County Championship While this was going on, representatives of the eight leading county clubs held a private meeting to discuss the method by which the county championship should in future be decided. The new competition began in the 1890 season and at first involved just the eight leading clubs: Gloucestershire, Kent, Lancashire, Middlesex, Nottinghamshire, Surrey, Sussex and Yorkshire. Subsequently, the championship has been expanded to 18 clubs by the additions at various times of Derbyshire, Durham, Essex, Glamorgan, Hampshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Somerset, Warwickshire and Worcestershire. It is difficult to know when the concept of a county championship originated. While early matches were
Derby County F.C. league record by opponent several minor trophies. The club was also a strong force in the interwar years of the football league and also won the 1945–46 FA Cup. Derby County are founder members of the Football League, which was created in 1888. Over the years Derby have played in the First Division, Second Division, Third Division, Third Division North, Premier League and the Championship. As of 2008 Derby compete in the second tier of English football, the Championship, after relegation from the Premier League. Derby's first opponent was Bolton Wanderers on 8 September 1888 a game which Derby won 6–3. Their most regular