By Josh Smith
John Eustace has breathed new life into a Derby County side who looked set for an immediate relegation just two weeks ago.
The 45-year-old guided his side to three consecutive wins in the Championship against Blackburn Rovers, Coventry City, and Plymouth Argyle respectively.
Now, the mood inside Pride Park Stadium is something unimaginable from Paul Warne’s reign.
The Rams have just eight games remaining and sit just one point away from the magical point of safety and security for yet another season.
We spoke to Derby County fan Will Stanier ahead of the final run-in after a season of so many twists and turns.
“I think before the last three games I would have said we were down and out.
“But when you put three wins together in a week and all of sudden things look pretty positive.
“With John Eustace it has taken a bit of time obviously getting battered 4-0 in his first game, but we now look like a footballing side again, and the players look confident,” he admitted.
That defeat was met with two further defeats in the league before he met his former side in Blackburn Rovers at Pride Park where The Rams won 2-1, the turning point in many ways.
One player who grabbed the headlines is summer recruit Marcus Harness, he scored the winner away at Plymouth last weekend in a pivotal win.
“He’s got Harness who under Paul Warne was absolutely atrocious, he looked like he had never kicked a ball before and all of a sudden, you’ve got him firing, scoring every week.
“And that’s all it takes, a couple of people to step up and get you some wins and 9 points in a week you’re laughing,” he said.
There is still an awful lot of work for Eustace’s side with just four points separating six teams at the bottom.
“It is so tight down there and it feels like anyone up to Pompey [Portsmouth] can still get dragged down into it,” but added. “I think we will be safe though and I think it will be comfortable in the end but there is plenty of twists and turns to go.
Preston now travel to Pride Park on Wednesday April 2, where Derby will be hopeful of picking up yet another win.
“Now looking ahead to Preston at home that is a winnable game and suddenly 12 points out of 12 you’re laughing,” he said.
