Colin TODD

Colin Todd joined Derby County in February 1971, the Rams paying Sunderland a fee of £170, 000 for their highly rated central defender. On this occasion, Brian Clough did not need to ask his assistant Peter Taylor to make an assessement of the player's potential, the County manager having already coached Todd in the Roker Park youth team. The twenty-two year old had been earmarked to partner Roy McFarland at the heart of the Rams defence, and to replace the ageing iron man Dave Mackay who was nearing the end of his three year Baseball Ground contract. Colin made his debut in a 2-0 defeat of Arsenal on February 27th, 1971, occupying a midfield position - a role he filled as and when required throughout his County career. Todd missed just two of the Rams 1971/72 league fixtures, and netted goals in a 4-0 win over Stoke City and a 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur. As Clough had anticipated, his partnership with McFarland was superb - Derby keeping 23 clean sheets and amazingly sneaking the First Division Championship by a single point after both Leeds United and Liverpool failed to win their final games of the campaign.

A poor start to the 1972/73 season cost the Rams the chance of defending their title, however three straight wins at the end of the campaign produced a 7th place finish, Todd netting a goal in a 2-1 win against Sheffield United on October 28th. It was not, however, a year of total disappointment. County stormed through to the semi-finals of the European Cup, eventually losing out to Juventus on a 3-1 aggegate scoreline. If any Derby fans had any lingering doubts over Todd's ability, they were ruthlessly dispelled by his domination of Eusebio in the second round of the competition - Colin's devastating speed and strengh of tackle leaving the legendary Portuguese player floundering in both the mud of the Baseball Ground and the electric atmosphere of Benfica's Stadium of Light. (Mike Cockayne)

The Rams 1973/74 campaign was dominated by the Brian Clough October 1973 resignation drama, the unfolding events filling both the front and back pages of the local and national newspapers. Although his replacement Dave Mackay then saw County go six league games without a victory, a strong second half to the season resulted in a respectable 3rd place finish. The pairing of Todd and McFarland was also reguarly utilised by Engand, and during the campaign Colin, who missed just two league games, gained a further seven international caps to take his senior total to sixteen. Unfortunately for the Rams, in May 1974 McFarland suffered a serious achilles tendon injury whilst playing for England. It meant that Colin would be paired with Peter Daniel, the reserve team centre half, for the majority of the 1974/75 season. Although most of the pundits dismissed the Rams chances of winning the Championship for a second time, both men responded magnificently.

With Bruce Rioch netting fifteen league goals and County remaining unbeaten over their last nine games the title was won by two points from Liverpool and Ipswich Town. Colin was magnificent, his performances earning him the Professional Footballers Association "Footballer of the Year" award. Although he did not score in league play, Todd netted both of the Rams goals in a 2-2 FA Cup 3rd round game against Orient - his side going on to win the reply 2-1 before going out to Coventry City at the next stage of the competition. In 1975/76 Colin was an ever present in the league side which finished in 4th place in the table and additionally reached the semi-final of the FA Cup. He also played in both legs of the remarkable European Cup encounter with Real Madrid which saw the Spanish giants overturn a 4-1 first leg deficit to go through 6-5 a.e.t. in front of 120, 000 screaming fans at the Bernabeu. Colin's only marker of the campaign came in an exciting 4-3 defeat against Manchester City at Maine Road in April 1976. (Mike Cockayne)

The Derby County managerial merry-go-round was again in full swing during the 1976/77 season. Dave Mackay resigned in November 1976 after a sequence of results that had seen the Rams win just two of their opening thirteen league fixtures. Amazingly, one of those victories was by an 8-2 scoreline against Tottenham Hotspur - Colin netting the seventh goal in that success. Reserve team boss Colin Murphy took over as manager, and although his signing of Gerry Daly from Manchester United helped to produce a late season rally - the final 15th place finish was a major disapointment. In addition to that goal against Tottenham, Colin also netted a vital marker in the Rams 2-1 FA Cup 4th round replay win against Brighton and Hove Albion, whilst his appearance against Leicester City on Boxing Day 1976 marked his 300th overall game for the club. After another poor start in 1977/78, the axe fell on Murphy after just six games - County at that stage having gained a mere three points.

Tommy Docherty was named as the new manager, the former Manchester United boss typically embarking on an immediate reorganisation of the side. A staggering total of thirty-one players appeared during the campaign, and although Colin notched up another 32 league appearances - scoring the only goal against Bristol City on December 20th - his time at the Baseball Ground seemed limited. And so it proved. Todd was sold to Everton for £300, 000 in September 1978 after playing in four of the Rams opening six fixtures of the new season. It was a move which incensed the supporters who had seen most of the side's quality players sold off in favour of inferior replacements. In all competitions Colin made 371 appearances for the Rams and scored 10 goals. He was undoubtably one of the country's best central defenders of the era and won all of his 27 England caps whilst at the Baseball Ground. (Mike Cockayne)