Derby County's All-Time XI was confirmed in December 2009.

The club teamed up with the Derby Evening Telegraph to carry out a pole to decide the Rams' all-time XI as part of the 125th anniversary celebrations throughout the calendar years.

Supporters were being asked to vote on a position and manager over a nine-month period to create a legendary team consisting of the Rams' greatest of the great.

The All-Time Rams XI looks like this:

Goalkeeper: Colin Boulton

Only one man played in all 84 games of Derby County's two League Championship seasons, goalkeeper Colin Boulton. He made more appearances than any other goalkeeper in the club's history, beating the record set by Reg Matthews. Two sequences of consecutive appearances, 131 and 115, were interrupted only by a two-match suspension. Boulton was a police cadet in his native Cheltenham when Tim Ward signed him 1964. He was understudy to Matthews and it came as a setback when Brian Clough signed Les Green from Rochdale in 1968. Not until Green most form and the end of 1970 was Boulton recalled, but this he made the most of it. His handling was high-class, great experience taught him to deal with crosses and, above all, he was consistent, giving away remarkably few soft goals. In 1971/72 he kept a clean sheet in 23 League games as well as six Cup ties of various kinds. For a time Dave Mackay preferred Graham Moseley, but called Boulton shortly before he was sacked as manager. Tommy Docherty ended Boulton's career but, to the day he left, Boulton was, by some way, the best goalkeeper on the books. Following an unhappy spell with Los Angeles Aztecs, Boulton played under Colin Murphy at Lincoln City but, after four games, a severe injury ended his career.

Right Back: Ron Webster

Ron Webster was the one local man in Derby County's League Championship teams. First a player then as a youth coach, he served under eight managers at the Baseball Ground. Harry Storer was in the manager's office when the young Webster went to ask why he was not in the first team and his promise brightened considerably in what was then, under Tim Ward, an average Second Division team. Bigger clubs saw Webster's potential but he stayed at Derby and, under Brian Clough and Peter Taylor, become the regular right-back in the surge towards the top. He was not a flamboyant player and tended to shun publicity. Because he had been around for a long time, managers as well as Press observers often underestimated him but is hallmarks were utter reliability and dedicated professionalism. He was a top-class defender and his rare goals in the 1970s - one in each of the Championship seasons - assumed a prophetic significance. Dave Mackay bought Rod Thomas to play right-back but Webster, characteristically, made the Welsh international wait. Only when Webster was injured did he lose his place. When he turned to coaching, he had made more senior appearances than any other player in the Rams' history. Kevin Hector subsequently took the record off him but Webster was a popular and effective youth coach until he became a victim of Peter Taylor's reorganisation.

Left-Back: David Nish

Derby County were reigning Champions when, in August 1972, they broke the British record transfer fee for the third time since the war, signing David Nish for £225,000 from Leicester City to follow Billy Steel and Johnny Morris, their big signings of the 1940s. Nish captained Leicester in the 1969 FA Cup Final defeat by Manchester City at the age of 21 and was one of the most elegant defenders ever seen at Derby. He was geared to attack and had the delicate touch of a skilful inside-forward. Nish relished the arrival of Charlie George and could always find his runs on the Derby left. His brief international career of five games was then over. A perforated ulcer, requiring immediate surgery, put him out of an England tour to Eastern Europe and he was not picked again. His effectiveness was gradually curtailed by three operations on his right knee, the result of an injury sustained when scoring against Sheffield United at Derby in December 1975. He joined Alan Hinton in the North American Soccer League and even at the end of his career, remained upset that what he thought was an equaliser in the 1976 FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United had been disallowed because other players were offside. Nish worked at Middlesbrough with Bruce Rioch and Colin Todd before returning to Leicester. He was briefly chief scout under John Gregory but the club was unduly eager to expunge traces of that regime.

Centre-Back: Igor Stimac

Perhaps the most influential of all Jim Smith's signings, Igor Stimac brought a new dimension to Derby County. He was a regular member of the increasingly successful Croatia team when a fee of £1.57-million brought him from Hajduk Split. If Stimac was alarmed by what he saw of his debut, a 5-1 defeat by Tranmere Rovers at Prenton Park, he did not show it. The defensive formation changed after that and Derby embarked on an unbeaten run of 20 League games, putting them well on the way to the Premiership. Stimac had an unshakeable faith in his considerable ability and his confidence affected those around him. Especially in the First Division, it often appeared to intimidate opponents. When he arrived at Derby, Stimac spoke little English but, within a matter of weeks, became fluent. Although he did not believe he should play unless fully fit, Stimac could always point to the results when he was there. He had a presence, style and class, a magnificent player. He was of five Derby County players at the 1998 World Cup finals in France where, to his pride, Croatia finished third.After a brief spell with West Ham United, Stimac returned to Split to attend to his many business interests.

Centre-Back: Roy McFarland

Brian Clough and Peter Taylor had seen Roy McFarland had seen Roy McFarland playing for Tranmere Rovers when they were in charge of Hartlepool and made him their second signing at Derby. He was then 19 and had been snatched from under the noses of Liverpool, the team he supported. For less than £25,000 Clough and Taylor bought a player who, they felt sure, would develop into the best centre-half in England. With Dave Mackay alongside him to speed up his maturing process in 1968/69, McFarland was a key-figure in the team that romped away with the Second Division title. He made his England debut in Malta in February 1971 and led Derby to the 1971/72 League Championship. McFarland had the football world at his feet, although he suffered a black week in 1973 when Clough and Taylor resigned and Engladn were knocked out of the World Cup in the qualifying stages because they were unable to beat Poland at Wembley. It was also at Wembley, in May 1974, that McFarland sustained the severe Achilles tendon injury which was to keep him out of all but the last four games in the 1974/75 Championship triumph. He was able to regain his England place briefly and his 28 appearances constituted a record for a Rams player, passing Alan Durban's 27 appearances for Wales but was later overtaken by Peter Shilton and others. Sadly for McFarland, the best part of his playing career came first, and in a declining side, he was increasingly susceptible to injuries. He came player-manager of Bradford City, and promptly led them from Division Four in 1981/82 before returning to Derby in controversial circumstances. Derby were fined for an illegal approach. He played a few matches when he was Taylor's assistant in the first part of the sad 1983/84 season. At his peak, he was one of Derby's all-time greats, skilful, consistent and ruthless; a superb professional and of England's best post-war defenders. McFarland was caretaker manager after Taylor's dismissal and worked successfully with Arthur Cox as Derby rose back through the divisions. He became manager in his own right when back trouble forced Cox's resignation but the days of lavish spending were over.

Right Midfield: Stefano Eranio

Stefano Eranio brought style to Derby County, on and off the field, when he joined them at the end of his contract with AC Milan. Eranio played in Italy for 13 seasons but not in Serie A until 1989, when his first club, Genoa, won promotion. He made his debut for them as a teenager in 1984 and adapted to the top division so well that reigning Champions Milan signed him in 1992. He was involved in three titles during his five seasons and twice went on as a substitute in European Cup final defeats. On the first occasion, when Olympique Marseille won in 1993, Eranio took over from Marco Van Basten, whom he rates as the best player he ever saw. Eranio won 20 caps for Italy but injury kept him out of the 1994 World Cup finals in the United States. His arrival in Derby coincided with the opening of Pride Park and was a great coup by Jim Smith. Whether playing as a wing-back or in midfield, Eranio was a joy to watch, with his instant control, passes which made it easy for the receiver and ability to score goals. He had a setback in November 1999, a broken leg as the result of a tackle from behind by Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia at Anfield, but came back strongly. Eranio planned to retire at the end of the 2000/01 season and was given an emotional farewell by a full house at Pride Park. He returned before the following season as a favour to Smith but an injury kept him out of the side. When Smith lost his job, Eranio was close to fitness but promptly left the club, so distressed he was at the decision.

Left Midfield: Alan Hinton

Alan Hinton had won three England caps, one with Wolverhampton Wanderers and two with Nottingham Forest, before Brian Clough and Peter Taylor signed him from the City Ground for £30,000 in September 1967. Some Forest committee men were heard to suggest that Derby would be asking for their money back but they were absolutely wrong. Hinton's ability to cross the ball from any position and with either foot amounted to almost genius. His explosive goals were a bonus. He was Derby's creator-in-chief as they won the Second and First Division titles in the space of four years as well as their acknowledged artist from free-kicks and corners. He had a short run in the 1974/75 Championship success, giving Derby a different shape at a time when they beginning to lose their way, but played little in the next season after the death of his son Matthew. He went into the North American Soccer League and set a new record for 'assists' in 1978, laying on 30 goals to beat the mark previously shared by Pele and George Best. He was a successful coach, going indoors after the collapse of the NASL. As Peter Taylor predicted, he was fully appreciated at Derby only after he had left.

Central Midfield: Archie Gemmill

Archie Gemmill cost Derby County £66,000 when he was signed from Preston to take over from Willie Carlin in midfield. So keen was Brian Clough to complete the deal that he stayed overnight in the Gemmills' house. Pace was the first important ingredient Gemmill added but he soon developed into one of the finest midfield players in Britain. He began running every August and did not stop until the following May, urging the rest of the team, competing in every area of the field and using his speed as the ace. After a stunning UEFA Cup performance against Athletico Madrid in Spain, their Argentine manager, Juan Carlos Lorenzo, embraced and embarrassed Gemmill as "Magnifico". Gemmill made 40 appearances for 1971/72 Champions, and, in the absence of Roy McFarland, was an inspirational captain when the title returned to Derby three years later. He won a third Championship medal in 1977/78, after joining Nottingham Forest in what was for Derby a disastrous exchange deal that brought goalkeeper John Middleton and £25,000. He played 43 games for Scotland, 22 of them while with Derby, including six as captain, and gained a League Cup-winners' medal with forest but was disappointed to be left out of Forest's 1979 European Cup final team. He was the first signing after Peter Taylor's appointment as manager did more than most in a successful fight against relegation. In 1983/84, Taylor fell out with Gemmill and although McFarland restored him to the team, his career ended sadly with relegation to Division Three. He was on Clough's coaching staff and, after two years as joint manager of Rotherham United, returned to Derby as overseas scout under Jim Smith.

Central Midfield: Alan Durban

Alan Durban was 22 when Tim Ward signed him from Cardiff City for £10,000 in July 1963. It was money well spent, for Durban was one of the few to survive and play a significant part in the Clough era. He had two distinct phases at Derby, the first as a goalscoring inside-forward and the second as an intelligent midfield player. In his first role, he formed a productive partnership with Eddie Thomas which is brought them 24 goals each in 1964/65 after Thomas had arrived from Swansea Town. Durban went on to score more than 100 goals for Derby, including four hat-tricks, but his best days were in midfield. He had no great pace, nor was he a particularly good tackler but he had a wonderful feel for the flow of the game and a delicate touch. Perhaps his greatest attribute was an ability to find space in crowded penalty areas, arriving late to score a large percentage of his goals from close range. He earned 27 Welsh caps before joining Shrewsbury Town, where he became player-manager and steered them out of the Fourth Division in 1974/75. Durban played more than 550 League games (on all 92 grounds) before he retired. He became manager of Stoke City in February 1978, and was involved in another promotion success in 1978/79, third place in Division Two. After an unhappy spell with Cardiff he became manager of the Telford Tennis Centre but returned to football with Derby, helping Roy McFarland after back trouble ended Arthur Cox's time as manager.

Centre Forward: Kevin Hector

Kevin Hector had scored 113 League goals in 176 games for Bradford when Tim Ward astonished supporters by signing him for £38,000. Derby, pottering along unambitiously in the Second Division, were not expected to pay fees of that size but Hector was an instant success. He was christened the King by supporters and retained the nickname, even when he became one fine player among many in the great days of the early 1970s. He did more than survive the advent of Brian Clough and Peter Taylor; he was an integral part of the teams which won the Second Division and two League Championships. He was gifted with pace and a marvellous balance, so the goals flowed regularly. Between 1970 and 1972, he played in 105 consecutive League games; from August 1967 to December 1974, he missed only four of 314 League games, an astonishing record for a striker. Sir Alf Ramsey should have given him an earlier England run and his debut, against Poland in October 1973, was farcical, a couple of minutes as a substitute to try and get England through to the World Cup finals. He nearly did it too, being denied only by a Polish kneecap on the goal-line. His only other cap was also as substitute. Tommy Doherty sold Hector to Vancouver Whitecaps and he spent the English seasons playing for Boston United and Burton Albion before Colin Addison brought him back in October 1980. By the time he bowed out, with a goal against Watford in a match Derby had to win to ensure their Second Division place, Hector had made more appearances than any other player in Derby's history and scored 201 goals, a total surpassed only by Steve Bloomer. He gave supporters immense pleasure through his style, his goals and his manner on and off the field. He was still a winner win Belper Town's Northern Counties (East) League Championship team of 1984/85.

Centre Forward: Steve Bloomer

Steve Bloomer moved to Derby as a child, learned his football at St James' School and played with Derby Swifts in the Derbyshire Minor League, scoring 14 goals for them in one match. That form brought him to the Rams' attention and his first game in a Derby County, against Darley Dale, he scored four times. Bloomer made his League debut at Stoke in September 1892 and soon established himself as a favourite with the crowd. Pale-faced, almost ill-looking, Bloomer's appearance belied his worth to the side. He scored goals from all angles, plundering them from close range and launching rockets from 25 yards. He was Derby's leading scorer in all matches for 14 seasons and won the first of 25 England caps in 1895, scoring twice in a 9-0 win over the Irish at Derby. Bloomer took his fair share of digging elbows and clogging feet, but nothing could stop this peerless footballer who rapier shot was matched by exquisite, defence-splitting passes. Some critics said that he played too much for himself and colleagues dreaded a Bloomer stare when the ball was not put to his feet. Yet Bloomer was a legend. In 1906 he went to Middlesbrough, rejoining Derby to a hero's welcome in 1910 and skippering the Rams to promotion. In 1914 he went to coach in Germany where he interned during World War One. After the war he played with and coached the Rams, at reserve and first-team level, then enjoyed a successful spell with Real Irun in Spain, winning the King's Cup, before returning to the Baseball Ground as a general assistant. In failing health, Bloomer was sent on a cruise, but in April 1938, three weeks after returning home, Derby County's greatest player was dead.

Manager: Brian Clough