John Eustace has been made to wait for his first victory as Derby County boss, but he finally got it this weekend, as it just had to be against his former team, Blackburn Rovers.
In fact, this was the first time John Eustace had even seen his Derby side put the ball in the net, but in many ways, this win was worth the wait.
The Rams have been in dire form of late and it looked as though the arrival of Eustace had done very little to alleviate the multitude of issues facing the club this season.
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | Diff | Points |
| 20 |  |
36 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 36 | 50 | -14 | 36 |
| 21 |  Cardiff |
36 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 39 | 59 | -20 | 36 |
| 22 |  Derby |
36 | 8 | 8 | 20 | 35 | 49 | -14 | 32 |
| 23 |  Luton |
36 | 8 | 7 | 21 | 32 | 59 | -27 | 31 |
| 24 |  Plymouth |
36 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 36 | 73 | -37 | 30 |
Eustace had abandoned his post at Blackburn to take up the job at Pride Park after Paul Warne was sacked, and cited the Lancashire club’s failure to support his ambitions as a key reason behind the move.
This Derby side have been branded the worst team in the club’s history by some experts, but getting this win over Blackburn Rovers could well be absolutely huge for their survival hopes.
John Eustace wanted Derby County to start on the ‘front foot’
Experts predicted a tight game between these two sides before the weekend, and they were right. Derby struck twice in the opening seven minutes thanks to goals from Craig Forsyth and Ebou Adams, but Blackburn got a goal back just before half-time.
Thankfully, the Rams held firm and secured a massive three points. Speaking after the game (via the club’s official website), Eustace explained how that brilliant start to the match was all part of the plan, and how the fans at Pride Park helped his team get over the line.
He said: “I thought the lads were amazing today and the effort of the whole group – and the fans – was unbelievable. We played with that 12th man today and I’m very proud of the football club.
“We were on fire at the start of the game. We wanted to set the tone and make sure we were on the front foot. This week in training, there was a really good feeling throughout the week.
“Although we’ve had three or four big injuries, the atmosphere in the training ground has still been very good. In all the meetings, it’s been electric. I knew we’d start quickly today. I’m delighted with the effort of the whole group; the staff, the players. It’s the start now and we’ve got to crack on again.”
Derby are now four points from safety with ten games to go, and while Eustace has plenty to resolve still at the club, there is at least now a fighting chance that he can keep the team up this season against the odds.
John Eustace succeeded where Mark Robins failed
Of course, Eustace’s clash with Blackburn was a huge story in the Championship this weekend. But, he wasn’t the only manager facing an old employer, with Mark Robins taking his Stoke City team to his old stomping ground at the CBS Arena to face Coventry City.
It was a tough game for Robins from the off, with a lot of tension and expectation surrounding the tie. Before kick-off, Coventry boss Frank Lampard praised Robins, but it was the former who walked away the happier manager after a last-gasp goal secured a 3-2 win for the Sky Blues.
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | For | Against | Diff | Points |
| 3 |  Burnley |
36 | 20 | 14 | 2 | 49 | 10 | 39 | 74 |
| 4 |  Sunderland |
36 | 19 | 11 | 6 | 54 | 33 | 21 | 68 |
| 5 |  Coventry |
36 | 16 | 8 | 12 | 52 | 46 | 6 | 56 |
| 6 |  West Brom |
36 | 13 | 16 | 7 | 46 | 32 | 14 | 55 |
| 7 |  Bristol City |
36 | 13 | 14 | 9 | 46 | 39 | 7 | 53 |
Victor Torp was the star of the show for Coventry, and it’s another three points for a relentless team hunting for promotion via the play-offs.
But, for Robins, there was no revenge to be had in this reunion, and his Stoke side will now be looking over their shoulders at a Derby team who have just been given a massive kick of confidence heading into the final run-in this season.
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