2025/26 REVIEW: Pride Park Perfection and the End-of-Season Run-in – Part Five

Following the conclusion of Derby County’s 2025/26 season at the beginning of May, dcfc.co.uk looks back on the campaign.

Part Five, the final edition of the review, reflects on the end-of season run-in.

After the Rams ended February with a momentous 3-1 win over Blackburn Rovers at Pride Park – covered in Part Four of the review – John Eustace’s side were looking to build up a head of steam in the league with 11 games remaining.

Derby found themselves in eighth spot with 35 games played, 14 wins and nine draws to their name.

Home form was something the Rams had looked to address throughout the season – three wins in a row in October 2025 proved to be the best home run of the campaign, with away form proving more advantageous throughout the length of the league season.

But coming into the end-of-season run-in, Derby looked to turn that around, backing up the win over Rovers with a 2-1 success over Sheffield Wednesday.

Ben Brereton Díaz’s 11th-minute strike – his fifth of the season – got Derby in front, and Matt Clarke’s header before half-time proved to be enough to beat the Owls and cancel out former Ram Jerry Yates’ 17th-minute equaliser to take Derby up to seventh spot.

A narrow one-goal defeat to Millwall in midweek returned the Rams to eighth, but they remained hotly in the play-off hunt as Sam Szmodics was the hero after eight minutes against Portsmouth on a March Monday night at Fratton Park.

Birmingham City were the next comers at Pride Park, and once again Eustace’s charges grasped home advantage to take their third consecutive home win with Rhian Brewster’s goal at the end of the first 45, sealing three points ahead of a tough test on the road.

The trip to would-be champions Coventry City kicked off April, and an entertaining contest for the neutral saw the Rams go toe-to-toe with high-flying opposition under the floodlights on Good Friday.

The hosts got ahead via Frank Onyeka early on, but Brereton Díaz drew level in the 38th minute to go into half-time with parity. Coventry substitute Jack Rudoni was the one to strike in the 68th minute after both sides went close in the second period.

But again, Brereton Díaz responded with a goal from the penalty spot nine minutes afterwards, but the quality of the league leaders told just minutes later as Rudoni struck once more to claim the spoils.

The loss wasn’t the only casualty of the Easter calendar, as Patrick Agyemang’s season was ended in cruel fashion in Monday’s clash with Stoke City. The striker, who was the Rams’ joint top-scorer at the time, departed the field on a stretcher after suffering a severe knee injury.

His replacement, Burnley loanee Jaydon Banel, proved his worth as he took his chance from the bench in sublime style. The winger took advantage of a counter-attack from a Stoke corner and ran the length of the pitch before scoring with a shot from the edge of the penalty area to get Derby in front.

Carlton Morris capped off proceedings with a headed goal one minute from time – his 11th of the season and first since his return from injury, marking his spot as lead scorer.

Morris had an effect once more as he notched his 12th and final goal of the season with a header away to the league’s in-form outfit, Southampton, a week later. But the Saints continued their form as they mounted a second-half comeback with two goals in five minutes after the hour mark.

Banel was the crucial ingredient once more as the penultimate home game of the season saw a one-goal victory over Oxford United and stretched Eustace’s side’s home winning streak to six on the spin - the club’s longest in 16 years.

Still firmly placed in eighth place, four points off the play-off spots, the Rams had two away trips and one home game remaining in the campaign.

A 2-1 defeat to Norwich City looked to deal a blow to the chances of remaining in the race, but favourable results elsewhere meant Derby headed to Queens Park Rangers, hoping a win and favourable results could take the season down to the final day.

Sondre Langås’ return to action from a hamstring injury picked up in January was also a positive from the Carrow Road trip.

Loftus Road was where it all began for Head Coach Eustace back in February 2024, a 4-0 defeat on that day spelt out the nature of the challenge he was taking on. Over a year later, the Rams headed to London in the hope of continuing their play-off push – a real mark of progress if it were needed.

Harvey Vale put Rangers in the lead after 13 minutes at Loftus Road, but January signing Oscar Fraulo’s first goal for the club drew things level 12 minutes later. A 55th-minute Richard Kone goal had the hosts back with a deserved lead ten minutes into the second half.

Langås hoisted Derby back into the hunt with 76 minutes on the clock – his third goal of the season.

Just two minutes from time, Banel was once again the hero as he struck a barnstorming, curled strike to send the away end into raptures and Derby into the final day of the season just one point away from the sixth and final play-off position.

Sheffield United awaited on the final day, and Sam Szmodics kicked off the day with a fifth-minute goal to give Derby the lead and place them in sixth spot.

But a turnaround in results elsewhere saw Hull City grasp the play-off prize and Derby succumbed to a ruthless five minutes from the visitors; Tom Cannon and Sydie Peck both struck after the hour mark to end the season on a 2-1 loss.

The campaign drew to a close on defeat, but as Derby County chairman and owner David Clowes said ahead of the Sheffield United contest, “On the final day of last season, we were all sat at Pride Park with a sense of both fear and trepidation, given the fact that relegation was still a mathematical possibility.

“A year later, we go into our last game with a chance of making the promotion play-offs. That – to refer to one of the club’s cultural pillars – is progress.

“No matter where we stand come the final whistle, we can all take a huge sense of pride and satisfaction from this season.”

It is clear to see that the 2025/26 campaign was one of growth for the Rams, finishing the season just a few points away from a play-off finish. Eustace’s squad hope they have laid the foundations for success as they go away for the summer break before returning stronger in 2026/27.

Season tickets for the 2026/27 campaign are ON SALE NOW – click here for details.