Friday facts - Derby derby mix

So much written this week about the first COMPETITIVE meeting that I thought I would check my records of those neighborly pre and post season encounters that I have witnessed.

I soon got into double figures and that's just since we joined the Football League AND I have found at least two more during my additional research where I think I was probably on holiday.

So let's take a wander down memory lane (and see if you can help me to fill some of the blanks, or maybe go a bit further back in time?)

It all began in April 2009, just three days after that nail-biting afternoon in Torquay that confirmed League Two status. A testemonial for Aaron Webster shortly after Nigel had left the Pirelli to manage the Rams. I seem to recall that he played for Derby in the first half and then came on for us in the second half. The visitors were two up by the time Aaron lined up the obligatory last minute penalty which he chipped over Martin Taylor if I recall correctly.

Two more visits followed in the summer of 2009. An early July loosener won 1-0 with a Chris Porter goal followed at the end of the month with the Brewers claiming the Bass Charity Vase with a Shaun Harrad penalty.

Two visits again the following summer, the first won for the Rams with a solitary Dean Leacock goal and the second by a margin of 3-1. Varney 2 and Martin (David?) for the Rams with a collectors item rare goal from James Ellison for The Brewers.

Two visits again in the summer of 2011 with the Rams once again victorious by a 3-1 margin in the first game. My research has turned up the name Hamilton as the Brewers scorer. Any ideas? Steve Davies 2 and Ben Davies for the Rams in a match made memorable by the introduction of a 15 year old Marcus Harness with baggy shorts and an afro to put Hamza's 2016 incarnation to shame. His immediate nut-megging of the Derby full back is spoiled only slightly by the subsequent re-evaluation of Danny Blanchett's defending after he signed for us.

The Charity Vase was soon back in the Pirelli cabinet thanks to a 2-1 victory courtesy of goals from Greg Peason and Calvin Zola.

I can't see a game in the summer of 2012 (well we did entertain Aston Villa, Leicester City and Leeds United) but there was an end of season game just days after the play-off semi-final defeat by Bradford. But as Tomlinson, Sharps, Diamond, Weir, Zola and Maghoma etc were licking their wounds the Brewers starting XI for Andy Corbett's testemonial featured the return of nine of the Conference Champions, augmented by Nathan Stanton and Jimmy Phillips. Theo Robinson (3) and Nathan Tyson (2) were among the scorers of EIGHT goals for the Rams which was only enough for a draw with Andy Corbett scoring the obligatory last minute penalty for his second of the night to add to 2 from Shaun Harrad and one each from Marc Goodfellow, Greg Pearson, Billy Kee and er, Jack Sharkey. (It was that kind of night!)

I was away in July '13 when the Rams won 2-0 (Chris Martin and Connor Salmon) but back in time for another Charity Vase win, 3-2, with the Brewers scoring through triallist Mickey Spillane, Michael Symes and, another collectors piece, Dominic Knowles.

Then in July 14 it was a Jeff Hendrick goal that made the difference.

Finally it was back to 3-1 last summer in the game that marked the end of Kelvin Maynard's playing time at Burton and featured yet another collecter's item, a goal for Timmy Thiele. Bent and Weimann scored for Derby but I can neither recall or locate the scorer of the third.

So no strangers to the Pirelli, in fact they have been more often than anyone else over the last seven years, and by some margin.

And whilst I can understand to a point those who want to build this fixture into a "Liverpool v Everton" or "United v City" in fact the rivalry has its routes in a history of much valued support with many of the gates for early season friendlies often in excess of our average attendance for the following season, swelling the coffers and helping to build what we have today.

Let's hope for a great night, plenty of goals, and, of course, three points for the Brewers! But lets not get carried away and hopefully we can remember that the supporters in the opposite end are probably our neighbours, our work-mates and maybe even members of our family!!