Derby County have had their fair share of highs and lows when it comes to the lottery of the EFL play-offs.
From ecstasy in the 2007 final at Wembley Stadium to heartache in 2014 at the hands of QPR and Bobby Zamora, the Pride Park outfit have seen it all.
However, the biggest sliding door moment in the history of Derby may well have come in the play-off final in 2019.
Frank Lampard guided the Rams to Wembley after overturning rivals Leeds United in an unlikely comeback at Elland Road.
Aston Villa were a different beast though, with a run of form that took them close to automatic promotion.
Dean Smith’s side took a two-goal lead through Anwar El Ghazi and John McGinn, with Jack Marriott’s effort nothing more than a consolation for Derby.
Since then, the Villains have stayed in the Premier League, reaching the heights of Europe and with further still to go.
The Rams, in stark comparison, were on the brink of going out of business and have only just started to recover.
So with that said, here’s a look at where every player from that Derby play-off final team is now, all these years on.
GK – Kelle Roos
Lampard opted for Kelle Roos ahead of Scott Carson as his number one at Wembley, though it would be one to forget for the goalkeeper.
The Dutchman failed to claim a cross, which led to an Aston Villa goal, putting the Rams on the backfoot in the match.
Roos stayed at Derby for another three years after the play-off final defeat, before moving on to Aberdeen in 2022, where he has been a regular ever since.
RB – Jayden Bogle
2018/19 was a breakout campaign for academy youngster Jayden Bogle, who quickly became a regular at right-back for Derby.
The full-back stayed for another season after defeat in the play-offs, leaving for Sheffield United in 2020, where he has been ever since, though injuries have troubled his time there.
CB – Richard Keogh
Richard Keogh had been a stalwart for Derby in the 2010s, tasting play-off heartbreak on several occasions for the Rams.
The centre-back left the club just months after the play-off final defeat to Aston Villa, spending time at MK Dons, Huddersfield Town, Blackpool, Ipswich Town, Wycombe Wanderers and Forest Green Rovers.
Keogh retired from professional football in summer 2024.
CB – Fikayo Tomori
Fikayo Tomori was one of three stars who spent the season on loan at Derby, impressing in the process.
The centre-back won the Derby County Player of the Year for the campaign, making 44 appearances for the club.
Shortly after returning to his parent club Chelsea, Tomori featured prominently before making a switch to AC Milan.
Since moving to Italy, Tomori has won the Serie A and has become a key player for the Rossoneri.
LB – Ashley Cole
English football legend Ashley Cole joined Derby for the second half of the 2019 campaign to bring cover and experience at left-back.
The defender was made to play against Aston Villa following a red card to Scott Malone in the play-off semi-final second leg.
Defeat for Cole marked his final game in his professional career, retiring shortly after leaving Derby.
The former England star has since moved into coaching and is currently part of the Birmingham City backroom staff.
CM – Tom Huddlestone
Tom Huddlestone made his way through the ranks at Derby County before moving on to pastures new in the early 2000s.
The midfielder made his return in 2017 though, showing off his class and elegance with the ball in the middle of the park.
In the play-off final, Huddlestone lasted just 63 minutes before he was substituted for Jack Marriott in a change of approach.
Following the play-off final defeat, Huddlestone stayed for one more season at Moor Farm before moving on to rejoin Hull City and then Manchester United in a player-coach role for the academy setup.
CM – Bradley Johnson
Derby paid a whopping £6million to land Bradley Johnson from Norwich City in 2015, looking to add that edge their promotion pushes were missing.
The midfielder was a prominent player for the Rams in this period, however, the play-off final defeat would prove to be his last action in the team.
In the summer of 2019, Johnson left on a free transfer to join Blackburn Rovers, where he spent three years before moving to MK Dons for one season in 2022/23.
Since then, the experienced midfielder has returned to Derby in a player-coach role for the academy, helping his transition towards a life away from his playing career.
CM – Mason Mount
Yet another loan star that spent the season at Derby, Mason Mount showed that he had what it takes to play at the very top.
Unfortunately for the Rams, injury stunted the latter half of his campaign which coincided with a drop in form.
Mount returned for the play-offs and had an impact in the semi-finals, but struggled to make his mark in the final.
The midfielder has since shone with Chelsea, winning the Champions League, before making the move to Manchester United in 2023.
RM – Harry Wilson
The third and final loanee Derby had starting in the 2019 play-off final was Liverpool youngster Harry Wilson.
On the wing, the forward made 40 appearances for the Rams and scored some memorable goals along the way.
The play-off final defeat would also be his final action in a Derby shirt, with loans to AFC Bournemouth and Cardiff City following before he joined Fulham in 2021 and has stayed there ever since.
LM – Tom Lawrence
Tom Lawrence was another big-money signing for Derby in 2017, who showed plenty of quality in his time at Pride Park.
Unfortunately, he was unable to unlock the Villa defence at Wembley in 2019 and was substituted in the 73rd minute for Florian Jozefzoon.
The Welshman stayed at Derby for another three years after that defeat, with plenty of rocky times over that period.
Ultimately, he left having captained the club and almost guiding them to safety in a relegation-threatened campaign.
In 2022, Lawrence joined Rangers and he is still part of their squad.
CF – Mason Bennett
One of the most hotly debated topics in recent Derby history has been Lampard’s decision surrounding Mason Bennett starting at Wembley in the 2019 play-off final.
The Rams benched both Marriott and Martyn Waghorn, with uncertainty surrounding the pair’s fitness.
After 69 minutes, Bennett was withdrawn and the preferred strike partnership were on the field, but not for long enough to turn the result around.
The striker stayed with Derby for one more season before he left to join Millwall and then Burton Albion, his current club.
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