In just 7 days, Christmas will be here - and RamZone continues the festive cheer. Today, a bunch of facts you have to see about the Rams and their history.
Derby has a rich and colourful history that stretches back as far and in most cases further than any club around the globe.
We have selected 7 facts as part of our Christmas countdown that we believe will be of interest to all, Rams fans or otherwise.
On the 7th day till Christmas, RamZone gave to me – 7 Historical Facts!
1.
According the the fifa.com website, Derby held the first recorded example of a football game. It is said to have originated far earlier, in the 3rd century, during the victory celebrations that followed a battle against the Romans.
2.
After being formed by members of the Derbyshire County Cricket Club, the Rams' original colours were those of the cricket club: amber, chocolate and pale blue.
3.
Derby County were originally called Derbyshire County FC, but the Derbyshire FA objected and the club had to shorten their name.
4.
The Football League was formed in 1888; four years after the Rams were founded.
5.
The 12 founder members along with the Rams were Accrington, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Burnley, Derby County, Everton, Notts County, Preston North End, Stoke, West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Three other clubs, Sheffield Wednesday, Nottingham Forest and Halliwell, applied for membership, but were turned down because of fixture-list problems.
6.
Derby County were the first team to top a football league table, after they won their first league match 6-3 away to Bolton Wanderers.
7.
Derby County’s original ground was the County Ground / Racecourse, which they shared with the cricket team. They later played some matches at Ley’s Recreation Ground - which was later to become the Baseball Ground, the Rams home from 1894 until 1997.
The Baseball Ground was officially opened on 14 September 1895, when Sunderland were the visitors. Steve Bloomer scored both goals in a 2-0 Derby County victory.