In May 2007, Derby County beat West Brom to gain promotion from the second tier, becoming the first team to win a Championship Play-Off final at the new Wembley.

But their time in the Premier League was short-lived, as the Rams came crashing back down after one season with the lowest record points tally of 11. Billy Davies left the club in November of that season, and Paul Jewell couldn't do any better as Derby were relegated.

Relegation was confirmed by a 6-0 home defeat to Aston Villa later that season, and the Rams have not returned to the top flight since, despite a couple of promotion challenges in recent years.

Since the 07/08 season, Derby have come close to promotion to the Premier League, with their closing chance being the 2014 play-off final in which they lost to QPR.

It's been a long road to stability ever since and it's looking increasingly unlikely that this season will really be any different.

But where are the XI that started that Villa game 8 years ago? FootballLeagueWorld writer Rob Booth identifies where they are now...

Roy Carroll

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Roy Carroll was the man who picked the ball out the Derby net too many times to count in the 2007/08 season.

The Northern Irish 'keeper joined in the January transfer window of that season replacing Stephen Bywater, who was also hopeless. Carroll made 15 appearances for Derby in 2007/08, and conceded 38 goals as the Rams couldn't survive in the top flight.

Carroll left Derby in 2009 to join Danish side OB Odense, and has since played for Greek teams OFI Creta and Olympiakos.

However, he returned to England in 2014 when he signed for Notts County, where he stayed until this summer when he left for Linfield FC of his native Northern Ireland.

Darren Moore

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Darren Moore was part of the leaky back four that just couldn't stop conceding goals.

Moore arrived at Derby in 2006 from West Brom, spending two seasons with the Rams. The now retired 42-year-old made 31 appearances in a Derby shirt during the awful 07/08 campaign, being a regular face in the starting line-up.

Since leaving Derby in 2008, Moore has hung up his boots. Barnsley was his next destination when he departed Pride Park, Moore spent 2 seasons with the Tykes before returning to the East Midlands in 2010 by joining Burton Albion, where he ended his career in 2012.

Alan Stubbs

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Alan Stubbs was another defender, alongside Darren Moore in the 2007/08 Derby side.

Stubbs joined Derby in the January transfer window in 2008, and made 9 appearances for the East Midlands outfit.

Derby is where Stubbs ended his career, in the 2008/09 season he played his last game, which was a 1-0 defeat to Doncaster, meaning Stubbs never won a game as a Derby County player.

The former Rams man has gone into management since finishing his playing career, and in 2014 he was appointed boss of Scottish side Hibernian, helping them win the Scottish Cup last season before leaving for Rotherham United over the summer, who sacked him in October.

Andy Todd

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Andy Todd spent two seasons with Derby between 2007 and 2009 after joining from Blackburn Rovers.

Andy, son of former Derby player Colin Todd who won the Division 1 title twice with the Rams, made 20 Premier League outings as a Derby player, scoring on his debut against Portsmouth.

Todd had a loan spell at Northampton in 2008 as Derby struggled in the Championship the following year, and he permanently ended his Rams career by joining Australian side Perth Glory in 2009, but did return to England having spells with Oldham Athletic and Hereford United.

Tyrone Mears

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Tyrone Mears joined Derby for £1m from West Ham following a successful loan spell in 2007.

The Jamaican played 25 top flight games for Derby, before leaving on loan to join French giants Marseille in 2008.

Mears has since played for English sides Bolton and Burnley, but spent almost two seasons as a free agent before joining MLS side Seattle Sounders in January 2016, where he now plies his trade.

Hossam Ghaly

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Hossam Ghaly was another player who arrived at Derby in the January transfer window of the 2007/08 season, as they hoped to turn their season around.

The Egyptian joined on loan from fellow Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur and went on to make 15 league appearances for the Rams winning zero games in a Derby shirt.

Ghaly returned to Spurs after his loan at Pride Park, but left English football in 2009, switching White Hart Lane for Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr, where he spent just one full season.

The midfielder now plays in his home country Egypt with Al Ahly, and did also have a brief spell in Belgium with Lierse SK.

David Jones

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David Jones initially joined the Rams on loan from Manchester United in 2006, and made is move permanent in January 2007.

The 32-year-old has played for a total of 10 teams in his career, 6 since leaving Derby in 2008. He joined Wolves from the Rams and spent 3 years in the west Midlands, as well as having spells with Wigan, Blackburn and Oldham.

Jones has since helped Burnley to Championship promotion twice in the last 3 seasons, and joined Sheffield Wednesday this summer, where he has played 9 Championship games for the Owls as they aim for promotion.

Eddie Lewis

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Eddie Lewis signed for Derby ahead of the 2007/08 season from Leeds United on a free transfer.

The American was a regular in the first team in his only season at Pride Park, playing in 25 Premier League games. Lewis departed the club in the summer of 2008 however, joining MLS side LA Galaxy. He retired from the game 6 years ago, playing his final game in 2010.

Robbie Savage

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Robbie Savage signed from Blackburn Rovers in January of 2008 for a fee of £1.5m.

The Welshman, a fan favourite at Derby despite the poor end to his first season with the Rams, made 16 appearances in the top flight for Derby and an overall total of 137 appearances in all competitions during his 3-year stay in the East Midlands.

Savage retired in 2011 and his last game was a 2-1 loss at the hands of Reading at the Madejski Stadium on the final day of the 2010/11 season.

The former Man United man has since gone into punditry, and he now works as a broadcaster on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Kenny Miller

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Kenny Miller was a new signing in the summer of 2007, arriving at Derby for £3m from Celtic.

The Scotsman spent just one season in Derbyshire, contributing 4 goals in 30 Premier League games for the Rams, including the winner in their only league victory of the season - a 1-0 win over Newcastle, before leaving to return to Scotland with Rangers.

Miller is currently in his third spell with Rangers, and since ending his second spell in 2011 he has played in numerous countries, with Cardiff, Bursaspor and Vancouver Whitecaps.

Emanuel Villa

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Emanuel Villa joined Derby County from Mexican side Tecos FC in 2007 as Derby prepared for life in the top flight.

Over 2 seasons he made 53 appearances in all competitions for the Rams, but only managed 9 goals. The Argentinian has retired from the game now, with Derby being the last team he played for. His last ever game was a 3-1 loss away to Watford at Vicarage Road in May 2009.

Derby fans... How glad were you to see the back of this team? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!