RAM1966

I have just read the full article and if the Derby fans cannot appreciate what David Clowes has done, not only saving the club from oblivion but to restore the club's reputation with the EFL and other club's, then they don't deserve to be called Derby County supporters.
His integrity, passion, honesty and optimism for the club is unbounded and we should all thank him and his management team for saving the club.
To be within a matter of days, if not hours, of the club going out of existence, and to put together a business plan; a management team with the same attributes and inspirations, along with a set of young and aging players to compete for the play-off places, is nothing short of a miracle.
If we don't get promotion this season, the future of Derby County F.C. is in very safe hands and if, as David Clowes mentions, it might take 5 years, so be it, we have a club and team to support.
Thank you David Clowes and 'Long Live Derby County Football Club'

Efl will find something to keep them in place not able to compete in the champership I dont trust them and that why we should keep pressure on them.

As it stands, Paul Warne has the lowest percentage of defeats of any permanent Rams manager in history:
Here are the top 10:

 
 

Can we all agree to disown this t***? No matter the footballing advantage this may bring, this is disgusting behaviour that really shows us all up.
 

Well today we played best football I seen in very very long time spacil in the 2nd half they were outstanding and alright yes the first half we had to hang in there and credit to morecambe they match our game plan but like first half we created a number of chances. But I had one little lad behind only a couple seats away he sang with me and tried his best to match me on loudness. I am slowly creating a sing section. And at the end of the game I gave a little lad a fist pump as mark of respect. I dont think she like people getting behind the team. But back on topic I think one on one with the keeping and he was brought down by morecambe player brought the player down. I said to the people near he should have pulled the ball back let fly with a shot. But mins later macgoldick took beaty of free kick pull the ball back and hit it hard and low to far corner and said that what should done first time. And so pleased james collions to score that pently maybe now get firing again score more goals.
Can we catch Plymouth and wednesday hell yes we can and title fight is on.
Come on you rams.

Pretty sure there was agreed legislation that one EFL club was not allowed to take legal action against another outside their own arbitration.  Effectively, they did then side with these other clubs.  At any pint they could have threatened Boro and Wycombes  membership like they did with us on a bi monthly basis .  They could even have insisted that as part of any legislation Boro had to include Villa in any action.  Gibson, schoolyard bully that is, would never have gone for this as they would have pushed it to court.  They've set a precedent know and at some point their vindictiveness will take a huge bite from their arse.  Should start with these additional covid losses.  Would for example Stoke and Bristol City have the squads they currently have without rule change.  If they don't get relegated, should be fun and games in the summer as those that do start ripping apart the legislation.  We should ring Reading and join in. 

However re the tax which the country needs: when the Government can spend £32 billion on a Test and Trace system which never worked, write off £42 billion of furlough fraud and a similar amount for PPE fraud, all of which being recoverable should the Government want to, then the odd £25 million owed by Derby is not that big a figure.
I think the worst thing was all those local companies who lost out because of the mess we got into.

Sorry I have to disagree with some of this mate efl had in for us and clearly they took boro and wycombe side and did not want even want to help were they could have done. All they had to say to wycombe and boro and owner gibson and cougthin to back off and say we are dealing with derby and owner mel. And they continued your clubs will be punished too the only reason they did not do this because banker gibson threatened to sue them.
No other club been treated like this and I still think it is wrong even now clows has done a good job by sorting out the mess and debt but I think clows is still trying pay companies that missed out behind closed door and maybe offerd to give cut of promation money and hopeful it might clear the rest.
And me truly grateful toward clows we saved the club and me with out I dont know were I would be today I have to admit my own mentally health took a battering I was struggling at the time.
Once thank you clows
 

Maybe the EFL will close the loophole whereby owners of clubs can not only not have an interest other English clubs, but also any other clubs under FIFA jurisdiction. Maybe then clubs like the red dogs, Watford and Wolves will get punished for doing things that were legal at the time?

The point is there was a loop hole and clubs have been exploiting them until the EFL spotted and has closed them.  What's different in out case, is that a retrospective rule change was made after Admin accepted a punishment with no right of appeal.  They closed the loop on the straight line amortisation method, which means we did not break the rules, so how can we be punished? Not only that, they then relaxed the rules for covid reasons to help out other clubs, who may have been deducted points, could reading have fallen into this category for further points deductions?  Could we of stayed up had they not done this?
I agree with this, but, its also a regulators role to spot things that are going wrong in a timely manner, the EFL failed.  Rumour has it the EFL sanctioned the amortisation method we were using then changed their mind when Gibson threatened to sue the EFL!  They were too slow to act or we would of only had 1 seasons accounts to resubmit not 3 which compounded our issues!
The long and short of it Morris was far too cocky for his own good, he had the upper hand up to the point that we went into Admin which handed all the cards to the EFL.   Who threatened to keep us in Admin until we accepted a dam good thrashing.
Thankfully we still have a football club, that said though there needs to be an independent inquiry into the corrupt way that the EFL conducts its business.   The rule book needs to be tightened up to stop loop holes being exploited by some clubs, while others are absolutely hammered.
I'm grateful that we still have a football club and cannot thank David Clowes enough for his gift to the the people of Derby, his charitable act (Saving an insolvent business), which should not be forgotten, and in my view is worthy of an OBE for services to Football and the worldwide supporters of DCFC.  Lets petition our MPs to make this happen. 
Thank you David, your act of kindness will never be forgotten, we should name the North Stand after you, where you used to sit!

The point is there was a loop hole and clubs have been exploiting them until the EFL spotted and has closed them.  What's different in out case, is that a retrospective rule change was made after Admin accepted a punishment with no right of appeal.  They closed the loop on the straight line amortisation method, which means we did not break the rules, so how can we be punished? Not only that, they then relaxed the rules for covid reasons to help out other clubs, who may have been deducted points, could reading have fallen into this category for further points deductions?  Could we of stayed up had they not done this?
I agree with this, but, its also a regulators role to spot things that are going wrong in a timely manner, the EFL failed.  Rumour has it the EFL sanctioned the amortisation method we were using then changed their mind when Gibson threatened to sue the EFL!  They were too slow to act or we would of only had 1 seasons accounts to resubmit not 3 which compounded our issues!
The long and short of it Morris was far too cocky for his own good, he had the upper hand up to the point that we went into Admin which handed all the cards to the EFL.   Who threatened to keep us in Admin until we accepted a dam good thrashing.
Thankfully we still have a football club, that said though there needs to be an independent inquiry into the corrupt way that the EFL conducts its business.   The rule book needs to be tightened up to stop loop holes being exploited by some clubs, while others are absolutely hammered.
I'm grateful that we still have a football club and cannot thank David Clowes enough for his gift to the the people of Derby, his charitable act (Saving an insolvent business), which should not be forgotten, and in my view is worthy of an OBE for services to Football and the worldwide supporters of DCFC.  Lets petition our MPs to make this happen. 
Thank you David, your act of kindness will never be forgotten, we should name the North Stand after you, where you used to sit!

The point is there was a loop hole and clubs have been exploiting them until the EFL spotted and has closed them.  What's different in out case, is that a retrospective rule change was made after Admin accepted a punishment with no right of appeal.  They closed the loop on the straight line amortisation method, which means we did not break the rules, so how can we be punished? Not only that, they then relaxed the rules for covid reasons to help out other clubs, who may have been deducted points, could reading have fallen into this category for further points deductions?  Could we of stayed up had they not done this?
I agree with this, but, its also a regulators role to spot things that are going wrong in a timely manner, the EFL failed.  Rumour has it the EFL sanctioned the amortisation method we were using then changed their mind when Gibson threatened to sue the EFL!  They were too slow to act or we would of only had 1 seasons accounts to resubmit not 3 which compounded our issues!
The long and short of it Morris was far too cocky for his own good, he had the upper hand up to the point that we went into Admin which handed all the cards to the EFL.   Who threatened to keep us in Admin until we accepted a dam good thrashing.
Thankfully we still have a football club, that said though there needs to be an independent inquiry into the corrupt way that the EFL conducts its business.   The rule book needs to be tightened up to stop loop holes being exploited by some clubs, while others are absolutely hammered.
I'm grateful that we still have a football club and cannot thank David Clowes enough for his gift to the the people of Derby, his charitable act (Saving an insolvent business), which should not be forgotten, and in my view is worthy of an OBE for services to Football and the worldwide supporters of DCFC.  Lets petition our MPs to make this happen. 
Thank you David, your act of kindness will never be forgotten, we should name the North Stand after you, where you used to sit!

The point is there was a loop hole and clubs have been exploiting them until the EFL spotted and has closed them.  What's different in out case, is that a retrospective rule change was made after Admin accepted a punishment with no right of appeal.  They closed the loop on the straight line amortisation method, which means we did not break the rules, so how can we be punished? Not only that, they then relaxed the rules for covid reasons to help out other clubs, who may have been deducted points, could reading have fallen into this category for further points deductions?  Could we of stayed up had they not done this?
I agree with this, but, its also a regulators role to spot things that are going wrong in a timely manner, the EFL failed.  Rumour has it the EFL sanctioned the amortisation method we were using then changed their mind when Gibson threatened to sue the EFL!  They were too slow to act or we would of only had 1 seasons accounts to resubmit not 3 which compounded our issues!
The long and short of it Morris was far too cocky for his own good, he had the upper hand up to the point that we went into Admin which handed all the cards to the EFL.   Who threatened to keep us in Admin until we accepted a dam good thrashing.
Thankfully we still have a football club, that said though there needs to be an independent inquiry into the corrupt way that the EFL conducts its business.   The rule book needs to be tightened up to stop loop holes being exploited by some clubs, while others are absolutely hammered.
I'm grateful that we still have a football club and cannot thank David Clowes enough for his gift to the the people of Derby, his charitable act (Saving an insolvent business), which should not be forgotten, and in my view is worthy of an OBE for services to Football and the worldwide supporters of DCFC.  Lets petition our MPs to make this happen. 
Thank you David, your act of kindness will never be forgotten, we should name the North Stand after you, where you used to sit!

Best post ever. 
 
Good to see you from “Come on you Rams” mate. 

The amortisation (player depreciation) issue. It's a weird one. Under UK Government accounting rules (FRS102), the methodology used by DCFC under MM (he told the EFL he was going to use that method in 2015, why did it take them 4 years to decide it was "illegal" under EFL rules?) is 100% legal and used by many firms. In 2019 there wasn't a specific EFL rule disallowing its use. 
The first tribunal, which contained some accountants (logical when it's an accounting issue) found the club not guilty. The EFL decided to appeal, on the very last day they could lodge an appeal. The appeal committee contained ZERO accountants to adjudge this accounting issue. They found DCFC guilty. We had to amend and resubmit several years accounts and the end result was we were seen to have broken FFP limits in, IIRC, 3 seasons. That led to the 9 point deduction.
Several months later, the EFL introduced a new rule disallowing the methodology DCFC had used. Yes, that's right. They made a rule to stop anyone else doing it. So, why did we get found guilty. The answer is that they have, alongside the specific rules, a catch all get out clause to the effect that they can decide something is wrong if they feel like it. In this case DCFC was using a different amortisation methodology to the rest of the Championship sides and that was, somehow, despite being legal, unfair to the other clubs.
Did we get shafted? IMO most definitely. Why were we shafted? Again, this is a personal opinion. MM had ruffled too many EFL feathers and was involved in a spat with another SBC club chairman and together they saw a way to "get their own back".
Move to 2023 and it seems Chelsea are doing the same, or something very similar. UEFA will be changing their rules next season to stop anybody else doing it. Chelsea have got in first and will get away with it.
Strangely enough, I'm glad someone got burnt, unhappy it was us but I sincerely hope that the EFL and PL (hopefully UEFA and FIFA too) change the rules in order to ensure no other club can get into the situation we were in.  

Yes we were treated unfairly by the EFL. Changed the rules retrospectively then punished us with -9 points, other clubs allowed to circumvent FFP with no come back (our neighbours down the road being one), changed the rules to help clubs out during COVID, we should have had our points reduced, we didn’t. Throw in administration-12 points and then a 2 year business plan which has no purpose other than to restrict our ability to compete, it’s nothing to do with whether we can run sustainably. I agree with a points deduction for administration but the 2 year business plan as well is ridiculously harsh. Yes we have been treated unfairly.
The reason we have been treated unfairly by the EFL is Mel Morris, he pissed them off, he pissed off Steve Gibson and the EFL allowed him to wage war against Mel and Derby. We also now know the reason Derby didn’t file their accounts for years was not really due to the EFL action, it was Mel concealing the real situation from the outside world and fans that he was no longer paying the bills.
 
Yes we were treated harshly and continue to be, All roads for our plight lead to Morris, if he’d never darkened our door we’d still be a championship club, possibly better. Thankfully we are now on the rise again with a sensible relatable owner and a relatable passionate and capable management team. I really hope Clowes and Warne can take us all the way to the prem and keep us there with team spirit and work ethic alongside a sensible transfer policy and not the ridiculous approach Forest have taken (it will come back to bite them if not this year then at some point in the next 2 or 3 - look at Everton)

Of course we were, they retrospectively changed the rules after we were punished that weren’t actually rules at the time we committed the ‘offences’, and then changed other rules after we were punished in order to allow other clubs to not get punished.
They were able to bully other, smaller clubs into oblivion and tried to do the same to us, but they bit off more than they could chew, making themselves look like the incompetent organisation that they are, in front of the whole country, Parliament etc.
Unfortunately now that the furore has died down they’ve crawled back under their rock, and we’ve got on with our business of playing football again. IMO It would have been nice to have done something on the anniversary of the March to remind everyone of what a useless organisation they are, but in retrospect it’s probably better that we do keep our heads down for a while.
If there’s any good that comes out of our predicament, hopefully it’s that no club will have to go through what we’ve been through, that they should be helping clubs survive when they get into financial trouble and not turning the screw on them like they have done up to now.

On the question of Mel he should always, and I mean always, be remembered for the deception that he fed all of us during the final weeks of his tenure. His obfuscation of the facts and failure to accept responsibility for a failed administration was and remains absolutely disgraceful. He said he put is in administration to expedite proceedings when the process almost led to our annihilation. If he ever had the audacity to return to Pride Park I'd want him chased off the premises by a rightfully angry mob of fans. 
The business plan is an unfortunate necessity. We need to prove we can be run efficiently and effectively. At this level, it hopefully will not kill us too badly. In the championship these kinds of restrictions would be a bigger issue. The EFL were a masterclass in uselessness, to the point that our captain on national radio called them out which was almost beyond belief at the time. Personally, I'm all for singing F*** the EFL as Parry hands over the league 1 playoff trophy.  

He sits next to Chris Kirchner

Debts he ran up! ?

Administration, redundancies, everyone finding out we the company they worked for was going into administration on Sky Sports on a Friday night just like everyone else.  Sounds like a great employer!!  I’ll never forget his interview with Ed Dawes a few days after and he still denied it was anything to with him.  All COVIDs fault apparently.

The thing you have to remember about being in administration is "the business has gone bust" - Whilst things like contracts not being offered to academy players was depressing, it's entirly understandable. You'll find plenty of (wrong,  I hasten to add) folks who think the EFL were "really helpful to DCFC" by not doing everything they could possibly have done to throw us out of the league (becasue bills kept getting paid when they were due throughout the administration) whilst we were in administraiton. I was a very painful time, but there is no business going into administration that isn't painful, and logically, how can a business that is insolvent be handing out contracts above what has already which hasn't been sufficient to keep it viable as a business.
I'll never forgive Mel Morris for that decision. Almost everything else, even the bad or questionable things, i can can give some leaway to. BUt for what he did, yeah. Get in the bin.

Of course we all wanted signings, but we were being duped into believing all was rosey, and well within our means. 
I doubt we'd have been so keen, had we have known where we were heading!
Look back at any one of those fans forums Mel was inviting us all to.  Mistaken info, or bare faced lies?  I have no idea.  Maybe it was somewhere in between?  
Maybe Mel himself didn't realise just how close we were sailing into the wind, but some could argue that, for a man in his position, he should have been fully aware?  ?‍♂️

Well, I can't see anything in here that wasn't accepted. It reads like the failure of the club to respond to the charge (presumably the administrators?) caused an automatic guilty verdict. 
We must have paid it, though, or we wouldn't have been able to sign our freebies this year.
All a bit odd, really, and I can't recall seeing this discussed before.
What a bloody waste of money Jozwiak was, though! Give me NML anyday! 

Because Jozwiak was not a UK player the compo may not kick in, in the interests of fairness I hope it does or it may affect our  chances of recruiting outside the UK.  I think I remember reading though that the EFL rules of 100% payments didn't apply.  I think there are a lot of fans still banging the negative drum about potential debts etc!
We've got a genuine local owner who cares about our amazing club, not his own self interest and profile.  DC will do well by our club and building may take a little longer, it will be measured and careful.  One thing is for sure, he won't be as reckless as his predecessor..