However a run of four straight defeats - all against teams occupying the top six - ended any hopes of a third consecutive playoff campaign as they finished six points behind Swansea City in 6th.

[3] Lampard was officially appointed as Chelsea's head coach on 4 July, after just one year at Derby[4] and Phillip Cocu was confirmed as his replacement the next day, becoming the first foreign manager in the club's 136-year history.

[11] Following their failure to gain promotion the previous campaign, Derby set about reshaping the squad with three first team players, former club-record signing Bradley Johnson, Nick Blackman and Jacob Butterfield, leaving the club to join Blackburn Rovers,[12] Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Three players joined the club, Everton midfielder Kieran Dowell[15] and Brighton & Hove Albion defender Matthew Clarke[16] on season-long loans, with the sole permanent signing being Arsenal's Krystian Bielik for a potential club-record fee.

[17] Derby started the season with a 2–1 victory away to recently relegated Huddersfield Town, with the result itself coming against a backdrop of rumours that Manchester United and England all-time leading scorer Wayne Rooney was on his way to the club on a player-coach deal.

[23] On 14 June 2020, ahead of the season's resumption following the enforced break during the COVID-19 pandemic, Derby County played two friendlies at Pride Park against fellow EFL Championship side Stoke City.

On 13 March 2020, all professional football fixtures in the United Kingdom, including those of Derby County, were postponed until at least 3 April 2020 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.