Tuesday, August 24, 2021
Division One 1970 1971 Derby County Manchester United
The Baseball Ground Derby
Attendance : 34,068
At the begining of the 1970-71 season, Clough had already made one major dip into the transfer market when, in September, he paid well over £50,000 for Preston's Scottish Under-23 international midfielder, Archie Gemmill. Meanwhile, Willie Carlin moved to Leicester City for £40,000 immediately after the Rams home defeat by Chelsea on 17 October. The Rams had begun the League season with one trophy already in the cabinet, after beating Manchester United in the Watney Cup Final in front of 32,049 at the Baseball Ground. The 4-1 hammering of United seemed 10 herald another successful season for the Rams. Instead they drifted to a mid-table position and finished ninth, due partly to setbacks through injuries. Terry Hennessey must rank as the unluckiest man of the season. He came into the side for the third match, againsi Stoke City, but was taken off afrer only 12 minutes with a cartilage injury. Then Roy McFarland was injured in a 2-1 Baseball Ground defeat at the hands of Newcastle. The Rams' already desperately limited first-team pool was seriously weakened.
