January is coming, and fans up and down the Football League know what that means: the transfer window is about to open. This is when everyone hopes that also-rans will be turned into contenders by the addition of a few carefully chosen players.

Even if a club has no money. Even if a club already has thirty seven full time professionals. Luckily for Rams fans, it’s a little different this time.

Most of us recognize that the club does not need all that much help. Long winning streaks will do that. And any players who will improve this team will not be cheap. But I still think we need help, and I would like us to bring in one or two defenders, and probably a midfield player.

But there is definitely a downside to transfer market activity. I've written before in this column that I think the transfer market is a dangerous place.

Poorly chosen signings can push a club to the brink of financial disaster, and leave the club uncompetitive for several years. We know, because it’s happened in our recent history.

Before we get excited about who might be coming in January, let's trip down memory lane. Let's cast our minds back six years, to the January transfer window of 2007.

Billy Davies was manager, and a win at Preston on New Year's Day put us in second place in the Championship. After doing poorly the previous season, we looked capable of challenging for promotion; perhaps even an automatic place.

I (and many Rams fans) thought we needed to reinforce the striking department, where we pretty much had only Steve Howard; and at centre back where we had used mainly Dean Leacock and Darren Moore.

So what did we get that January? Full backs and wingers; in an unending stream.

Even for someone like me, who tends to take a positive view of every signing we make - at least when they arrive - the throng of new players began to get worrying after a while.

Who were all these players?

Where was all the money coming from?

Would they be any use if we were to be promoted?

Do we really need so many of them?

Why are their clubs so eager to let them go?

Here is a thumbnail sketch of the horde of players who arrived that January, for those of you lucky enough to have to erase it from their memory:

Ty Mears: Full Back - Cost us about £600,000 from West Ham. One of the few in this group who looked as though he could play; but played only a handful of games for the Rams. Had a decent spell at Burnley after leaving us, but is currently at Bolton and not playing much.

Jay McEvely: Full Back - Signed from Blackburn for £600,000. The kindest thing to say about Jay is that he never remotely looked the part. Eventually made 77 League starts for the Rams, largely because he wouldn't go away. Currently 28 and in his prime, he's playing regularly for Swindon.

David Jones: Midfielder - Signed from Manchester United for £1,000,000. He looked a decent player at first, but quickly became irrelevant. He's not done badly since leaving the Rams, and is currently playing regularly for Burnley.

Gary Teale: Winger - Signed from Wigan for £600,000. He was never likely to be the answer to Derby's needs, and he didn't catch on at Derby; but played bits of several seasons until 2010. Now 35, he is turning out for St. Mirren.

Craig Fagan: Attacking Mid / Forward (we think!?) - A man with little pedigree and no apparent position who was signed from Hull for £750,000. He made 29 League starts for the Rams, and left to great sighs of relief to rejoin Hull. At 31, he was last heard of playing for Gillingham.

Stephen Pearson Ineffective Midfielder - Signed from Celtic for £750,000. He managed to stick around for five years at Derby and besides "that goal" he delivered little as injuries and inability limited him to 92 League starts. At 31, he is currently with lowly Bristol City, but has not featured this season.

Jon Macken: Striker - Had had a decent career with Preston, before being signed by the Rams for no apparent reason. He rarely appeared for us, but went on to do fairly well with Barnsley. Now 36, he was last heard of playing for Stockport.

That lot is why I always shudder just a little when people talk of the transfer window. Together they cost us over £4,000,000, and cumulatively made almost no impact at Derby.

They are a large part of the Rams' embarrassment the following season, yet they were supposed to be the backbone of the team that was to take us to promotion, and then put the frighteners on the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea.

It’s telling that as a group, they have largely faded away since leaving the Rams.

In hindsight, it’s hard to imagine what the manager was thinking about during that transfer window six years ago.

It can't have been football.

Photo: Action Images

Queens Park Rangers Polls