The 2009–10 season was Derby County's 111th season in the Football League. It is their 42nd season in the second division of English football and their second consecutive season in the second tier following an 18th-placed finish in the previous campaign. Derby struggled against relegation for much of the season, but a run of just two defeats in the final 10 fixtures saw the club finish in 14th, their third highest finish in their respective division in the previous ten years. The Derby Evening Telegraph described the campaign as "Good in patches, poor in others, and ultimately frustrating." The season was Nigel Clough's first full season in the job following his appointment in January 2009. The club started the season with odds of 21/1 for the title, though the media prediction was that they would improve greatly on the previous campaign's struggles and push for a playoff place. This proved overly optimistic, however, as the club battled relegation from the Championship for the fifth time in eight seasons. Although the club never fell into the bottom three during the campaign (the lowest position was 20th) it spent just six fixtures in the top half of the table, only one of which was achieved after August. A lack of consistency was one reason; not only in results (the club never recording more than two consecutive victories) but also in the club's inability to field a consistent team selection. A club record 40 players represented the club, with only 6 players making 30 or more league starts, and an over-reliance on loanees (14 players signing temporary deals over the season) also played a part, as did injuries; one match, away to Ipswich Town in October, came at the height of the club's injury problems and saw them unable to even name a full complement of substitutes such was the lack of players available. A purple patch of form in February saw the club end local rivals Nottingham Forest's 19 match unbeaten run, inflict eventual-Champions Newcastle United's biggest defeat of the season (3–0) and hit five in a match for the first time in three years when they edged out Preston North End 5–3 at Pride Park, but a run of just three wins in twelve through the end of February until the end of April, ensured that safety was not achieved until the 44th fixture of the season after a 1–1 draw