gfs1ram

Thanks guys! I personally am fully on board the Evatt train. He took us over when we had unpaid players, a low wage cap and has got us promoted from league 2 and competing to get back to the championship, bringing on younger players, playing nice football. A lot of our morons suggesting we should sack him if we don't go up but I don't see what that achieves personally, we've got better every year he's been in charge and that's despite losing James Trafford and Conor Bradley last summer who both have played regularly in the premier league this season. I'm dreading that it's Barnsley in the semis, they will limit our away allocation to 2000 again I imagine (but at least we're home 2nd leg this time) and we'll have played them 10 times in 3 seasons after these 2 games (won once and lost twice of the 8 so far) so I expect a nervy tight game. Having thumps Oxford 5-0 a couple of months ago I quite fancied them. We will see! I agree that we're probs the better team of the 4 but we all know that means very little in the playoffs so we need to be on it and hopefully our strikers take their chances when they come. Bet you're all so relieved it's done and dusted and can relax and wait for fixture release day now haha

Hi all,
I just wanted to pop on and say congrats on a successful season and well deserved promotion. I know there's been some ill feeling between fans, mostly on the toxic social media platforms (not helped by a large number of idiots of which we at Bolton have f****** loads). I've scanned through your forum and a few others to regularly to check in on the thoughts of some of our promotion rivals over the season and as forums go, this one is generally positive and full of good and honest opinions. We have another fan called Wanderlust who often peruses the various forums and I feel he is a good fan for honest opinions too. I hope we can join you, I'm sure there's plenty of you hoping we stumble and end up stuck in L1 for at least another year, mainly for the fans who've been making stupid excuses for us not winning points this season. Reality is, you and Pompey were the most consistent teams over the season and thoroughly deserve your promotion, so well done and good luck in the championship next year. With your stadium and fanbase and what your fans have been through (trust me, I know what it feels like too), you deserve some good times now!
 
All the best gents (and ladies)

Lots of short memories here from the people wanting to release Fozzy. It’s barely a matter of weeks since his 90 minutes against Bolton did arguably as much as any other performance by any other player at any point in the season to get us promoted.
Sure, he’s getting on and may no longer be a starter in the Championship, but it takes more than eleven players to see out a season and I can’t see him letting us down.

Sadly this will be my last match today. My first was in 1956 as a 13year old, My dad used to take me before that but he stopped going when we went down to the third division north. My mate and I would catch the 12 oclock bus from Melbourne and be the first in the ground. We stood in the Normanton end pigeon loft, I think it was 3 shilling. To this day I remember that team. We were champions in 1957 and I ran onto the pitch after the last match against Southport, Ray Straw scored 37 goals that season, The next ten years saw me start work, get married and have two children, I had moved to Derby, and after my family, the Rams were the most important thing in my life I never missed a home game in those ten years even though we were only an average second division side. And then in 1966 after England won the world cup my mate and I decided to have a season ticket, Little did we know what would happen that season, I was at work one day and a Rams supporting work mate told me we had signed a player from Bradford Park Avenue, his name was Kevin Hector I'd never heard of him but he was without doubt the most wonderful footballer to grace the Baseball Ground I had ever seen, and because of this we wanted to see more players like him which led to Tim Ward getting the sack and BC becoming Manager, what followed was ten years of unbelievable success and enjoyment. And then things started to go wrong off and on the pitch and I stopped being a season ticket holder during Peter Taylors time as manager, i still loved The Rams of course and when I turned 65 and retired my old mate from Melbourne and I bought season tickets again. But sadly covid left my best friend of 80 years with a dementia problem and he know no longer knows me. For the last two seasons I have been going alone to the match but its just not the same for me. Therefore I am calling it a day, as I write this I am welling up as I will do this afternoon. Thank you Derby County for every thing I will love you till I die.     

Two strange things today that you just know in your gut are meant ,,,, I rarely look at the video screen , I don’t know why I looked but I did and there it was ,,,, be more B4 and a short while later I looked over again and I saw a solitary ballon floating high above the stand above the video screen ,, don’t give a poop if anybody thinks I’m a soppy old bugger or it’s just coincidental,,, but when you know you know ,,, thanks for being around us all B4 ❤️

Today was bitter-sweet in many ways, as I kept thinking of Daniel's pure, unadulterated joy on being part of this promotion day. 
Wonderful that the Club acknowledged his contribution,  and B4 will always be part of our heritage now.
🐏⚽️🐏⚽️🐏⚽️

I only found out it was happening about 30 seconds before. Lovely touch from the club. 

Respect

Good luck for this afternoon, I hope you get it over the line for a number of reasons, and the odds are in your favour.
I hope you don't mind an outsider saying this, and I'm sure you all know this, but regardless of any euphoria or disappointment tomorrow, you'll all still be proud supporters - as b4 was, and is. As someone who read on here for a while before I registered/posted and saw lots of his comments when you were in a bad place;  I stand by the fact that whoever we support, we could all do well by being a bit more like him, when it comes to our clubs.

How do I play these beauties?!

He didn't fully deliver at Derby but he was great in spells.
Sad time to join, Mackay's Derby really needed a striker to replace Franny Lee. Then Mackay was pushed out and the decline was underway...... The Doc completed it with a bang. Leighton James was not the only one to suffer..... Well, we all did. 
Anyway, Leighton, thanks for some happy memories RIP Ram 🐏 

Straight from the horses/footballers mouths:
Wildsmith was asked about rumours of him leaving Derby. He has not yet been offered a new contract. 
Ebou and his missus are absolutely loving everything about Derby. He said there are several things that need to fall into place about signing but seemed positive. He is the loveliest down to earth person. Didn’t stop smiling all night. If we need to forcefully restrain him to keep him here count me in! He doesn’t mind the Ebou chant sounding like booing. 
Dwight Gayle is recovering well and hoping to be back next week.
Max Bird still very much focused on the next too games, despite moving on. 
Nathaniel Mendez-Laing smells very nice
 
 
 
 

What a brilliant night! Dan (B4) and Angie Vallance received the Alfreton supporters award.  I almost missed it as I was in the loo 😂 the glass award is lovely and will have pride of place in my parents house. The players looked visibly touched when it was announced Dan and Angie were being awarded posthumously. It was lovely to see so over 200 people there to celebrate DCFC and those who love the club. I had no idea what to expect but it was amazing. Lovely food and company. I had no idea the players and David Clowes would be there, so that was a lovely surprise. 

Well mate, we gave it a bloody good go!
Congratulations to Pompey for finishing in top spot, and here's to us joining them in promotion, very, very soon!  🐏
 

No. 
Even if we beat Cambridge I won’t be tempting fate (too many years of being a Derby fan I guess).
I fully expect Bolton to win their two home games this week meaning it will all be decided on the last day ideally with us still a point ahead rather than one or two points behind.
Beat Cambridge and 3 or 4 nil up against Carlisle going into time added on and I might finally allow myself to believe. 😀

Those seasons all had one thing in common, a lack of widespread social media.
The moaners and the WUMs never had a platform in those years beyond their own small social circle.
I'm sure that I would have been a lot happier this season, if I hadn't constantly reading some of the negative rubbish on here. But I like to read and write about the Rams with a vast majority of the fans on here and so put up with it. My way of combating it, is to have a few days away from the forum after a defeat or particularly poor display.

Before others go off on tonight's matchthread tangent, I just wanted to say what an enjoyable afternoon at Pride Park. A cracking atmosphere, good football and a deserved win. 
I  had assumed Warne would revert to a back three, simply because it allows Sibley and Wilson to get forward more. I thought both were excellent,  but it was the inclusion of Thommo that made all the difference.  It gave us a midfield three with tenacity and bite. As a result, all the other parts of the team played better than midweek. Collins, especially,  looked so much better in the role today, and although Mendez-Laing's traditional wing play is sacrificed in this formation, he managed to get out wide at times, delivered good set pieces and could have had a couple of goals on the break.
Although I loved the set-piece goals, I do wish we could finish some of our chances created in open play, as it would do our confidence the world of good. 
Still, the defence was excellent,  snuffing out the few chances that Orient created, and providing the goals, too. 
It was difficult to choose a MOTM today as there are so many contenders. 
And as Warne said afterwards, no further injuries. 
Results went our way so automatic promotion is back in our hands. Play like this for the last two games and we are there! 
 

No words needed.

And can you fudge Collins's scan so that he is not out for the season. Please. Thank you.👍

We had Harry Wilson on loan and he was worth 50 million 😉

Was gonna do my usual morning after post on the game but what’s the point , better to quietly enjoy it and try to ignore the derby / warne are rubbish posts🤷🏻‍♂️

Watched on Sky
1Wildsmith                     5.5   Not a lot to do but shaky from the off.
2Wilson                          6      Steady performance
35Nelson                       7.5    Usual self
6Cashin                         7       Did well
17Sibley                         7       Tough winger but did well.
23Ward                          8       Excellent goals
16Thompson                 6       Energetic as usual
12Smith                         7.5     Solid performance
4Hourihane                   6
32Adams                      7.5     Usual self. Good battling performance 
27Blackett-Taylor        7.5     Best game in Derby shirt. Lively, looked dangerous.
14Washington               6
11Méndez-Laing           6       Solid but lacking his early season form
9Collins                         6.5     Physical ands put himself about. Good to see him back.
10Waghorn                   6
Good performance. Unlucky. Goals offside? and Handball?  Although thought the ref did well.
 

Ah yes, a solid point away from home this evening so of course you’ve rode in on your horse to be dismissive about yet another result for the club you allegedly support 🙄 
 
We created and scored 2 goals, they created and scored 2 goals. It was a draw, a deserved one. 

ATG.
1Wildsmith                         6.5    Did what he had to do well.  Hope he stays.
2Wilson                              7       Good performance
35Nelson                           8       Back to his best.
6Cashin                             7.5     Solid
17Sibley                             7        Much better today. Some good corners. Good cross that led to the goal
23Ward                              7       Took 20 minutes but then settled well linking with Wilson.
10Waghorn                        6
32Adams                           7.5     Super goal. Energetic. Normal service resumed.
12Smith                              7       Added much needed energy and security to midfield.
4Hourihane                       6
27Blackett-Taylor             7        His best 60 minutes. Lively and looked dangerous at times. More to come.
16Thompson                     6.5     Usual Thompson. Energetic and lively.
11Méndez-Laing               6.5     Did ok but not fully fit to me. Indicated hammy problems again. Hopefully nothing too serious.
22Fornah                           6        Thought he did ok.
14Washington                   4        Clearly not fully fit. Gets extra point for that but for me disappointing. Missed good chance.
9Collins                             6.5      Good to see him back and I thought he did well. Lively and physical. Needed for final 5 games.
 
They say a week is a long time in football. Was really disappointed seeing them at Northampton but enjoyed yesterday's game. Energy  and effort were back. Defended well. Tactics worked letting them have the ball although as the home team it would have been nice to see more attacking. Great result that's all that matters.
 

Pompey fan, in peace.  I read (a lot) and posted (a little) when you were having issues with the ownership.
I just wanted to pass on my belated condolences for B4's passing - as an outsider it was clear how much he cared about your club.  It's lovely to see how much warmth he commands and how he's being remembered.
I'm sure it doesn't need explaining that I hope my club gets up, but having read some of this thread I hope you manage to make it up with us.  It's also a great reminder that football clubs are all about the people who support them.  Raising a glass to Daniel this evening.