Derby County’s Sam Rush Wins The FC Business Chief Executive Of The Year Award

Rams' CEO wins top award at Football Business Awards in London.

Derby County’s President & Chief Executive Sam Rush has been named as the FC Business Chief Executive of the Year for 2014.

Rush received the Award at the 2014 Football Business Awards on Thursday evening in London.

He beat contenders from the Premier League, Championship, League 1, League 2 and the Scottish Premiership, winning the Championship’s Chief Executive of the Year Award in the process.

He was voted for the Championship Award by fellow Chief Executives in a poll conducted by FC Business last month, before a panel went on to decide the overall winner.

Rush, who took up his post with Derby back in January 2013, is approaching his second year anniversary at the iPro Stadium.

Although he was delighted to land to the accolade, Rush says the Award is ‘one for the Club’.

Speaking to dcfc.co.uk, Rush explained: “I am delighted first and foremost to receive this award and feel very proud, especially as the voting was conducted by fellow Chief Executives in the Championship, but this is an award for Derby County Football Club.

“We have a talented workforce right across the Club and everyone has contributed to the excellent progress we have enjoyed in the last year.

“This year promises to be another exciting season and by working together we are confident we can achieve our goals.”

He added: “Derby County is a fantastic football club and, as I approach my second year as President & Chief Executive I can only reflect on the strides we have made both on and off the pitch.

“We have established ourselves as a leading Club in the Championship not just on the pitch, but also off the field.”

Rush’s time at the Club has seen him oversee a number of achievements both on the football and business side.

He oversaw the appointment of Steve McClaren as Head Coach in September 2013, as well as the restructuring of the recruitment department alongside McClaren’s arrival.

Rush also negotiated the signings of key players such as Chris Martin, Cyrus Christie and George Thorne, in addition to the retention of the likes of Jeff Hendrick, Will Hughes and Martin this summer.

Rush has also overseen an increase in Derby’s average attendance to an impressive 27,000, the Club achieving Category One Academy status and the stadium naming rights deal with iPro Sport.