The 1990-91 campaign delivered a devastating relegation for The Rams as Derby County finished a crushing 20th and bottom of the First Division, sinking 13 points from safety. Leading the charge and providing a sole bright spot was the Player of the Year Dean Saunders, whose 17 league goals (21 overall) proved vital despite a campaign built on struggle and turmoil. The season was infamously defined by a club-record 20-game winless run and a humiliating 1-7 home loss to Liverpool, marking a dark year that resulted in their drop to the Second Division.. The 1996-97 campaign delivered a triumphant return to the top flight for Derby County as The Rams, under manager Jim Smith, secured a respectable 12th-place finish in their first Premier League season after a five-year exile. Leading the line was young striker Dean Sturridge, whose 11 crucial league goals were vital and earned him significant acclaim. The season's defining and most nostalgic moment, however, was the sensational 3-2 victory over reigning champions Manchester United at Old Trafford, immortalized by a stunning wonder goal from the debuting Paulo Wanchope. It was a successful year that firmly re-established the club's top-flight status and remains a proud chapter in The Rams' history.. The 1997-98 campaign delivered a strong season of consolidation for Derby County, as The Rams, under manager Jim Smith, achieved a respectable 9th-place finish in the Premier League and inaugurated the magnificent new Pride Park Stadium. Spearheading the charge was the sensational Costa Rican striker Paulo Wanchope, whose 13 league goals were vital, ably supported by the clinical Francesco Baiano. This successful year marked the club's highest league finish since 1989 and remains a defining chapter, cementing their place among the top flight elite.. The 1998-99 campaign was the definitive high point of the Jim Smith era for Derby County, as The Rams secured an impressive 8th-place finish in the Premier League and briefly peaked in 2nd place. Leading the line were the exciting joint top scorers Deon Burton and Paulo Wanchope, who each netted 9 league goals in a season built on attacking flair and grit. The campaign was memorable for a fantastic league double over Liverpool and a run to the FA Cup Quarter-finals, cementing the club's status as a formidable Premier League force. This season, played in a newly expanded Pride Park, remains a definitive chapter of the Rams' modern top-flight history.