there will be no letting up.
The victory at Hillsborough takes Derby up to 51 points in the Coca-Cola Championship and gives them an eight-point advantage of the relegation zone, with a game in hand.
Derby have five matches now and Crosby says there is still work to be done.
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April 13
Derby's Easter programme ended with a 3-2 defeat at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers in a game that will rank right up there with Pride Park's most thrilling of the season.
Andy Keogh was the visitors' hero with early and late goals but in between the Rams gave as good as they got from the Championship leaders and could well have wrapped it up.
Przemyslaw Kazmierczak curled home a delightful free-kick to level it before the half-hour and Mile Sterjovski put them in front early in the second half.
Wayne Hennessey was by far the busier of the two goalkeepers but he watched on as the crucial action came at the other end of the pitch.
Matt Jarvis poked home an equaliser with 17 to go and even then Derby might have pinched it before Keogh's late intervention.
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April 13
Rams boss Nigel Clough pointed to the contrast in combining performances with results after his side went down 3-2 at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The Championship leaders edged a real thriller at Pride Park after Derby had led 2-1 in the last game of the Easter period.
It came on the back of Saturday's hard-earned 1-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday and left Clough a frustrated man.
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April 15
Defender Jay McEveley's season is over after confirmation that he has broken a foot.
The left-back has been in good form since his return to the side this year but was forced off with the problem in Saturday's 1-0 win at Sheffield Wednesday.
Scans have since revealed a broken second metatarsal in his left foot, meaning he joins three of his colleagues in being sidelined with similar injuries.
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April 18
A solitary strike midway through the second half from Shefki Kuqi sent Derby to a 1-0 defeat at Crystal Palace and lengthened their wait for mathematical safety.
It was far from a classic in South London with neither side perhaps doing enough fully warrant the points, though Palace's Julian Speroni had more to do than his visiting counterpart Stephen Bywater.
Speroni made three good saves to deny Kris Commons, while Tito Villa saw a late header ruled out for offside, while the Eagles also had Victor Moses dismissed.
And when Rob Hulse blazed a good chance over with pretty much the last kick of the game, it wasn't Derby's day.
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April 20
Derby County have today parted company with Academy manager Phil Cannon, technical manager David Lowe and assistant Academy manager Brian Borrows.
The club would like to pay tribute to the professionalism and commitment of the trio.
However it is the intention to take Academy in a different direction for the 2009/10 season and beyond.
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April 21
Derby still aren't mathematically save from the drop after second-half goals gave Reading a 2-0 victory at Pride Park.
Nigel Clough's men had earned themselves plenty of credit in the opening 45 with Luke Varney and Rob Hulse both going close.
But ten minutes after the break Dave Kitson headed in the Royals' first of the evening, and with 18 to go Shane Long raced away to double their lead.
The Rams kept probing, particularly through Varney and Kris Commons, but they were unable to recover and go into their final two games of the season still needing a result to make absolutely sure of their survival.
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April 22
The Rams' bid for silverware ended at the last as they went down to a 3-1 defeat at home to Sunderland in the final of the totesportcasino.com Reserve League Cup.
They were in trouble when Jordan Cook opened the scoring very early on and the tricky front-man added his second after the break with a stunning free-kick.
But Derby's players, particularly the younger contingent, gave a good account of themselves in front of an appreciative crowd and were quickly back in it through Nacer Barazite's superb strike.
They had good positions to threaten an equaliser without really taking advantage and were controversially undone late on when Jack Colback wrapped it up from the penalty spot.
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April 23
Fans' favourite Chris Powell is back at Pride Park Stadium on Saturday to present the Jack Stamps Trophy to this season's player of the year.
The popular left-back, voted as the supporters' top man in 1997, will crown this year's winner ahead of kick-off against Charlton Athletic.
Now 39 and at Leicester City, where he has played 21 times this season, Powell is sure of a warm reception from both sets of fans at the weekend.
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April 25
Striker Rob Hulse has collected the Jack Stamps Trophy from 1997 winner Chris Powell after being voted as Derby County's player of the year.
The 29-year-old received over 45 per cent of votes to become the supporters' player of the year after a campaign that has seen him hit 17 goals in all competitions.
Hulse has made more appearances than any other Derby player this season, lining up in 52 of the club's 55 games so far, and has been rewarded by the club's faithful.
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April 25
Derby County will play Championship football next season after a gritty 1-0 win over already-relegated Charlton Athletic.
The crucial moment came with 20 minutes to go as leading scorer Rob Hulse - crowned the club's new player of the year before the game - looped in a perfect header.
Before then chances had been at a premium at both ends with Charlton looking like a side awaiting their fate next season, while the Rams were clearly tense.
But when it came the goal created an atmosphere of relief around Pride Park Stadium as it finally secured safety for Nigel Clough's men.
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April 25
Manager Nigel Clough pointed to the most fitting way for his side to secure safety with the winning goal coming from the leading scorer - crowned player of the year ahead of kick-off.
Rob Hulse rose highest to score the only goal of the game against Charlton Athletic to net his 18th of the season and secure the win that sees Derby secure in the Championship.
Derby's number 11 had received the Jack Stamps Trophy before the game and went on to do what he does best.
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April 25
Match-winner Rob Hulse aims to consign Derby County's 2008/09 season to the memory banks and help the club push on.
Hulse's 18th goal of the season earned the Rams' 1-0 victory over Charlton Athletic that secured their place in the Coca-Cola Championship.
It's been a good season on a personal level for the newly-crowned player of the year but now he's looking forward to helping the club move forward.
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April 28
Michael Forsyth and Darren Wassall are back with Derby County after being appointed to the Academy coaching staff.
The pair, who have a rich history and knowledge of football in the region, will start work immediately, with Nigel Clough looking to throw the emphasis on attracting the best talent in Derbyshire.
The Rams manager is hoping to herald in a new era for the Academy.
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April 28
Derby manager Nigel Clough had the distinction of playing on the winning and losing side in Tuesday night's testimonial game for long-serving Burton player Aaron Webster.
Webster has racked up ten years at the Brewers and been a key man in their rise from the Southern Premier League to the Football League.
And Clough, in charge at Burton for almost 11 years before taking the Derby job in January this year, lined up for both sides as part of the festivities at the Pirelli Stadium.
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April 29
England international David Nish - a British record signing when joining the Rams in 1972 - has been voted as Derby County's greatest right-back.
The stylish Burton-born performer polled almost 70 per cent of supporter votes during April to take his place in the club's All-Time XI.
Nish joins fellow title-winners Colin Boulton and Ron Webster in being recognised by the fans as part of the Rams' 125th anniversary celebrations.
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April 30
Highly-rated coach John Perkins is the latest new addition to the Derby County Academy staff.
Perkins moves across from Wolverhampton Wanderers to join the ranks at Moor Farm alongside ex-Rams players Darren Wassall and Michael Forsyth, who were also appointed this week.
Derby boss Nigel Clough knows of Perkins from their days together at Nottingham Forest and says the new man brings bags of expertise.
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April 30
Derby County hope to sign off for the season on a positive note as a final thanks to their fans.
Around 2,300 will be making the journey to Watford on Sunday with the Rams' full allocation sold for the Vicarage Road encounter.
Coca-Cola Championship safety was secured last weekend against Charlton Athletic in front of Pride Park Stadium's ninth attendance of more than 30,000 this season.
And boss Nigel Clough said the level of backing was "greatly appreciated" as he took part in his final pre-match press conference of 2008/09.
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