The 2010-11 campaign for Derby County was a season of dramatic highs and a spectacular collapse as The Rams ultimately finished 19th in the Championship. Under the guidance of manager Nigel Clough, the team started brightly, including a memorable opening day 2-1 victory over rivals Leeds United with Kris Commons scoring the winner. This early momentum saw them briefly climb into the play-off spots after a run of 8 wins from 11 games. However, a catastrophic slump post-November, which included an embarrassing FA Cup defeat to non-league Crawley Town, resulted in only four wins from their remaining 28 fixtures, with survival not secured until the 44th game. Despite this turmoil, their top goalscorer, the influential Kris Commons, netted 13 goals before his mid-season move to Celtic. The year, which also marked veteran Robbie Savage's final season as a professional, remains a chapter defined by agonizing inconsistency that saw them record their lowest 46-game points total in decades.