THE GROUND
iPro Stadium
Derby
DE24 8XL
Derby County left their historic Baseball Ground home in 1997 to move in to a ground on the outskirts of town.
The iPro Stadium – better known as Pride Park – is a 33,597 seat stadium that has hosted an England international and a match between Brazil and Ukraine.
Away supporters are housed in a section of the South Stand, behind one of the goals, and the usual allocation is around 2,700.
THE TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
It is approximately 127 miles by road from Griffin Park to the iPro Stadium.
To get to the ground from the south take the M1 to junction 25 and follow the A52 towards Derby.
After five and a half miles there will be signs to the stadium and it is accessed via Derwent Parade.
There are official licensed car parks within walking distance of the stadium.
The nearest station to the ground is Derby, which is around half a mile from the stadium and a ten minute walk.
Derby station is served by East Midlands Trains, CrossCountry and some Northern Trains services.
Train travellers can get to Derby on East Midlands services from London St Pancras.
The Supporters’ Association will be running coaches to every game this season – details of times and prices will be announced in due course.
THE FIXTURES
Brentford will play Derby at home on Saturday November 1.
The Bees then travel to the iPro Stadium on Saturday April 11.
THE RECENT HISTORY
Derby County will probably start the season feeling they should be a Premier League side.
The Rams pushed all the way for promotion last season, eventually losing out twice.
They finished third in The Sky Bet Championship last season and then lost to ten-men Queens Park Rangers in the Play-Off Final.
It means Derby will be playing in the second tier for the 12th season in the last 13 in 2014/15.
Having been Division One Champions twice in the 1970s, Derby dropped down to Division Three and then had four years back in the top tier before establishing themselves in the second level in early 1990s.
The Rams were promoted to the Premier League in 1996 and had six years at that level before relegation in 2002.
They got back in 2007 but had one unsuccessful season that ended in relegation.
The closest Derby got to heading back to the top tier was last season.
They started slowly and were 14th after three wins in their first nine games.
But the arrival of former England Manager Steve McClaren at the end of September revitalised The Rams.
They lost just one more game in 2013 as they climbed in to the promotion race.
But a run of two wins in eight games in March cost them dear as their final winning run – six victories in their last eight – was not enough to catch the top two.
The Rams brushed aside Brighton and Hove Albion in the Play-Off Semi-Final but a last gasp goal from Bobby Zamora left them beaten at Wembley and facing another season in the second tier.
THE MANAGER
Steve McClaren was appointed Derby boss in September, replacing Nigel Clough.
McClaren is known as one of the best English coaches of his generation, moving in to the off-field side of the game after a playing career that saw him feature most prominently for Hull City.
He worked as Assistant Manager at Derby and Manchester United and has a part-time role with England before taking over as Middlesbrough Manager in 2001.
After taking Middlesbrough to a League Cup win and a UEFA Cup Final he was appointed as England Manager in 2006 but was sacked less than 18 months later after failing to qualify for Euro 2008.
He had success with FC Twente but less so at Vfl Wolfsburg, Nottingham Forest and Twente again before being appointed by QPR as a coach last summer.
McClaren had less than three months at QPR before taking over as Derby boss and leading them to the brink of promotion.
THE TOP SCORER
Chris Martin scored 25 goals for Derby last season, 20 of them in 44 Sky Bet Championship appearances.
The 25-year-old joined The Rams on a permanent basis last summer after a successful loan spell.
The striker came through the youth ranks at Norwich City and had loan spells at Luton Town, Crystal Palace and Swindon Town before moving to Derby on a temporary basis in February 2013.
He made the move permanent last summer after his contract at Norwich expired.
Martin has won one Scotland cap after playing for England at Under-19 level.
THE KEY MEN
Derby will begin their quest for promotion with the majority of the squad that took them so close last season.
None of the players released at the end of last season at the end of their contracts made any impact in 2013/14 and of the loan players returning to parent clubs at the end of their deals, Patrick Bamford scored eight goals in 21 Championship games and defender Andre Wisdom featured 34 times in the league.
The Rams kept a very settled team last season with goalkeeper Lee Grant and left back Craig Forsyth ever-present.
Player of the Year Craig Bryson scored 16 goals from midfield in 45 appearances while defender Jake Buxton, who has signed a new contract, played 45 games in defence, and attacking midfield player Will Hughes featured 41 times.
Derby were the top scorers in The Championship and had nine goals from Johnny Russell and seven from Jamie ward to add to those scored by Martin and Bryson.
They did, however, have the most porous defence in the top six and may be looking to add to Buxton and Richard Keogh, who played 41 games, as well as replacing the departing Wisdom.
The Rams have signed midfield player Alban Bunjaku, formerly of Arsenal, and young goalkeeper Jonathan Mitchell while defender Zak Whitbread, who was on loan from Leicester City last season, has signed permanently.
Forsyth and Hughes have signed new contracts while Derby have rejected a bid for Bryson.
THE FIRST MEETING
September 18 1935, Football League Division One – Derby County 2 Brentford 1
Brentford line-up: Mathieson; Bateman, Poyser; McKenzie, James, Watson; Hopkins, Robson, Holliday, Scott, Fletcher
Brentford goal scorer: Fletcher
A Charlie Fletcher goal was not enough to prevent Brentford losing on their first visit to the Baseball Ground.
THE LAST MEETING
August 27 2013, Capital One cup Second Round – Derby County 5 Brentford 0
Brentford line-up: Bonham; Venta, O’Connor, Nugent, Barron (sub Pierre); Reeves, Diagouraga; Clarke, Saunders (sub Mawson), Dallas; El Alagui (sub Norris)
Subs (not used): O’Brien, Saville, Adams, Miller-Rodney
Brentford were knocked out of the Capital One Cup at the Second Round stage by Derby County.
THE MEMORABLE DAY
May 2 1936, Football League Division One – Brentford 6 Derby County 0
Brentford line-up: Mathieson; Wilson, Bateman; McKenzie, James, Richards; Hopkins, Scott, McCulloch, Holliday, Reid
Brentford goal scorers: McCulloch (4), Holliday, Scott
Dave McCulloch scored four first half goals as Brentford ended their first season in Division One with a thrashing of high-flying Derby County.
THE ODDS
Sky Bet is offering 9/1 on Derby County winning The Championship next season, making them second favourites.
Those who back The Rams can get ¼ of the odds if they finish in the top three.
Every bet you make with Sky Bet benefits Brentford FC – click here to see the Championship market.