Derby County take on Sheffield Wednesday in a huge clash towards the top of League One at Pride Park on Saturday.

The Rams come into the game sitting eighth in the table, just one point from the play-off places, while Wednesday are third, one point behind second-placed Ipswich Town and three behind leaders Plymouth Argyle.

Both sides have been in excellent form lately, Derby are on a five-game unbeaten run in the league and the Owls have not lost in their previous seven.

For Rams manager Paul Warne, the game will take on extra significance as he will come up against three players he knows very well from his time at Rotherham United. Midfielder Will Vaulks played under Warne for the Millers until he joined Cardiff City in 2019, while defender Michael Ihiekwe and striker Michael Smith left the New York Stadium following promotion last season to drop back down to the third tier with Wednesday.

All three players were involved in at least one promotion from League One during their time at Rotherham and Warne still keeps in touch with the trio, keen to maintain the good relations they had while working together.

 

 

But Warne, who left Rotherham to take over at Pride Park in September, admitted he was particularly disappointed to see both Ihiekwe and Smith depart his former club, despite his best efforts to keep them.

"It was disappointing when they (Smith and Ihiekwe) left in the summer as I knew what good players they were," Warne told the Yorkshire Post.

"When the ones who don't contribute to your success leave, there's no drama. When the main ones do, it’s a drama; that's what it felt like.

"That week was tough for the club as they were really good players. It'd be the same if De Bruyne and Foden left Man City in a week, it would be a big deal."

Smith has been in excellent form in his time at Hillsborough, with seven goals and two assists in 18 games in all competitions so far, including a double after coming off the bench in Saturday's 2-1 home win over League Two side Mansfield Town in the FA Cup.

Warne will be hoping his new side can keep the 31-year-old quiet this weekend.

"I texted 'Smudge' this week as I saw he came off the bench and scored two goals. He texted back with a 'laughing face' saying that he remembered that conversation we had in my office when we both agreed that he was one of the worst subs in history!" Warne joked.

"That made him laugh and I remember having that conversation. He's come on and scored two, so it shows what I know…

"He's doing well. I have seen a couple of Sheffield Wednesday games and against Bristol Rovers, he scored a header just before half-time.

"Iky is doing well as well and as a team, they are a formidable outfit and have recruited really well. They have got a real depth and that is what I think they have got more than the majority.

"Ipswich and Wednesday have probably got the strongest squads and over a season, it can pay dividends if you can keep them happy."

The 49-year-old knows what it is like to secure promotion from this division, having done so on three occasions and he believes that the standards in League One are even higher this year.

"I think the stronger teams are stronger and I think you can see that by the fact of where Oxford and Wycombe are and probably us to be fair. We are not in the top six either," Warne said.

"If you look at the teams on paper, Ipswich have built that team over the past 18 months as have Sheffield Wednesday. Plymouth have done really well.

"There's a lot of teams who are expected to finish in the top six, that's for sure.

"But even if you go down to Exeter, we played them and they are a good side and Port Vale were. Morecambe were difficult to get points off. The lower teams have got better as well.

"Last year, it was sort of six from eight (to finish in the top six). This year, it feels like it could be six from ten."

The verdict

It is clear to see the mutual respect between Warne and his former players.

Warne is a manager who prides himself on forming good relationships and connecting with those he works with and given the success Vaulks, Smith and Ihiekwe enjoyed under him, it is no surprise that they have kept in touch.

While Warne is entitled to be disappointed at losing some of his key players following promotion, he dropped down a division himself to join Derby in September, so will now understand their motivations for making the moves they did, whether for financial reasons or going to a club which they feel offers them a greater career opportunity.

All three players, particularly Ihiekwe and Smith, have made a significant impression at Hillsborough this year and will need to be at their best for Wednesday on Saturday at a ground where they do not have a good record.

Warne will be hoping that he can use his inside knowledge of their strengths and weaknesses to get a result which could move his side into the play-off places as he looks for his fourth promotion from the division.