Derby County: Watford FC loanee's League Cup heroics papered over Championship struggles | OneFootball

The forward was electric in the cup, while his league form failed to take off.

The 2008/09 season remains one of the most important in Derby County's 141-year existence, with the club returning to the Championship from a dismal Premier League campaign, in which they picked up just 11 points.

Paul Jewell continued to lead the side, despite his failure to pick up a league win during his tenure at Pride Park, and the summer transfer window proved to be a busy one as the Rams brought in 16 new faces while 12 players departed.

However, what had been a positive few months between May and August quickly turned back into a nightmare that never seemed to be ending as the East Midlands outfit ended their first month back in the second tier at the bottom of the table.

Despite this, Derby remained competitive in the League Cup, and one of Jewell's additions in the summer was proving to have quite a say in the competition.

Nathan Ellington inspired Derby to great success in the League Cup

The Rams needed something to celebrate at some point, and after winning just one match in 2008, a victory on penalties over Sheffield Wednesday in an FA Cup third round replay, the other cup competition proved to be a safe haven for the club.

Derby ran out 3-1 winners in extra-time against Lincoln City in the first round, with Nathan Ellington lighting up Pride Park with a spectacular hat-trick to send his team through.

It was a statement performance from the striker, as he had only been signed by Jewell earlier in the summer on loan from Watford FC.

He missed out on featuring against Preston North End in round two, but Paul Green's first-half strike at Deepdale ensured that the Rams' journey continued as the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United entered the tournament.

Derby continued to avoid the big clubs, facing League One side Brighton & Hove Albion and putting the Seagulls to the sword. Ellington fired in once again, while Emmanuel Villa scored a hat-trick of his own in a fantastic 4-1 win.

Ellington kept firing in the cup, but his Championship form was poor

The Rams faced Leeds United at home in the round of 16, and there was a subtle confidence growing as they played another team in the league below them. They scored twice early on to take the game away from the Whites, who did respond, but Jewell's side were able to book themselves into the quarter-final.

Despite this form in the League Cup, Ellington was not able to transmit it into the Championship, and by the time he had scored his fifth goal in the cup against Leeds, he had found the back of the net only once in the second tier.

Derby had picked up in the league themselves, however, and they were pushing towards the top half of the table, but supporters were keen to see where they were heading in the knockout tournament.

A trip to Premier League new boys Stoke City awaited them, and after a tight and extremely tense tie, the Rams were awarded a penalty in the final minute of the game. Ellington stepped up and finished with aplomb to send the 5,000 travelling fans into a state of pure delirium, setting up a date with Man United in the semi-finals in the process.

However, he missed out on playing in either leg due to injury and failed to add to his Derby tally in all competitions after scoring twice against Charlton Athletic just a couple of weeks before his Potters exploits.

Nevertheless, few will ever forget the impact that Ellington had during his season at Pride Park, and his Championship struggles will always be ignored after that night in Staffordshire, which gave Derby a memory to look back on fondly rather than the aforementioned Premier League one that hangs over them.