After Derby County clinched the Second Division Championship in April 1969, the celebrations went on for weeks. As part of that, the players toured Derbyshire on an open-topped bus to show off their silverware to fans across the county. That trip is recalled fondly here by Kevin Hector and John O'Hare, in rare interviews with Pat Parkin about the glory days of the 1960s.

RAMS hero Kevin 'the King' Hector remembers the 1969 promotion celebrations as if they were yesterday.

"That trip on an open- topped bus was amazing," he said. "It's the thing I remember most about that time. We had a fantastic season, ending with I don't remember how many wins. Then, when the football was over, we went on the bus for a victory tour.

"It started from the Derby Mayor's Parlour and went all the way up to the County Council offices in Matlock.

"The streets all along the route were lined with cheering fans as we passed through Duffield, Belper, Wirksworth, Cromford and Matlock Bath. We couldn't believe the support people gave us – that is something you could never forget. Even though we won the First Division twice afterwards, we never made another trip like that one. The celebrations seemed to go on forever – parties and dinners and the like. They went on for at least a month."

Kevin was already a Rams player when Brian Clough arrived at the Baseball Ground.

"When Brian Clough and Peter Taylor took over Derby County. they came with quite a reputation and all the players were a bit apprehensive about what was going to happen," Kevin admitted. Within two weeks, several had received their marching orders.

"Me, Colin Boulton, Ron Webster and Alan Durban were the younger ones and we survived," said Kevin. "In the beginning, everyone was nervous because of what they had heard about Brian Clough and certainly one or two older ones felt threatened.

"It was obvious there were going to be a lot of changes. I suppose, when he came, it was something like what happened when he went to Leeds Utd, except we weren't at their standard. We were a group of Second Division players who hadn't won a thing, while Leeds were the best team in the country."

However, it quickly became obvious that things were going to change for the better because of the great signings the duo made.

"That was the start," said Kevin. "They signed all these young players, mostly unknowns, who turned into great players. Us four from the old team mixed in well and, though some had a real fear of Brian, as long as you played well for him, you were OK.

"He had some funny ways, like winding you up just before a match so you would play well. It often worked but sometimes that sort of thing could get you too wound up on the pitch – that was where Peter would move in and cool a player down. They were an excellent pair and worked well together.

"They were great pals, Brian with his one-liners and personality and Peter the joker. They complemented each other. That last season in Division Two went so well, we won the league comfortably. Most of us had won nothing until then so you can imagine how great it all was," said Kevin, who later became a postman and now lives in retirement with wife Pat in Allestree.

One of his team mates in 1969 was John O'Hare – the player who knew Old Big 'Ead the longest. John was a 16-year-old apprentice at Sunderland when Clough was the team's star player.

"He was always a loner, very driven," said John. "He would do his training then leave straight away. He didn't mix much. I always felt he was going to be successful, so when he signed me from Sunderland after he took over as Derby manager, I felt sure it would be a good move for me."

The first settling-in season was forgettable but, a year later, Dave Mackay and Willie Carlin arrived "and that's when I was sure we were going to be successful. Brian was mad with ambition and I wanted to be a part of it all".

Having won the league twice with Derby County and two European Cup medals with Nottingham Forest, O'Hare has many great memories. And yet, he still remembers those early days with the Rams and the excitement 40 years ago, when they completed their domination of the Second Division with a 5-1 win against Bolton on April 5, 1969.

In those days, Derby's Midland Hotel was the focal point for Rams celebrations. "We had great parties there and the team usually stayed there on a Friday night before a home match on Saturday. Then we walked to the ground together, mixing and chatting with the crowds. It was great. When I first came to Derby I was amazed at the support. There can't be many places which have better fans. Even so, in 1969, the whole town came alive, everyone was celebrating and that was the beginning of the good times."

After Clough left Derby and took over at Leeds Utd, his first signing was O'Hare. John recalls: "Almost immediately, I sensed things were not going to work.

"I went home and told my wife, Val, that I didn't think Brian would last very long. He didn't hold back in what he said to people. Perhaps he would have been better to try to win the players over. It was such a shame that he only lasted six weeks."

When Clough took over at Nottingham Forest, he again signed O'Hare. Injuries forced him to retire in 1981 and he is now a scout for his old playing pal Martin O'Neill, manager of Aston Villa. He and Val live in Ockbrook.