The club dates all the way back to 1884, and since then the Rams have been the home of some of English football’s greatest players, such as Alan Hinton, Colin Todd, Dave Mackay and, of course, Steve Bloomer.
In recent years, it has been more of a struggle for the club, with Derby now without top flight football since 2008. However, Pride Park has played host to some modern day legends who made their name before their arrival in the East Midlands.
Ashley Cole, Darren Bent and Wayne Rooney are just three players to have worn the black-and-white of the Rams in the last 10 years, and the club’s recent ‘Legacy Numbers’ scheme shows the calibre of some of the nearly 1200 players that have represented Derby throughout its 140-year existence.
Ben Pringle moved to the Rams in July 2009 from local side Ilkeston Town, making his debut for the team in the first game of the 2009/10 season, seeing out the final 10 minutes of Derby’s 2-1 win over Peterborough United at Pride Park.
The winger found appearances to be very limited over the course of his two years at the club, playing just 23 times for the team before moving to Rotherham United in the summer of 2011.
He has played for clubs throughout the EFL since departing the East Midlands 13 years ago, including the likes of Fulham, Ipswich Town and Preston North End, but it is his current and most previous clubs who will come as the biggest surprise to Rams fans.
United are an off-shoot of English club Fleetwood Town, with the winger captaining them to the UAE Second Division title in the 2023/24 campaign, whilst Precision are a newly-formed club playing at that very same level, with his team-mates including Ravel Morrison and Harry Arter.
