Rams Remembered....Igor Stimac

Igor Stimac

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Igor Stimac card and autograph

Born in Metkovic, Croatia on the 6^th September 1967.

Possibly the most influential player to pull on the Derby County shirt in the last two decades.

Stimac arrived at the Baseball Ground on the 31^st October 1995 for a fee of £1.5million. His transfer coming from his native Croatia and Hajduk Split.

His first appearance had people wondering if he had any ability to lead the Rams to future glory. Despite scoring a goal on his debut for the Rams away at Tranmere, the Rams fell to a heavy 5-1 defeat.

Glory was just around the corner though for Stimac and the Rams as you may recall. Maybe it was stimac’s arrival or maybe something else happened to the Rams because they rallied after the Tranmere thrashing to gain promotion that same season 1995-96 and remained unbeaten in 20 consecutive matches.

Moment I will never forget as my son (right) is pictured with Igor Stimac prior to leading the Rams out as mascot against Wolverhampton Wanderers in February 1996

Igor Stimac had nearly four years with the Rams but the end of his Derby County career came as he was criticised from certain quarters in the club for not playing enough games. Maybe the criticism was true but Stimac was wise enough to know that Derby County at that time had gone as far as it could. Igor was one of the first to say to Lionel Pickering that the club lacked ambition.

He was sold for a fraction of his true worth on 29^th August 1999 to West Ham United. The fee, just £600,000, for a man that put backbone into the side and through his leadership on the field (even though he was not Captain for periods of his career) it was derisory.

In all league games Stimac played 84 times. Add to these 7 FA Cup appearances and 2 League Cup games you see that Igor actually played 93 times for the Rams not a bad haul for just less than 4 years at the club!

Igor is now back in his native Croatia and is a big presence in more senses than one at Hajduk Split once again. This time on the management side. I personally thank Igor for some of the best moments in my memory of watching Derby County and salute one of the biggest influences on Derby County over the last two decades.