DERBY County are set to make new additions to their board in the next few weeks.

The additions are likely to be some of the previously unnamed investors behind the £50m takeover of the club in January.

American company General Sports and Entertainment, headed by Rams chairman Andy Appleby, owns 93 per cent of the club's shares and Adam Pearson, the Rams' chairman of football, seven per cent.

GSE are managing the investment of a consortium they brought together but the identity of the investors within the consortium has remained under wraps.

The investors have so far preferred to stay in the background, although they have attended matches, but now some of their expertise could be used in the boardroom.

News of a possible reshaping of the board at Pride Park comes after the club announced that former chairman Peter Gadsby had left his position as non-executive director.

A club spokesman said: “The change is part of a freshening up of the board and there will be more announcements to be made over the next few weeks.”

Gadsby headed a consortium of local businessmen that rescued the club from financial ruin in late April 2006.

He and fellow-directors Mike Horton, Mel Morris, John Kirkland, Don Amott and Peter Marples reduced the debt and put the club on the road to recovery.

Promotion from the Championship arrived in their first season but Gadsby said he found himself working almost full-time in the role of chairman when he has substantial business interests of his own.

In October 2007, he stepped down as chairman and handed the role to new board member Adam Pearson, who purchased a large chunk of Gadsby's shares to become the leading shareholder at the club.

Gadsby (pictured) said he felt the time was right to take more of a back seat.

He remained on the board and Pearson took on the day-to-day running of the club and set off in search of external investment.

That investment arrived in the shape of the American takeover.

A new-look board was created and members of the previous board stepped down but Gadsby and Amott were reappointed as non-executive directors with the club.

Gadsby's contribution to the Rams has been praised by Appleby.

“Peter Gadsby has a long and proud association with Derby County and I have no doubt he will continue to support the club in a positive manner, as he has done for many years,” said Appleby.

“I would like to put on record my personal thanks to Peter for the work and support he gave in helping to bring myself and the new ownership of Derby County to this great club.”