Derby County and Forest resume their Championship rivalry at the end of this month, as the 2012-13 chapter of the East Midlands' bragging rights unfolds - and here's the essential Rams' retrospective under review!

The latest literary collaboration between Gareth Davis and Phil Matthews delves deep into the fierce football rivalry between the Rams and the other club east of the M1 closely associated with the Clough family, Nottingham Forest.

Derby’s Days is a 192-page paperback published in May 2012 that provides fans with an excellent Rams-eye view of the encounters between the two East Midlands clubs over the decades. It includes in-depth reviews of the clashes over the past 40-odd years, as well as providing full statistics about all 90 of the “Derby Day” league and cup clashes that have been staged to date at either end of Brian Clough Way.

You can start at the first fixture between the clubs 120 years ago, when Steve Bloomer’s goal couldn’t prevent a 2-3 home defeat, and browse right through to the Rams’ fire and fury of last season’s fixtures, with 10 Rams heroes silencing the Trent End, before reliving the moment when Jake Buxton’s brave, late headed winner gave Derby their latest Championship double over the Reds.

Die-hard fans will enjoy reeling off some impressive statistics, including one that stands out, achieved by the peerless Steve Bloomer. Not content with scoring 28 goals for England in only 23 international games, he also netted 27 goals in just 26 appearances for the Rams in this fixture - surely an achievement likely to remain an eternal landmark.

In contrast, latter-day goal kings for Derby, Kevin Hector and Bobby Davison, played few games against Forest; only King Zak scored a couple against them during his illustrious career. Still, there could be a long-forgotten strike or two for Bradford P.A. against the Trees when Kevin was laying defences to waste even before he signed for Derby!

Derby’s Days brims with all the facts, figures, anecdotes and memories surrounding the famous fixture, with 16 pages of photo plates, sensitively printed in pure black and white.

The “In Their Own Words” section has “Derby Day” stories from many players and managers, with a special contribution from legend Alan Hinton and Paul Peschisolido ruminating on the famous “cuppie” goal of 2004. Also featured are memories of Brian Clough and an A-Z “feet in both camps” section, naturally including turncoat goalie Lee Camp!

The super Olympic summer diverted much sporting attention from football, but with the next Forest – Rams clash looming up at the end of this month, Derby’s Days is a timely treat to stir the hearts and fire up the voices of Rams fans everywhere.

You can obtain the book – exclusively signed by authors Gareth Davis & Phil Matthews – at the DW Soccerdome foyer (opposite Pride Park Stadium), from 12:00pm until 2:30pm on Saturday, 22nd September, before the Rams’ home game with Burnley, and also on the following day at BBC Radio Derby’s annual Derbyshire Day event at Hardwick Hall.

Find out more by emailing ramsactive@btinternet.com and also see the following links:

http://www.dbpublishing.co.uk/buy/derbys-days-the-rams-rivalry-with-nottingham-forest_12165.htm

http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hardwick/things-to-see-and-do/events/#iframeEvents

(Copyright - David Mortimer 2012)

Photo: Action Images

Rochdale Polls