SamUltraRam

In 1985/86 game 26 was a crazy last minute 1-0 defeat at Chesterfield. This was our first away defeat since the first away game at Wigan in August.
For anyone who went to the game, you'll remember how bad the Saltergate pitch was, it made the Baseball Ground pitch look like a carpet.
This defeat left us on 50 points, just 3 ahead of our current total.
In 1984/85, game 26 was a 0-0 away draw at Lincoln City, a game most memorable for the battles with Lincoln fans. The draw put us on 39 points, 8 points behind our current total.
 

Looking at the 1985/86 fixtures, it was obviously a very harsh Winter as we had 4 league games postponed due to snow or ice plus 3 league games rearranged due to our continued success in the FA Cup. And there were a few games still played on pitches that were borderline postponements
The fixture demands definitely impacted on our points return later in the season - at one point in April, we had to play 3 home games in 5 days, Saturday, Monday, Wednesday plus we eventually played 3 games at the end of the season when most teams in our league had already finished.

Do one Norwich

If I remember rightly the York fans cleared the pitch of snow and we were 3 nil up in half an hour they probably wished they hadn't bothered!!
 

I love this thread, me.

In 1985/86, league game 25 was a 3 - 1 away win at York City which put us on 50 points, still 6 ahead of our current total.
I didn't go to this game and I might be wrong but I think the game was heavily in doubt due to the bad weather, but it obviously worked out well for us anyway.
In 1984/85, we lost 3 - 2 at home to Bournemouth which kept us on 38 points, 6 points behind our current total

In 1985/86 we had won through to the 3rd Round of the FA Cup where we were away to Gillingham. The result was a 1 - 1 draw and the replay saw us win 3 - 1 setting up a 4th Round away tie at Sheffield United who were a division higher and in the top 6
Gillingham had a promising young right back, Mel Sage, who we would buy in the summer 

 

There were two offside so it doesn’t count. In L1 two wrongs do make a right.

The current unbeaten run in the league is 11 - 5 wins, 6 draws
Here are some notable unbeaten league runs from the relatively recent past :
1995/96 - 20 games - 13 wins, 7 draws - Jim Smith
1986/87 - 12 games - 7 wins, 5 draws - Arthur Cox
1985/86 - 11 games - 7 wins, 4 draws - Arthur Cox
2016/17 - 10 games - 8 wins, 2 draws - Steve Mac 2
2015/16 - 10 games - 8 wins, 2 draws - then 1 defeat, then another 8 games unbeaten - all under Paul Clement twice putting us briefly top of the Championship (where did it all go wrong ? )
2014/15 - 10 games - 6 wins, 4 draws - Steve Mac 1
2013/14 - 9 games - 8 wins, 1 draw - Steve Mac 1
 
 

In 1985/86 we had won through to the 3rd Round of the FA Cup where we were away to Gillingham. The result was a 1 - 1 draw and the replay saw us win 3 - 1 setting up a 4th Round away tie at Sheffield United who were a division higher and in the top 6
Gillingham had a promising young right back, Mel Sage, who we would buy in the summer 

 

In 1985/86, league game 24 was a tight 1 - 0 away win at Blackpool with Andy Garner scoring the only goal.
It was a lively game off the pitch with Blackpool fans trying to attack the escorted Derby fans walking along the sea front from the station, the DLF being escorted out of the home end during the game into the away end & bricks being thrown at the football special train as we waited to leave Blackpool.
The win took us to 47 points, 6 points ahead of our current total.
In 1984/85 we suffered a 3 - 0 loss away at Bolton leaving us on 38 points, 3 behind our current total

 

The current unbeaten run in the league is 11 - 5 wins, 6 draws
Here are some notable unbeaten league runs from the relatively recent past :
1995/96 - 20 games - 13 wins, 7 draws - Jim Smith
1986/87 - 12 games - 7 wins, 5 draws - Arthur Cox
1985/86 - 11 games - 7 wins, 4 draws - Arthur Cox
2016/17 - 10 games - 8 wins, 2 draws - Steve Mac 2
2015/16 - 10 games - 8 wins, 2 draws - then 1 defeat, then another 8 games unbeaten - all under Paul Clement twice putting us briefly top of the Championship (where did it all go wrong ? )
2014/15 - 10 games - 6 wins, 4 draws - Steve Mac 1
2013/14 - 9 games - 8 wins, 1 draw - Steve Mac 1
 
 

The current unbeaten run in the league is 11 - 5 wins, 6 draws
Here are some notable unbeaten league runs from the relatively recent past :
1995/96 - 20 games - 13 wins, 7 draws - Jim Smith
1986/87 - 12 games - 7 wins, 5 draws - Arthur Cox
1985/86 - 11 games - 7 wins, 4 draws - Arthur Cox
2016/17 - 10 games - 8 wins, 2 draws - Steve Mac 2
2015/16 - 10 games - 8 wins, 2 draws - then 1 defeat, then another 8 games unbeaten - all under Paul Clement twice putting us briefly top of the Championship (where did it all go wrong ? )
2014/15 - 10 games - 6 wins, 4 draws - Steve Mac 1
2013/14 - 9 games - 8 wins, 1 draw - Steve Mac 1
 
 

The current unbeaten run in the league is 11 - 5 wins, 6 draws
Here are some notable unbeaten league runs from the relatively recent past :
1995/96 - 20 games - 13 wins, 7 draws - Jim Smith
1986/87 - 12 games - 7 wins, 5 draws - Arthur Cox
1985/86 - 11 games - 7 wins, 4 draws - Arthur Cox
2016/17 - 10 games - 8 wins, 2 draws - Steve Mac 2
2015/16 - 10 games - 8 wins, 2 draws - then 1 defeat, then another 8 games unbeaten - all under Paul Clement twice putting us briefly top of the Championship (where did it all go wrong ? )
2014/15 - 10 games - 6 wins, 4 draws - Steve Mac 1
2013/14 - 9 games - 8 wins, 1 draw - Steve Mac 1
 
 

In 1985/86 we had won through to the 3rd Round of the FA Cup where we were away to Gillingham. The result was a 1 - 1 draw and the replay saw us win 3 - 1 setting up a 4th Round away tie at Sheffield United who were a division higher and in the top 6
Gillingham had a promising young right back, Mel Sage, who we would buy in the summer 

 

As we seem to be counting cup games in this unbeaten run, we lost to Leeds in the FA Cup right in the middle of that run under Jim Smith
10 league games unbeaten, loss in the cup then another 10 league games unbeaten
Against Leeds Rowett had been sent off at 0-0 before we took a 2 - 0 lead & then conceded 4 goals

I remember the attempted ambush by the tower and their lads scattering into the arcades "Wasn't me officer I'm just playing the bandits"!!

And a bit of nostalgia for you
Here is the UK Top20 from this week in January 1986
1    MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE
    SHAKIN' STEVENS
2    SAVING ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU
    WHITNEY HOUSTON
3    WEST END GIRLS
    PET SHOP BOYS
4    DO THEY KNOW IT'S CHRISTMAS?
    BAND AID
5    WALKING IN THE AIR
    ALED JONES
6    LAST CHRISTMAS/EVERYTHING SHE WANTS
    WHAM!
7    DRESS YOU UP
    MADONNA
8    I'M YOUR MAN
    WHAM!
9    SEPARATE LIVES
    PHIL COLLINS AND MARILYN MARTIN
10    SEE THE DAY
    DEE C. LEE
11    HIT THAT PERFECT BEAT
    BRONSKI BEAT
12    WE BUILT THIS CITY
    STARSHIP
13    SPIES LIKE US
    PAUL MCCARTNEY
14    GIRLIE GIRLIE
    SOPHIA GEORGE
15    DON'T YOU JUST KNOW IT
    AMAZULU
16    SAY YOU, SAY ME
    LIONEL RICHIE
17    A GOOD HEART
    FEARGAL SHARKEY
18    DON'T LOOK DOWN - THE SEQUEL
    GO WEST
19    WRAP HER UP
    ELTON JOHN
20    SANTA CLAUS IS COMIN' TO TOWN/MY HOMETOWN
    BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
 

In 1985/86, league game 24 was a tight 1 - 0 away win at Blackpool with Andy Garner scoring the only goal.
It was a lively game off the pitch with Blackpool fans trying to attack the escorted Derby fans walking along the sea front from the station, the DLF being escorted out of the home end during the game into the away end & bricks being thrown at the football special train as we waited to leave Blackpool.
The win took us to 47 points, 6 points ahead of our current total.
In 1984/85 we suffered a 3 - 0 loss away at Bolton leaving us on 38 points, 3 behind our current total

 

In 1985/86, League game 23 was a 1 - 1 away draw at Harry Redknapps Bournemouth who included Northern Ireland striker Colin Clarke
That put us on 44 points, 6 ahead of our current position.
It was also in the middle of a bizarre situation where we didn't have a home league game from Wigan on Dec 22 until Cardiff City on 1st March - caused by bad weather and numerous FA Cup games
In 1984/85, game 23 brought a 1 - 0 home win over York City in front of a bumper New Years Day crowd of 16,113 which put us on 38 points - the same as we have now.
However, we were about to go on a very bad run of results which brought us just 2 points in the next 6 league games

Our next game was eventful for those of us that travelled - away at Newport County on New Years Day.
My memory of this is getting the Heanor Supporters bus early morning - of course with a massive post New Years Eve hangover.
Got to Newport quite early and went to a local Miners Welfare and at that point it wasn't raining. Whilst we were in there the heavens opened and by the time the game kicked off the pitch condition was awful.
The game started and Newport took the lead but the worst thing was Bobby Davison got an injury that would keep him out for almost two months.
On 39 minutes the referee abandoned the game due to the waterlogged pitch.
 

League game 22 was a comprehensive 4 - 0 away win at Wolves.
This put us on 43 points
From memory, it was absolutely freezing that day and Molineux was in a right old state. I think only two stands were being used then.
In 1984/85, game 22 was a huge 5 - 1 away win at Swansea City putting us on 35 points with goals from Charlie Palmer, Steve Buckley, Bobby Davison , Andy Garner and Kevin Wilson (his last goal for Derby before moving to Ipswich Town in January)

And the league tables after 24 games in all 3 seasons
2022/23

1985/86

1984/85

In 1985/86, league game 24 was a tight 1 - 0 away win at Blackpool with Andy Garner scoring the only goal.
It was a lively game off the pitch with Blackpool fans trying to attack the escorted Derby fans walking along the sea front from the station, the DLF being escorted out of the home end during the game into the away end & bricks being thrown at the football special train as we waited to leave Blackpool.
The win took us to 47 points, 6 points ahead of our current total.
In 1984/85 we suffered a 3 - 0 loss away at Bolton leaving us on 38 points, 3 behind our current total

 

What a great memory you have, I probably couldn't see that far due to my beer goggles