With wins over Birmingham City, Watford and Blackpool in their first three games of the season, Derby County equalled an unbeaten start sequence that was last achieved by them in 1948.

Derby’s all-conquering start to 2011-12 seemed an unlikely eventuality, coming as it has whilst the Rams have been battling to cope with a deep injury crisis. Despite a flurry of summer signings, there has also been an undercurrent of supporter disappointment, in that some of the players that the manager still needs have not been obtained.

Winning three games ‘on the bounce’ can be achieved quite regularly in a club’s history - but (by Derby County at least), capturing maximum points at the very start of a campaign can be a devilishly elusive feat. A winning early sequence by no means also guarantees a successful season, either.

The temptation to look at the record books has proved irresistible - and it’s apparent that Cloughie’s ‘Class of 2011’ now have some new club records within reach. 

A good start is always welcome and it breeds confidence; Derby’s best-ever first-day win was 7-0 against Barnsley but their biggest-ever curtain-raising towelling came in an 8-0 defeat at Sunderland!

I would have quite liked to have been around at the start of season 1890-91, when we beat eventual champions Everton 8-5 at home!

It would not have been too much fun as a traveller with the early ‘Barmy Army’, though, as the Rams suffered defeats of the magnitude of 0-6, 0-7 and 0-8 during that goal-strewn season - but they did also thump Wolves 9-0 at home!

Two new records have already been set in 2011; first, their 9 points from three games at the start of this season is a new achievement - because Derby’s previous ‘triples’ were achieved under the ‘two points for a win’ system.

Second, it is the first time a starting ‘triple’ including two away wins has been achieved.

The previous Rams’ ‘triples’ were recorded as follows:

1929-30 -

Sunderland 3-0 (h)

Aston Villa 4-0 (h)

Bolton Wanderers 2-1 (a)

1932-33 -

Leeds United 2-0 (a)

Blackburn Rovers 2-1 (h)

Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 (h)

1948-49 -

Manchester United 2-1 (a)

Huddersfield Town 4-1 (h)

Sheffield United 2-1 (h)

Checking the records, the Rams haven’t achieved 4 wins on the trot at the start of a campaign (excepting 1905-06: I meant, with the 5th game then ending in a draw or defeat) in any season to date - so, of course I am tempting providence in hoping that Saturday’s home game against Doncaster Rovers will see Clough’s men fill that gap!

The all-time Rams’ opening League sequence record was set in the 1905-06 season, when they won FIVE Division One games in a row!

That fantastic sequence comprised:

Bury 3-1 (h)

Middlesbrough 1-0 (a)

Preston North End 3-0 (h)

Newcastle United 1-0 (a)

Aston Villa 1-0 (h)

In the 3-0 win over Preston, the legendary Steve Bloomer notched a hat-trick.

The overall Derby County record is SEVEN wins in a row at the start of a campaign - but that was in the 1945-46 season after the end of WWII, when the FA Cup was the only competition to be contested.

That 7-win sequence (which brought a goal difference of 27-5!) of course helped the Rams to their famous FA Cup trophy win, as the country celebrated peacetime.

To win the Cup that year, Derby achieved an 11-game unbeaten run (they tied two matches to win the replays) and recorded a superlative 37-8 goal difference.

So, back to the future: the four-game winning sequence is the next new record for Clough to aim for - and then six League wins on the spin would be an all-time record. That really would be something!

The 2011-12 seasons’ opening sequence of six games looks like this:

Birmingham City 2-1 (h)

Watford 1-0 (a)

Blackpool 1-0 (a)

Doncaster Rovers ?-? (h)

Burnley ?-? (h)

Coventry City ?-? (a)

Which scores will replace those question marks before mid-September? Dare you also look at the next fixture beyond the Coventry away game (on 10th September) and dream? Well, it’s NOTHINGHAM F*REST at the City Ground!

Oh - and when the glorious winning sequence finally come to an end, blame the players, not me! I’m just the messenger!

COME ON YOU RAMS!

Photo: Action Images

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