Cb1289

If stadiums become empty, football clubs only have themselves to blame.
It starts from the top, the clubs that are paying over a quarter a million a week for one player.
The knock on effect which has seen clubs outside the top flight losing millions each season.
Clubs which don’t have the mega TV deals and up the ticket prices making the game unaffordable.
This is ultimately what will see grounds empty when more fans can no longer justify the cost.
Covid should have been the reset football needed, it’s a massive missed opportunity.
Mbappe leaving PSG in the summer will set a new bar as to what players can earn, as average players start becoming millionaires after a months work.
It’s broken and it’s nothing to do with the 3pm blackout. 

If you'd been married you'd know that you wouldn't be the one doing the cutting. 

Brilliant!
@David, You're in.
Congratulations.  

Saturday 2nd March, Pride Park, 1500h
 
Form Guide
Derby: Crap and uninspiring
Vale: Even worse
 
Recent History
The three meetings between the sides since Derby were relegated have all been won by the visiting side. Each match has been won by a single goal margin.
 
Aspirations
Derby are doing their best to blow their chances of automatic promotion. Vale are trying their utmost to fall into the bottom four.
 
COYR
 
 

Just seen Madley in a pub in Barnsley. Having a pint with Toby Tyke. Wearing full Barnsley kit, cleaning his red cards, and he was practicing how to write "Mendez-Laing" in a little black book. On the dart board was a ram.
Make of that what you will.

Many countries/cities have cheap transit systems to get folk to work quickly and efficiently. There are many examples to look up but its also common sense really when you think about it.
One example,
My factory really struggles to recruit because you cannot get to Uttoxeter by bus or train for shift start and finish times. Working 9-5 is fine but all production line jobs are 6-2, 2-10 or 7-7 shifts and impossible without a car. A lot of applicants don't have their own transport.
Cheap and efficient transit systems, running at times to suit shift workers would benefit both employers and workers, giving the latter more options.

Travelling by train is soul-destroying. It’s a case of paying through the nose to be treated as an afterthought.
If you compare pricing v service provided, the public are being massively shortchanged. The pricing system is farcical and illogical. You will encounter cancellations, delays, breakdowns, strikes, and overcrowded, dirty, uncomfortable trains on a very regular basis.
As a daily commuter to and from work, not a week goes by without some kind of issue. Some weeks it will be an everyday occurrence.
Now imagine being a football fan and let’s be honest, travelling by train doesn’t bear thinking about.

You do realise that a lot of 'peak' train fares are priced to actively discourage us great unwashed to use them?
I also take issue with the term 'politically motivated strikes'. I'd say not having a pay rise in 3 or 4 years with inflation at 10%+ (and more for food) has f*** all to do with politics. The TOC's (under the guise of the Ministry of Transport, but say it quietly) is also trying to change the drivers T&C's such that they can change their shift start/end time by +/- SIX hours at short notice (I believe its current +/- three hours).
For balance, I've no connection whatsoever to the rail industry, any union or a political party, I'd just like to see a more even society, where the boss doesn't earn the bog cleaners entire wage by lunchtime on 2nd January.

Interesting responses from those of you that use railways regularly,  you seem fairly content with the prices and service.
But factor in a second person, and the road prices always work out much cheaper. I travel with a partner, and rail just isn't an affordable option for us.
Not to mention the overcrowding, lack of facilities,  cancellations etc.

I still cannot fathom how the people who set the train prices think that £225 for a return ticket to London from Derby is a reasonable price to pay.
I know you can get it cheaper by booking specific train tickets a few weeks in advance but this is rarely practical and doesn't exactly encourage people to use the service.

I still cannot fathom how the people who set the train prices think that £225 for a return ticket to London from Derby is a reasonable price to pay.
I know you can get it cheaper by booking specific train tickets a few weeks in advance but this is rarely practical and doesn't exactly encourage people to use the service.

I still cannot fathom how the people who set the train prices think that £225 for a return ticket to London from Derby is a reasonable price to pay.
I know you can get it cheaper by booking specific train tickets a few weeks in advance but this is rarely practical and doesn't exactly encourage people to use the service.

All public transport should be run for the benefit of, well, the public. Its proven that cheap (or free) public transport is a benefit for the economy as a whole. It goes against the profit driven thinking but people who travel tend to spend money on their way and when they get there.
On race days at Uttoxeter they never put an extra coach on the train service. Its bonkers. There's often fights on the platforms after a race meeting because people can't squeeze on the trains to Derby or Stoke/Crewe. If train companies had to make a profit from customers they'd put an extra coach or two on for a couple of hours before or after each meeting. They obviously get government handouts for their shareholders without having to provide a service to satisfy their customers.
 

Surely there's one answer... make it affordable.

"Oooh, matron!", etc.

I like the way you use your own metrics to describe our position in the table.
Let's hope we don't get promoted in the automatics then find out we only had 1.97 and the fa decide to use Carl Sagan's system instead and send us back down,that would be so disappointing.

That’s what my wife says.

Not been the same for him since he cheated on Who wants to be a millionaire 😊

Warne Out Out Thread…….
”Your so quiet you sound like Nottingham”………

I have some very sad news this evening.  Daniel (B4) died earlier this week. He was just 38.
As you know, he has been battling numerous health conditions for a long time, but always remained cheerful  and was the most loyal supporter of his beloved Rams, home and away.
He was at the match at Crewe and gave his full support as always. 
Daniel leaves behind a grieving dad, mum and sister. Our thoughts go out to them and we only hope they get a little comfort from knowing how well loved Daniel is by all who know him. 
Here are a couple of photos that his dad agreed could be shared. I'm sure many of you have others, as Daniel loved a selfie at the game.
David is hoping to arrange a more fitting tribute in time, but for now please raise a glass in his memory and a good Derby win today. I am sure that's what Daniel would have been doing tonight.
 

I don't think it would be an exaggeration to say that I believe Tony Weston will single-handedly fire us back in to the Premier League within three seasons.

LiveScore app going 007 on us