Staff at the Derby Evening Telegraph worked into the early hours to mark Derby County’s return to the Premiership, and meet the anticipated demand from fans eager to read about play-off success.

Derby secured a 1-0 win over West Bromwich Albion in Monday’s Championship play-off final at Wembley, a result which saw the Telegraph go to town with 20 pages of news, views, analysis and pictures.

The match was worth some £60m, with promoted clubs guaranteed at least £35m revenue in prize money and TV revenue, wherever they finish in the league, plus two years of “parachute payments” of £12m should they be relegated again.

Photographers from the paper were out in force, with three at Wembley and the players’ hotel and three covering fans’ reaction in pubs across Derby. News, sport and feature writers covered the proceedings at home and away too.

This was backed up by a full production team in the Telegraph’s office, which prepared coverage for the paper’s regular first edition 3am print run as well as updates at www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk and www.therams.co.uk

Editor Steve Hall said several thousand extra copies of the first edition had been printed to try to meet anticipated demand.

He said: “We had a ten per cent sales increase the day after the second leg on the semi-final.

“This time the paper was out on the streets at 6am and at 8am we had our first call from an outlet which had sold out.”

Monday’s coverage included reaction from some of the 34,000 Derby fans at Wembley as well as those celebrating in packed pubs in Derby.

The back pages included a full match report as well as reaction from the team, and there was also an eight-page souvenir picture special.

Today a further 20 pages were planned, including pictures of the team’s open top bus victory tour, and a further souvenir supplement is planned for next week in addition to the two produced for the semi-final.

Steve said: “The club has exceeded all expectations. Last season they were flirting with relegation – this is phenomenal for the city.”

The editor also praised the efforts and the attitude of his own team at the paper.

He said: “They have worked incredibly hard to deliver top-notch coverage and the sales success is befitting of the incredible work put in.” Do you have a story about the regional press?
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