Derby County boss Frank Lampard admitted that his side’s dramatic Championship playoff semi-final victory over Leeds United was all the sweeter because of the Spygate controversy earlier this season.
The Rams recovered from losing the first leg 1-0 at Pride Park on Saturday to beat Marcelo Bielsa’s side 4-2 on Tuesday night, making it through to Wembley 4-3 on aggregate.
Substitute Jack Marriott scored his second of the game five minutes from time to send the Rams through, and deliver the ultimate revenge following that January controversy that featured Bielsa admitting he had sent a member of staff to spy on Derby’s training methods shortly before facing them.
The eccentric Argentinean ended up explaining his move, and later hosted a detailed press conference for over an hour explaining some of his methods.
(Image: PA)
Some Leeds supporters mocked Lampard and Derby for their reaction to the revelation, with fans filmed singing a song about the former Chelsea and England midfielder “crying” after the weekend’s first leg.
After winning at Elland Road, Derby’s players could be seen miming the wearing of binoculars in front of their fans.
Lampard’s side will face Aston Villa – for whom his ex-Chelsea teammate John Terry is assistant manager – for a place in the Premier League on May 27, and when it was put to him that the win was all the sweeter because it was against Leeds, Lampard agreed.
(Image: Action Images via Reuters)
“Maybe, maybe. I’m not gonna lie maybe it is,” he told Sky Sports.
“I heard a lot of people saying that we were crying about Spygate but I haven’t thought about Spygate for a long time.
“We played them, we prepared, and we got a result.”
(Image: Matt West/BPI/REX)
Lampard added that the spirit within his side will serve them in good stead against Villa.
“Everyone had written us off,” he continued. “Everyone thinks they’re beating us three times.
“There’s work to do, we’re underdogs again.
“We’ll have a tough game a Wembley against a brilliant Villa team, but we’re there.”
