Think about the impact that Ebou Adams had on last season’s promotion team. Multiply it by 10. That’s the level of transformation brought by Willie Carlin to Brian Clough’s second tier Rams. Willie began his career at his hometown club, Liverpool, in 1956. However he only made one senior appearance for the Anfield club before being sold to York City for (even in those days) a paltry £1500. His performances at York belied the fee and he was soon on his way to Carlisle for £10,000. Clough tried to buy him from the Cumbrians but his next move took him to Sheffield United for a fee of £40,000. His stock was rising. Willie and his family never really settled in Sheffield and Clough pounced on the opportunity to make him a Ram for a £63,000 fee.

By any standards Willie was tiny….only 5ft 4in tall…but on the pitch he had the heart and spirit of a warrior. If Dave Mackay was the on field General then Carlin was the Regimental Sergeant Major. Derby already had the flair of Kevin Hector, the grace of Alan Durban, the precision of Alan Hinton and the dominance of Roy McFarland. Carlin was the generator that brought the machine to life. Those of use lucky enough to have seen the Rams rise to the very top of the English game under Brian Clough know that it wouldn’t and couldn’t have happened without the vital contribution of Willie Carlin. He didn’t stay with us for long…only a couple of years..before he was replaced by a similar player, one who would be in everyone’s “all time Rams” team, Archie Gemmill.

Willie played on for a few years at Leicester, Hull, Cardiff and Bolton and eventually, like so many before and since, moved back to Derby to settle down in his post football years. I’m confident to say that without Willie Carlin’s contribution Derby would not have been promoted and maybe….just maybe….Brian Clough would have been forgotten. Can you even begin to imagine that?

Thanks Willie, and goodnight.