Derby narrowly avoided relegation after a nerve-shredding finale to the Sky Bet Championship season that saw Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham and Wycombe drop to League One.
Wayne Rooney’s Derby started the final day outside the relegation places and knowing a win would ensure they stayed up, but a 3-3 draw against Wednesday proved to be enough after 90 minutes of incredible drama.
Derby looked to be in trouble after Sam Hutchinson put Wednesday ahead in first-half injury-time, a scoreline that, along with Rotherham beating Cardiff, would have seen the Millers stay up at the expense of Derby and Wednesday.
But a second half packed full of twists and turns – with Derby scoring twice in three minutes to take a 2-1 lead then fighting back to 3-3 after falling behind again and facing relegation – eventually ended with the Rams staying up, thanks ultimately to a late equaliser from Cardiff that condemned Rotherham to the drop.
Wednesday return to the third tier after 10 years in the Championship as their six-point deduction for breaking spending rules proves to be their downfall.
