Derby County only needs one point to play in the Championship next season, as Bolton Wanderers are three points behind.
Days like this don’t come along very often for football clubs, and the Rams will be celebrating their return to the second tier at 2:30pm on Saturday, with the game starting at 12:30pm.
Derby were last promoted 17 years ago, when Stephen Pearson’s winner against West Brom in the 2007 play-off final guaranteed their return to the Premier League.
The Rams were infamously relegated the following season after accruing 11 points and conceding 89 goals, a record that Sheffield United broke against Manchester United last night.
Ahead of their meeting against Carlisle, Paul Warne will be ready to wave farewell to many first-teamers, including academy graduate Max Bird, who will go for Bristol City after signing for the Robins in January.
Warne has been bolstered by the return of on-loan Arsenal striker Tyreece John-Jules, who might feature against Carlisle this weekend.
The Derby County manager is also hopeful that Dwight Gayle will be able to return from injury, but he may not risk the veteran striker if the team makes the play-off.
Craig Forsyth is in a similar situation as Gayle, and Ryan Nyambe, Joe Ward, and Jake Rooney are all still out until preseason.
As is customary, Joe Wildsmith will line up between the sticks for Derby. He has been terrific at the end of the season and deserves a new deal.
Since Warne returned Sonny Bradley to defence, the Rams have looked more solid, with Eiran Cashin and Player of the Season Curtis Nelson flanking the former Luton Town defender.
With a three-man defence, Warne has encouraged Kane Wilson and Louie Sibley to attack down the right and left flanks. The Rams will need their width to accommodate Carlisle’s expected low block.
Similar to the defence, Korey Smith and Ebou Adams have created a successful midfield connection. With their defensive skills and intensity, the two make an excellent team.
Liam Thompson had been just ahead of that two in recent matches, but in his final game for the club, it appears natural to put Max Bird in attacking midfield.
The 23-year-old will seek to provide quality for Derby’s dangerous combo of Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, who scored the winning goal against Cambridge, and top scorer James Collins.
