[18] This meant Derby manager Nigel Clough retained control of the club's player recruitment policy and he was keen to add to his squad, stating a desire to sign a striker and younger left back to cover for Gareth Roberts.

Goalkeeper James Severn, defender Chris Jones and midfielders Aaron Cole and Ryan Connolly were all told that their contracts would not be renewed and joined Paul Green in leaving the club.

[25] Academy players Stefan Galinski, Mats Mørch and Kane Richards all became first year professionals after they completed two-year scholarships.

[25] Miles Addison, James Bailey, Lee Croft, Steve Davies and Chris Maguire were all transfer listed by the club on 22 May.

[33] Derby were linked to several players in the media, including West Bromwich Albion striker Simon Cox[34] and Northampton Town winger Michael Jacobs.

[42] Attention immediately turned to who Derby would sign as a replacement, with out-of-contract Nottingham Forest defender Joel Lynch the first target.

[60] American attacking midfielder Danny Barrera the club on trial and featured in the reserve pre-season friendly against Belper Town.

[61] Finnish Cesena striker, Roope Riski joined the club on trial ahead of the last first team pre-season against Chesterfield, the game also saw Steve Davies, made his first appearance after talks broke down on a move to Ipswich Town, scoring in a 3–1 loss.

The final friendly of the season saw a Derby XI that included trialists Gjokaj, Barrera, Riski and Livingston striker Marc McNulty beat Matlock Town 2–1.

After the game it was reported that Bristol City had agreed a transfer fee for wantaway striker Steve Davies[66] and Huddersfield Town were interested in signing Nathan Tyson on loan.

[68] Sammon made his debut in the following game at Bolton Wanderers, with James O'Connor making his first start for the club, Derby had a goal disallowed early in the second half before Kevin Davies scored in the 77th minute and Chris Eagles scored as stoppage time as Bolton won 2–0, this result left Derby in the relegation zone after 2 games.

[70] Derby's last league game for the month ended in a 1–1 draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Kevin Doyle scored in the first half for the home team, with Robinson equalising for the Rams in stoppage time.

[71] Derby started the month with a 5–1 win against Watford, with first half goals from Richard Keogh, Jeff Hendrick and Conor Sammon his first for the club.

15-year-old Irish youth international defender Jack Tuite joined the club from Cherry Orchard, after trial at Moor Farm.

Derby ended the month at Peterborough United and lost 3–0 with goals from Michael Bostwick and a late double for Saido Berahino after Jake Buxton was sent off for a second bookable offence Adam Legzdins also saved a Lee Tomlin penalty at 0–1.

Three days later, Derby secured their first back-to-back victories in 24 league matches, after beating Barnsley 2–0 with second half goals from James O'Connor (his first for the club) and Nathan Tyson in the last minute of regulation time.

[86][87] Out-of favour defender Tom Naylor joined Football League Two side Bradford City on loan from two months.

Derby started the final month of 2012, with a 4–1 defeat at local rivals Leicester City, after goals from Zak Whitbread, Martyn Waghorn and Dave Nugent twice, Theo Robinson scored for the Rams to make it 2–1 before half time.

A week later, Derby took on Leeds United, with the Rams taking the lead through Sammon on 15 minutes, the visitor equalised on the stroke of half time through former Ram Paul Green, before Jake Buxton scored to make it 2–1 on 66 minutes, late substitute Ben Davies made sure the win was secured in stoppage time as Derby 3–1, the club's eighth win in a row against the Yorkshire club.

Derby ended a run of four away defeats in a row with a 2–0 victory at Bristol City after two first half goals from Jeff Hendrick on 34 minutes and Craig Bryson on 36.

Valentin Gjokaj's loan Carlisle United was cut short by two weeks after he was recalled by Derby, the Swiss defender only made on appearance in the FA Cup for The Cumbrians.

Nineteen-year-old Polish youth international defender and striker Kane Richards were both released from the club without making a first team appearance.

Derby ended their January fixtures with a FA Cup fourth round tie at home to Blackburn Rovers, with Rams falling behind after 44 minutes with a Colin Kazim-Richards strike, Scott Dann got a second on 66, Jordan Rhodes made it 0–3 on 71.

Theo Robinson who lost his place in the starting 11 to Conor Sammon and Jamie Ward joined fellow Championship side Huddersfield Town on a loan until the end of the season.

A week later, Derby took on local rivals at Leicester City at home hoping to end an 8-game run without a win and led 2–0 at half time through Richard Keogh on 16 minutes and Chris Martin with his first for the club on 44.

[105] Derby ended the month with an Easter Friday meeting at home with bottom of the table Bristol City, Jamie Ward had a 3rd-minute penalty saved by Tom Heaton, Jeff Hendrick opened the scoring with his tenth goal for the club and his seventh of the season on 36 minutes, Ward made it 2–0 in the second half on 54 minutes, substitute Ben Davies got his third goal of the league season in stoppage to ensure a 3–0 win for Derby.

Derby concluded their away fixtures with a tie at fellow midtable side Blackpool winning 1–0 at half-time through Gary Taylor-Fletcher, Tom Ince also missed a penalty for the hosts in the first half, substitute Ben Davies made it 1–1 on 65 minutes before Ludovic Sylvestre got a late winner for the hosts as Derby lost their 12th away game in 23 games.

After this game, loan left-back Craig Forsyth was re-called by promotion chasing Watford[107] whilst the club offered a one-year contract to Ben Davies.

[109] As the season drew to a close, the club were linked with a number of players, including Birmingham City winger Chris Burke, Blackpool defender Alex Baptiste, former loanee Craig Forsyth, the on-loan Chris Martin, Norwich City striker James Vaughan and former Derby goalkeeper Lee Grant.

There were also trips to Burton Albion, Northampton Town, Colchester United with the set of friendlies completed with a game at Chesterfield on 11 August.