Derby County will play in the Championship next season. Wayne Rooney managed to keep the club in the Championship in his first managerial role, but he needed a bit of luck along thhe way.

His team were unable to win against Sheffield Wednesday in a relegation shootout which would have secured safety. However, a draw ended up being enough thanks to Marlon Pack's 88th minute goal for Cardiff City against Rotherham United which meant that match ended 1-1. Pack's goal sent Rotherham down and kept Derby up in a game which was meaningless for the Bluebirds.

Derby County played with fire throughout the whole season and things got nervy for them on the last day as well. Derby fell behind just before half-time after Hutchinson's goal right on half-time. At that moment, Rotherham were winning and Derby were in League One.

But after the interval, Rooney's side fought back with goals through Waghorn and Roberts to go 2-1 up.

Sheffield Wednesday did not give up though as they needed to win and Rotherham not to. The Owls turned it around in seven second half minutes. Paterson made it two in the 62nd minute and then Borner put Wednesday ahead in the 69th minute. That meant Wednesday needed just a Cardiff goal to stay up while Derby were after two goals or one plus a Cardiff one.

Waghorn then got his second of the game to draw Derby on level terms when he converted a penalty and then, in the 88th minute, Marlon Pack levelled for Cardiff City in the 88th minute to relegate Rotherham. That goal meant Derby stayed up as Wednesday were unable to get a late winner. Rooney ended up staying in the Championship in highly dramatic fashion.

May 8, 2021

S. Hutchinson

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