“Fighters not victims” – Eustace’s Rams complete the great escape
- Jack Bryan
- 16 hours ago
- 10 min read
When John Eustace’s Blackburn Rovers gave Derby County an opening night reality check nine months ago, few would have expected the former Rams midfielder to be the one who guided them to safety.
Having done the same with Rovers the previous season, Eustace oversaw the Lancashire side’s a 4-2 victory on a hope-filled August evening at Ewood Park. While the gulf in quality between a seasoned Championship side and a League One team still in need of reinforcements was on show, so was the difference between Eustace and Paul Warne which turned out to be season-defining.
Though Warne’s side had some promising-looking spells, they struggled to make them count. Meanwhile, Eustace’s men benefitted from an energetic start, and even when Derby did find the equaliser, wrestled back control with smart tactical tweaks and efficiency in front of goal.
These have been hallmarks of Eustace’s Derby side too. Or at least once he settled on a 3-5-2 after three straight defeats in a 4-2-3-1.
This tactical adaptability is something that many Championship observers had long argued that Warne lacked at both Rotherham and Derby. By contrast, Eustace has moulded what had looked like square pegs to comfortably fit into round holes. And he has done so while dealing with an injury crisis “unlike any thing he has encountered before”.
But his refusal to cite this, which he viewed as an “easy” excuse embodied the “fighters not victims” mantra that he has instilled within the squad while creating a culture in which everyone plays for each other.
In his captain Ebou Adams, he has found a talismanic leader, who displays many similarities to the player Eustace was in his tenacity and refusal to shy away from a challenge. But the most remarkable example of this is Sondre Langås, who has played on through the final weeks of the season despite a torn meniscus.
The final day of the season may have brought transistor radios back into fashion in Derby, with all the action away from The Rams’ 0-0 draw to Stoke at Pride Park. But as Eustace commented at full-time, "The job's done and that's the most important thing”.
Top six form has been required for under Eustace for The Rams to avoid the drop, so that it had looked as some of the struggles of Warne’s Derby could just have been opening night nerves might seem strange. They won three of their next four matches, with the 3-0 win over Bristol City hailed as one of Derby’s best performances in years.
However, it was a flash in the pan. As a run of just four wins in 26 games led to Warne’s dismissal in February, by which time fans were vocally opposing his position. Though the now MK Dons boss kept The Rams out of the bottom three until near the end of January, with hindsight, the beginning of the end came almost two months earlier at Elland Road; that was the day Warne infamously called Derby “a League One team and a bit of sugar on top” something they have been worlds away from over their final 11 games.
There was shock and bafflement across the Championship and beyond when Eustace swapped Blackburn, who he guided into fifth place, for Pride Park. But Derby seized upon disappointment with his bosses at Ewood Park following a lacklustre January transfer window.
Eustace had been under consideration to be the first permanent head coach of the Clowes era when The Rams eventually opted for Paul Warne. This time though, he was their number one target, with negotiations starting hours after Warne’s departure on a Friday afternoon, the day before a trip to Carrow Road, and wrapped up as Derby faced Oxford in a Tuesday night fixture. Some contrast to a frustrating January transfer window in which the East Midlands club missed out on a number of targets.
Both of those games ended in draws, which lifted Derby out of the bottom three. Their masterminds, the interim coaching team led by Warne’s first team coach Matt Hamshaw, and goalkeeping coach Andy Warrington who would both soon depart.
With a fee of £500,000 agreed for Eustace, his assistant head coach Matt Gardiner and first team coach Keith Downing, their arrival was announced on Thursday. His first interactions with the media doubled up as his unveiling and the pre-match press conference ahead of the trip to his former club QPR which would conclude a whirlwind week for Derby County and their new coaches.
The 45-year-old spoke of wanting to be part of a football club “that cares about the community and history of the club”, and his long-term commitment to the club, where wanted “to build something special”.
That process started with “14 cup finals”, the first of which laid bare the “huge risk” he had taken.
In a high-pressing 4-2-3-1 akin to Eustace’s preferred Rovers system, Derby started surprisingly well at Loftus Road. But miscommunication between Ryan Nyambe and Adams allowed the hosts in, Ilias Chair scoring a peach of a goal from 20 yards from his side’s first shot.
After Koki Saito made it two, the break could not come quick enough for The Rams. But with it came another blow as January’s much-needed striker addition Lars-Jørgen Salvesen was forced off, joining six teammates on the treatment tables.
In the second half it got worse still, Chair adding a third before Ronnie Edwards headed in a fourth goal which saw Derby drop back into the bottom three with the teams around them all having one or two games in hand.
In his first full week, Eustace oversaw changes to the coaching team, with Hamshaw and Warrington departing. In came former Rams player and coach Steve Round, who has worked under the likes of David Moyes and Mikel Arteta, on a part-time basis, and goalkeeping coach Paul Clements, who has been hailed as Premier League quality.
Kemar Roofe was drafted in as an emergency replacement for Salvesen, making his debut as a late substitute versus Millwall as Eustace returned to Pride Park. In a close encounter, Jacob Zetterström saved visitors’ substitute Josh Coburn’s penalty, before the striker atoned for his miss with a 95th minute winner. To make matters worse, The Rams lost Crystal Palace loanee David Ozoh to a season-ending injury too.
At the Riverside a week later, Eustace’s side put in a valiant display. But they were punished as Middlesborough pounced on one wayward pass to score with ten minutes to play. Immediately afterwards, Kayden Jackson reflected the mood of every Rams fan, as he laid on the floor with his shirt over his face in despair.
It was now March 1, and Derby were bottom of the league having not won since Boxing Day. But it would get worse still in midweek, when Hull City won their game in hand to increase the gap between The Rams and safety to seven points.
Eustace did bring back his former Derby teammate Jeff Hendrick, but then Roofe, Ben Osborn, Ryan Nyambe and Lars-Jørgen Salvesen were ruled out with injury – the latter for the season.
Forget The Great Escape, this was now looking more like Mission Impossible.
So, what better time for a grudge match? As Blackburn Rovers came to town under new boss Valérien Ismaël, their fans armed themselves with inflatable snakes. But two goals in the opening seven minutes from Craig Forsyth and Eustace’s chosen captain Adams left the visiting supporters, and their snakes, deflated, while the home faithful celebrated seeing their team score at home for the first time in over two months.
Though Ismaël’s side got one back through Makhtar Gueye, The Rams organised defensive structure held strong as Eustace deployed the 3-5-2 formation for the first time. The system harnessed his players’ strengths out-of-possession, and there were two eye-catching changes. Midfielder Marcus Harness played up front alongside Jerry Yates, while Adams, who ranked among the best in the division for tackles and interceptions took on a more advanced midfield role, combining well with attacking wing back Kane Wilson, who returned from a six-week injury lay-off.
This was the turning point. Eustace had put down a marker after “a difficult week” getting Pride Park rocking in a way it had not been in months. He hailed the fans as the reason he came back to Derby, and the feeling of admiration and appreciation were clearly already mutual, many supporters remarking that “he just gets it”.
The visit of in-form Coventry three days later brought another performance full of “heart and desire” as Eustace described it. Derby only made enforced changes, Nyambe coming in for Wilson, and Matt Clarke replacing the injured Langås.
After weathering an early storm, those in black and white took advantage of a free kick won on the counter attack, as Harness delivered the ball onto the head of Clarke for his first goal since returning to Pride Park in January. Despite Frank Lampard’s side dominating possession, from this point, Derby never looked back.
In the absence of Wilson, Adams’ attacking role became even more important, the skipper drifting wide to join to create a right-sided overload, as led to Harness making it two.
As Eustace explained to me after the game, “We’re looking for solutions of how to score more goals” and “[Adams has] got that pace and power to get us up the pitch”.
It was a bold move to take a tough-tackling midfielder and make him one of the team’s main attacking threats, but with his remarkable engine, Adams was doing just that.
So too was moving Harness up front, but the position brought the best out of both the Ipswich loanee and Yates. It allowed Harness to drop into pockets of space in the inside left as Wilson or Adams pushed up to join the front line, while giving Yates the strike partner he has historically performed better alongside.
Consecutive wins for the first time since September meant Derby were now just a point from safety.
The winning run continued in entertaining fashion in the south west. A stunning first career goal for Everton loanee Harrison Armstrong followed Harness’ opener. Then Mustapha Bundu’s free kick and a Nat Phillips own goal 40 seconds into the second half saw Plymouth Argyle draw level. But up stepped the man of the moment, Marcus Harness who finished Callum Elder’s low cross to send the travelling fans wild.
Derby may still have been a point from safety after other results went against them, but going into the international break, they had momentum. Eustace’s meticulous preparation was paying off and fans believed again.
Over the international break, Eustace took his team to Mottram Hall for three days; an exercise in building further togetherness among the squad. It must have been more exciting than the first half at home to Preston.
But Derby came out of the blocks fast after the break, with early second half goals from Forsyth and Yates seeing climb up to 20th place.
A welcome boost for fans, yes. But John Eustace was insistent that “it makes no difference” with only the final league position being important. This grounded approach has been another hallmark of his tenure so far.
Derby had now won more games than they did in their previous 24. While the nine goals scored across the four consecutive wins was more in their previous 15 games, showing that Eustace and co. had not only maintained the side’s set-piece threat, but found ways to score from open play.
However, there were further injury concerns, Ryan Nyambe went off after just four minutes and was ruled out for the remainder of the season, as was Callum Elder, who picked up an early knock, but soldiered on until full-time.
In the Australian’s absence, Forsyth would have to vacate the left centre back position in which he had shone, and move out to wing back, while Erik Pieters was brought in as cover.
The winning streak would come to an end in a low-key affair at Swansea, who scored with their only shot on target as The Rams were punished for a momentary defensive lapse.
Then came the 0-0 draw to eventual-centurions Burnley who were on a 26-match unbeaten run, which Derby should have ended in second half stoppage time. But Clarke headed the ball over the bar rather than leaving it for Yates to tap in.
And further late disappointment came at Fratton Park, when defender Ron Atkinson, who had already scored at both ends, equalised for Portsmouth in the 91st minute.
Next came arguably the biggest game of the season, as Luton Town travelled to a sold-out Pride Park. Good Friday was anything but for Derby fans, many of whom feared the worst when their number one, Jacob Zetterström, was absent from the team sheet.
In a fixture you may see if you look for ‘six-pointer’ in the dictionary, Luton took an early lead from a corner as The Rams performed dismally throughout the first half. But Eustace shuffled his pack a little and told them to keep believing.
In the second half, Derby did everything but score as they left The Hatters hanging by a thread. But Matt Bloomfield’s side managed to come away with a win to draw level with their hosts on 46 points.
A further blow for supporters came with the confirmation that Zetterström would miss the remaining three games with a fractured eye socket. While Eustace had to remain positive, saying: “We’re disappointed but not down”.
The Rams would respond with consecutive away wins for the first time all season.
Two goals from corners saw them 2-0 up at West Brom after half an hour. Since-dismissed Baggies boss Tony Mowbray had to make a quadruple change to find a way past Josh Vickers, setting up a nervy finish. But Nathaniel Mendez-Laing came off the bench to seal a 3-1 win with a goal of the highest quality.
At Hull, though, there was very little quality on show. But the deadlock was finally broken when Forsyth’s free kick found Phillips, who finally got a goal to show for his aerial prowess.
With a game to go, Cardiff were down, and Plymouth all but. Level on points with Preston and Luton, Derby were a point ahead of Hull, but it was of course Bloomfield’s side who ultimately paid the price.
Having stared oblivion in the face three years ago, with League One football the best-case scenario, Derby County have secured a second season of Championship football. Many questions had been asked of David Clowes over the timing of Warne’s departure, but in waiting for Eustace he seems to have timed it perfectly.
At the helm now is one of the best in the Championship. A head coach who has brought the belief back.
After the curtain fell on another season came further good news, that Kane Wilson will stay for another season, with negotiations over a longer-term deal under way too. While Everton youngster Armstrong expressed an interest in returning on loan for another year.
Now will come what promises to be a busy summer, as Eustace will have the chance to shape the squad in his image. With the number of players out of contract in double digits, there will surely be many new arrivals. For one, a permanent return for Nat Phillips, who is set to leave Liverpool is on the Derby wish list.
With that will come questions over the style of play too. Is winning games with so little possession sustainable? Or will Eustace opt for a more front-footed approach?
With big spenders coming up in Birmingham and Wrexham, the Championship will be just as competitive in 2025-26.
One thing is for sure, Eustace more than has the fans’ backing. With such a galvanising leader on the touchline, Derby fans can now dare to dream.
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