Despite Steve McClaren making six changes to the side we came away with a point and are in good form going into the end of season play offs.
I've never been a fan of the play offs. I enjoy watching them, however they are one of the things I'd scrap from the game.
We finished 13 points ahead of Brighton and Hove Albion who we face on Thursday and 5 ahead of QPR who finished in fourth place and one below us. In my opinion third place teams who miss out in this end of season lottery suffer a travesty of justice!
Of course it's a good way to go up. Winning at Wembley in front of a live TV audience, but there's only one winner!
We have a mixed record in the play offs too.
Arthur Cox's Derby went out to Blackburn many years ago. We went to Ewood Park and despite getting a two goal lead we lost 4-2 and could a Only manage a 2-1 in the return at the Baseball Ground.
Roy McFarland took us to Wembley where despite dominating a game, we went down 2-1 to Leicester in controversial circumstances.
George Burley managed to get us into them during the reign of the 'Three Amigos' but we went down to a Billy Davies led Preston.
It was Billy Davies leading us to glory seven years ago. First a dramatic semi final against George Burley's Southampton and then on to Wembley where despite being outplayed we snatched a win against West Bromich.
It was a great feeling to win that final and Derby finished third in the Division too! However I feel that the play off system defeats the object of a league.
The League Table doesn't lie and we were the third best side in the Championship and it would be a tragedy if we were denied promotion due to this lottery.
Whatever happens, all Rams fans will, I'm sure, salute Steve McClaren, Paul Simpson and Eric Steele on a job well done and treating us to some of the most exciting football we have seen in years.
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