Continuing our look back at Derby’s 1974/75 title winning season, here RamsTrust reviews the crucial last few weeks of April 1975.

The month started with Derby sat in fifth place and only two points off the top with a game in hand and in red hot form, having accrued five wins out of six in March.

Despite having played the day before (and two days before that), Derby started the month on 1 April with the visit of Manchester City to the Baseball Ground. Man City were only sat four points behind Derby in nineth but were beaten here 2-1, a Bruce Rioch double giving Derby the precious two points at the end of an arduous Easter weekend programme (photos of his goals below). On the same night, Ipswich beat Birmingham 3-2 meaning Derby finished the night in third place, level at the top with Ipswich and Everton but with a game in hand over Ipswich.

Derby were next in action four days later away to sixth placed Middlesbrough, who still held title ambitions themselves. Ipswich were not playing again until 12 April and Everton had been held 1-1 by Burnley at Goodison the previous evening so the Rams had the chance to top the table for the first time in 1974/75. At a decidedly cold and wet Ayresome Park, Derby rescued a point with a last-minute equaliser from Kevin Hector in a 1-1 draw that Dave Mackay described as ‘a great escape’ and which left Jack Charlton furiously berating the late mistake that let Hector in. The point was extra valuable as title rivals Liverpool and Stoke both won to join Derby and Everton on 47 points, with the Rams in fourth place by virtue of inferior goal average.

The following Wednesday (9 April), Derby, Everton and Middlesbrough all played their games in hand with the Rams at home to mid-table Wolves. Derby were largely frustrated by the visitors, themselves on a streak of 15 away games without a win, but made the vital breakthrough on 68 minutes when Franny Lee tapped in following a poor defensive header. The game was also notable for Roy McFarland’s long-awaited return from injury sustained the previous year (in action in photo below). Elsewhere it was a night of surprises with Middlesbrough beaten 1-0 at Leicester and Everton shockingly beaten at bottom of the table Luton – this meant that Derby climbed to the top of the table for the first time in 1974/75 with only three games left to play.

All five title contenders were in action three days later on Saturday 12 April with the Rams hosting twelfth placed West Ham at the Baseball Ground. Bruce Rioch’s second half winner and twentieth goal of the season secured a 1-0 win for the Rams – match highlights here.

Elsewhere, wins for Liverpool, Everton and Ipswich meant they stayed within touch of Derby but Stoke’s surprising 2-0 reverse at Sheffield Utd meant they dropped out of title contention. With two games left, Derby knew their destiny was in their hands but that any slip up could let in Ipswich and Liverpool with their superior goal averages.

Derby’s penultimate game of the season was away at Leicester on Saturday 19 April whilst Ipswich travelled to Leeds, Liverpool were away at Middlesbrough and Everton hosted Sheffield United. 38,000 packed into Filbert Street that Saturday afternoon to see the Rams eke out a 0-0 draw against a Leicester side who themselves needed the result to stave off relegation. The real drama was elsewhere though with defeats for all of Derby’s nearest rivals – Ipswich were beaten 2-1 at Elland Road (incredibly their twelfth away defeat of the season), Liverpool went down 1-0 at Middlesbrough whilst Sheffield United laid waste to Everton’s title hopes with a 3-2 win at Goodison. The result meant only Ipswich could now catch Derby but they needed to win both their remaining games and hope that Carlisle could win at the Baseball Ground on the final day. No wonder then that thousands of Derby fans ran onto the Filbert Street pitch at full time to proclaim Derby as ‘Champions’. Footage from the game can be seen here.

And so their confidence was proven right. Four days later on 23 April, Ipswich could only draw 1-1 with Manchester City at Maine Road to confirm the Rams as champions again. Infamously Derby’s players were at the club season awards night when the news from Maine Road came through and so could celebrate in style.

The following Saturday Derby hosted Carlisle for their final fixture of 1974/75 – a chance to lift the trophy and play without any pressure. Fair to say the 0-0 draw was both sterile and pretty academic but it was an occasion for the near 38,000 packed into the Baseball Ground to hail the new Champions of England. Footage from the trophy lift is here with Archie Gemmill having the honour, and here is Brian Moore introducing the lap of honour on The Big Match.