Derby County are on the approach of being promoted back to the Championship. A point against relegated Carlisle, regardless of what happens in the other games, will seal The Rams’ top-two spot.
Although Derby’s return to the second tier appears to be a foregone conclusion, with Opta giving Bolton Wanderers a 0.8% chance of moving up to second place, jitters will still be there at Pride Park on Saturday.
Derby supporters have suffered greatly in the past, particularly during the Mel Morris period, when the club finished in the top ten of the Championship for eight straight seasons between 2012 and 2020.
The Rams finished in the play-offs four times but did not advance to the Premier League.
The one that hurt the most was the 2019 play-off final against Aston Villa, which Derby lost 2-1 and subsequently saw their financial difficulties unravel before their eyes.
Former Derby County defender Shaun Barker has issued a warning to Derby ahead of their clash against Carlisle.
Barker, a lifelong Rams fan, played over 100 games for the club between 2009 and 2012, and the former defender is well-positioned to remark on their current league position.
The 41-year-old believes that weirder things have happened in football and has stressed that Warne’s team must beat already-relegated Carlisle United to write their name in history.
“We have seen some strange things in football, we have seen bigger turns and bigger twists than this,” Barker remarked in an interview with RamsTV.
“He understands how close they are and what has gone into this season – both staff, players, behind-the-scenes personnel, and, of course, fans and everyone affiliated with the football club.
“So much has gone into getting into this position, and it hasn’t just been this season; past seasons have also contributed to this.
“Now we have got one final game against the team that is at the bottom of the league, they are already relegated, it is in our hands and it is still up to us.”
Derby are on the verge of something extraordinary, and for many, this will be their first chance at promotion, making it difficult not to consider the reward offered.
Conor Hourihane and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing are more seasoned professionals who had already been promoted with Aston Villa and Cardiff City, respectively.
They understand what it takes to handle this circumstance, as Hourihane has already stated that his teammates have felt a sense of serenity in recent weeks.
Derby’s calm demeanour was reflected in their performances on the pitch, as they won and kept clean sheets against Leyton Orient and Cambridge United after a goalless draw with Wycombe.
If Warne’s squad can maintain a similar level of calm in this game, possibly aided by more experienced teammates, Derby will celebrate promotion back to the Championship against Carlisle.
