Roy McFARLAND

Derby County manager Brian Clough signed Roy McFarland from Tranmere Rovers in August 1967, paying the Merseyside club £24000 for the nineteen year old centre-half. As was often the case with Clough's transfer activities, there was a bizarre element to the deal. Having arrived at the family house late at night and persuaded McFarland's parents that the Baseball Ground was the place for their son to play, a bemused Roy was duly summoned from his bed to complete the necessary paperwork. Clough saw McFarland as a foundation stone in his plan to rebuild the County side. He wanted a player who was comfortable with the ball both as a defender and creator of attacks, a performer others would take their lead from. Although Roy fitted into the required role from the outset, many of his initial teammates could not raise their game to the level that Clough demanded. As a consequence, despite being the Second Division's third highest scorers, the "Rams" finished the 1967/68 season in 18th place. The signing of Dave Mackay before the start of the following season transformed the club. The former Tottenham stalwart led the side from his position as sweeper as Derby won the league title losing only five games and conceding just thirty two goals.

The partnership of Mackay and McFarland flourished; the experienced Scot with his barked instructions and touch's of pure class being the perfect foil for Roy's boundless enthusiasm and ease on the ball. In the League Cup the "Rams" also defeated Chelsea and Everton in thrilling Baseball Ground replay games, an indication that Clough had assembled a side with the ability to compete at the highest level. By the time Derby commenced their 1969/70 First Division campaign Clough had, in his own inimitable style, informed everyone that his side feared nobody. His predictions proved to be correct. County had a tremendous season finishing in 4th place, a remarkable achievement for a side promoted the previous May. During the season Roy found himself facing many of the best centre forwards in the British game. His response was to earn rave reviews, older more experienced opponents finding themselves either dominated in the air or simply outwitted on the ground. McFarland's ability in the air meant that he was additionally always likely to be a threat to the opposition when he moved forward for corners and free kicks and he scored the only strikes in victories against Ipswich and Newcastle. Although Roy had missed only a handful of games in his first three seasons at the Baseball Ground, the "Rams" early season form in 1970/71 coincided with him being on the sidelines or playing with an ongoing groin injury. County lost seven games in September and October, and despite putting together an unbeaten run of six matches at the end of the campaign finished in ninth place. McFarland netted two goals in thirty-five league appearances, his markers coming in 2-0 victories against Blackpool and Arsenal. Roy's form during County's first two Division One campaigns earned him senior international recognition in the second half of the 1970/71 season, gaining his first England cap against Malta in February 1971. When Mackay left for Swindon in the summer of of the same year McFarland was appointed club captain. Although he missed the first three league matches of the 1971/72 season, Roy returned to inspire the side to the Championship. The central defensive pairing of McFarland and, Mackay's replacement, Colin Todd was magnificent; County recording twenty-three clean sheets and never conceding more than three goals in any game. Roy also added four goals in his thirty-eight appearances, notching strikes against Chelsea, Tottenham, Wolves and Huddersfield. (Mike Cockayne).

Derby made a poor start in the defence of their First Division title, winning just one of their opening six games in the 1972/73 campaign. Although a second half of the season recovery saw them eventually finish seventh, a goal difference of just plus two told its own disappointing story. The "Rams" did however fare better in Cup football, reaching the sixth round of the FA Cup and the semi-final of the European Cup. McFarland scored in both the first and second rounds of the European competition, his early goal against Benfica at the Baseball Ground sparking a magnificent 3-0 victory against the Eusebio led Portuguese champions. County made a solid start to the following season. The club though was rocked to its foundations in mid October 1973 when, after a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford, Clough and his assistant Peter Taylor announced their resignations. The furore that followed was incredible, a players strike was mooted before relative calm returned with the appointment of Mackay as manager. For Roy in particular it was a bleak time. In addition to the uncertainty at club level he was, just days later, part of the England side which failed to defeat Poland at Wembley, and in turn qualify for the 1974 World Cup. Whilst Derby recovered well to finish in third behind Leeds and Liverpool, McFarland's season was to end in tragedy. He ruptured his achilles tendon against Northern Ireland at Wembley in May 1974, an injury that was to sideline him for all but the last four games of the following 1974/75 season. Remarkably Roy returned to a County side on the brink of winning the Championship for the second time in four seasons. The "Rams" remained unbeaten in those last four fixtures, a 0-0 draw against Carlisle on the last day of the campaign ensuring the title was won.