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to the Derby squad to cover for absentees, meant Billy Davies had to be content with another shot at the play-offs, but victories over Southampton and West Bromwich Albion confirmed Derby's elevation to the elite.

But the Premier League experience has proved to be a step too far as things stand, and Davies has paid the price with his job.

Looking like rabbits in the headlights, Derby have suffered humiliating humblings at the hands of Arsenal and Liverpool, and were thrashed 5-0 at home to West Ham recently.

Chris Perry, then of West Brom, said Derby had no quality apart from teenage star Giles Barnes.

We're still waiting if the highly touted Barnes can make the step up - reduced to cameo appearances by a serious foot injury for much of the season and subject to transfer rumours, with Tottenham and West Ham interested.

You could argue that Davies hasn't helped matters by regularly leaving out record signing Rob Earnshaw, and by consistently bemoaning the lack of talent at his disposal - however true, a statement which wouldn't have gone down to well in the dressing room.

But the truth is that, just by being in the Premier League, Derby are clearly punching above their weight.

They were in the middle of a massive rebuilding process as they were challenging last year after years of under-achievement, and their success has led to unfair raised expectations at all levels at the club.

It also shows the danger of falling out with the owner - Rafa Benitez is on the brink after criticising the American owners at Liverpool, and we all know what happened to Mourinho.

Once Davies decided to cross the Derby hierarchy - not for the first time after falling out with the board at various stages during last season - there was only ever going to be one winner.

And that man wasn't going to be Billy Davies, no matter how many miracles he managed to pull off.

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