Derby County appear to have found their top form just at the right time as they look to secure promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.
The Rams were desperately unlucky not to win promotion two seasons ago, when a last minute Bobby Zamora goal meant that Queens Park Rangers took the last place in the top flight, ahead of the Rams.
Everything looks in place this time around to finally make the step up to the Premier League however, and the Rams faithful will be hopeful of reaching the Promised Land.
Despite Darren Wassall getting the side firing, it hasn’t all been rosy for the East Midlands-based outfit this season, with Paul Clement getting the sack just six months into a three-year deal back in February.
He was the man who assembled the current squad and any failings between now and the end of the season will probably lie firmly with the former Real Madrid coach and not interim boss Wassall.
Football League World writer Lee Clarke takes a look at THREE players who have let Derby County down this season.....
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PRESS THE IMAGE BELOW TO SEE THE THREE PLAYERS!
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Bradley Johnson
When the central midfielder signed for Derby County on deadline day of the August transfer window, it was expected that the Rams would romp towards the Sky Bet Championship title.
Johnson was the heartbeat of a Norwich City side who won promotion to the Premier League last season, and it came as a surprise when it was announced that the Canaries had opted to sell.
The £6.5 million fee was noticeable, yet his performances during the current campaign have done little to justify such a hefty outlay.
Johnson has been nursing an injury for the last couple of weeks and with Will Hughes returning to full fitness, it remains to be seen whether or not the out-of-sorts midfielder will retain his place once he recovers.
Nick Blackman
When Derby’s form dipped after Christmas, former boss Paul Clement opted to sign Blackman from Reading to give his side something of a lift.
The player had netted an impressive 13 goals during the first half of the season playing for the Royals, with the Rams hoping he could continue such form in the white of Derby.
Blackman, who cost £3.5 million, has been nothing short of woeful for the East Midlands-based outfit and with a plethora of striking talent to choose from, he has found himself way down the pecking order.
The 26-year-old has failed to find the net in 13 outings for the Rams and his days at the iPro Stadium look to be numbered.
Chris Baird
The versatile performer was signed by the Rams in the middle of a glut of big money signings to add some experience to a relatively young looking squad.
The veteran actually began the season at right-back ahead of the highly-rated Cyrus Christie. I will leave that one with you for a moment. An absurd thought to say the least.
Baird is currently on loan at Fulham after 14 largely disappointing appearances in the white of the Rams and his prospects of featuring for the club again look incredibly bleak.
In a squad bursting with talent Baird stuck out like a sore thumb and the Rams will surely look to offload the man who was named as the club captain prior to the campaign beginning.