The 2007-2008 season is one that Derby County wish never existed after a shambolic Premier League season ended with record failure and plenty of mickey-taking to boot.
After winning promotion from the Championship under Billy Davies, Derby went on to become the butt of all the jokes as they finished the campaign with 11 points from 38 games. After Davies left in November of that season, Paul Jewell tried to pick up the pieces but the Rams were the whipping boys of the top flight as they hurtled back to the second tier and finished with just one win all season.
With it came the ignominy of being considered the worst-ever team to grace the Premier League and it has been a record that Derby would love to shed. Nobody ever believed it could until now with Southampton propping up the table with just six points and one win all season.
After the defeat to Crystal Palace on Sunday, a stat has emerged that may prompt some sweat to form on the coast. The six points they have amassed at this stage of the season is, remarkably, one fewer than Derby had at the same point in their dismal campaign.
Match of the Day’s X account asked whether Southampton were going to strip Derby of their unwanted record and the replies came flooding in.
“I was actually talking about this the other day, I think Soton are worse than that Derby team,” said one fan.
Another added: “Yes, Saints will do worse and set a new record.”
A third added: “Embarrassing. The board should be ashamed at this statistic. We got promoted through the lottery of the playoffs. We were miles off automatic promotion. Yet we have gone up thinking we could play a style of football with a poor squad. Recruitment has been shambolic.”
A fourth said: “It’s embarrassing and unacceptable.”
But while the Saints have been left sweating, a couple of Derby fans think the Saints are not destined to be crowned the worst team in Premier League history.
“Of course they’ll beat it,” said one Rams fan. “This comes out every season. It will never be beaten without a points deduction.”
And another added: “Of course they will beat our total. We were awful that season…truly awful.”
Will Southampton beat Derby’s record? Have your say HERE.
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