United’s attention turns to the Emirates FA Cup First Round Replay on Tuesday against League One Derby County, with the winner to face Newport County in Round Two.
Following the 2-2 First Round draw here at Plainmoor in front of the television cameras, Gary Johnson’s men now head to Pride Park for the replay, again in front of the cameras, looking for that Second Round place away at Newport County.
Who’s the Boss?
Paul Warne was appointed as Head Coach in September, with his contract due to roll until the summer of 2026. The 49-year-old boasts an impressive track record, with three League One promotions in just shy of 300 matches as a manager.
Warne arrived at the Pride Park Stadium from Rotherham United, where he previously enjoyed two stints during his playing career. After retiring from playing, the former midfielder took up a various roles in the backroom staff, including as a fitness coach, before taking charge of the first team on an interim basis in November 2016, which he continued until the end of the campaign, when in April 2017, Warne became First Team Manager on a permanent basis.
Whilst Rotherham is the only side he has managed, it is also a place where Warne has enjoyed much success both as a player and as a manager. In 2018 his Rotherham side achieved promotion to the Championship via the play-offs. Following relegation, his sides were able to bounce back and went on to achieve promotion from League One in 2020 and 2022.
As a player, Warne predominantly played as a winger for the likes of Wigan Athletic, Oldham Athletic and Yeovil Town, as well as Rotherham United. With his career spanning just shy of 400 appearances, many of these were in League One.
How have they been doing?
The Rams have played 22, scored 28 and kept 8 clean sheets so far this season, and in their League One campaign currently reside in 6th, just inside of the play-off positions on goal difference. With a mixed bag of results so far this season in the league, Derby have won 8, drawn 4 and lost 5. Warne’s side won their last game with a 3-1 victory over MK Dons at the Stadium MK. They also took Liverpool all the way to penalties at Anfield last week in the Carabao Cup before eventually losing 3-2 in the shootout.
Player to Watch
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing came through the youth ranks at Wolves, but loan spells at Peterborough United & Sheffield United saw him then make the move to London Road upon his release from Molineux in 2012. However while at the Posh the striker also had loan spells at Portsmouth, Shrewsbury & Cambridge before he sealed a move to Rochdale in 2015. After agreeing to join Cardiff City after his two year spell at the Crown Oil Arena, Mendez-Laing was part of the Bluebirds team that won promotion to the Premier League having finished runners up in 2017/18. The 30 year old stayed at the Welsh club until 2020, before he had a brief stay in the Championship with Middlesbrough in 2021, and then the 2021/22 season saw him at League One Sheffield Wednesday before his arrival at Pride Park in the summer of 2022.
Played for Both
Paul Trollope made his first professional appearances during a loan spell here at Plainmoor when on loan from Swindon Town, the move made permanent upon his release from the County Ground in 1992. Trollope played over 100 games and had his best league goal-scoring return at any club he played for, finding the net 16 times for the Gulls. Derby County were his next stop, where after a brief loan spell in 1994 the midfielder spent two years at between 1995-1997. Loan spells at Grimsby Town & Crystal Palace came while still at Derby, which was then followed by a move to Fulham in the summer of 1997. Trollope spent five years at Craven Cottage and was part of the squad that got promotion to the Premier League for the first time in 2001. Spells at Coventry and Northampton Town were next before he finished his playing career at Bristol Rovers, and this was also where Trollope took his first steps into management after being appointed caretaker and then permanent manager at the Memorial Stadium in 2005. The 50 year old has also managed Birmingham City, Norwich City and Cardiff City, been a coach for the Wales National team, as well as assistant manager to Chris Houghton at both Brighton and Nottingham Forest.
Derby County v Torquay United | Tuesday 15th November 2022 7:45pm | Emirates FA Cup First Round Replay| OFFICIAL TUFC RADIO