The club was founded in 1884, by William Morley, as an offshoot of Derbyshire County Cricket Club; it has spent all but six seasons in the top two divisions of the English football league.
The club's competitive peak came in the 1970s when it had two spells as English League Champions and competed in major European competitions on four separate occasions, reaching the European Cup semi-finals, as well as winning 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.
Since 2024, Derby competes in the third tier of English football, Championship, after promotion from the League One.