stejawh

Thanks to everyone who has kept us informed about the progress of the Academy teams this season. Although it's been a tough slog for the youngsters, all the teams seem to be ending the season in a much better place than at the start of the season. Onwards and upwards!

Stopped posting as no-one reading. We won 3-0, two clear penalties and the referee didn't hesitate in giving them. 
The final scoreline was more reflective of the dominance of Derby. Jack was a spectator most of the game but came out with a great save when he needed to.
Good to see the under 18s finish the season strongly.
Fapetu was my MOTM.

The inactive Bury FC and the phoenix club Bury AFC are planning to merge and return to Gigg Lane. Good news for a club that's been through an awful lot.

On this week's episode, we discuss: the successful visit to the SW, the win against Burton and the playoff picture. We also have a discussion of our season awards!
Listen here: Listen here: Southwest winnings, Beating Burton & playing up Pompey
Give it a listen and please let us know what you think!
 

You really should have aimed better.

That was then, this is now...
 
So anyway... Laddo's currently in Tunis, helping the world rid itself of landmines, and his new translator-fweind asks him where he's from, what it's like there, etc.
Turns out the latest Google Maps update of our back garden was dated April 2020... just as we all settled in for lockdown, and that mini heatwave kicked in (See above pic)...

He didn't know whether I'd killed his mam, or purchased one of Del Boys cast off's...
 

 
 
 
 

I don't think anything will come of it, but, we'll see. I just filled in British Transport Police's online complaint form:
I went to catch the train from Barnsley Interchange, following the Barnsley-Derby County football match, intending to travel back to Sheffield.
I wasn't allowed through the doors of the station, for a while, in the first instance. I posed the question: what? You won't permit me onto the platform, even though I've got a valid travel document? The answer was no - you're going to have to wait. Eventually, I was allowed onto the platform, just as the train was coming in.
As I expected, I was squashed up against the train door. I ended up standing next to two Derby fans, a husband and wife, with some other Derby fans in front of me, and then two members of the British Transport Police against the other set of train doors.
The British Transport Police officers let a few more fans on, and, at that point, it was hardly possible to move. Still, they continued to admit passengers, to the point where the volume of people meant that I ended up being pushed into the lady Derby supporter. I think this was preceded by one of the British Transport Police officers pushing someone, because they wouldn't (or could not, due to the lack of space), move down the train.
Understandably, her husband complained loudly, about the fact that his wife had almost been pushed over. Fortunately, she was unhurt.
My concerns arise from the way that the British Transport Police officers dealt with her husband. To contextualise - I am a Barnsley fan, and I was surrounded by supporters of the other club. The Derby supporters were loud, singing their songs, and many of them had alcohol. Their team had just lost, too. In my experience, a combination of those last two things can be a recipe for threats, aggression, and general unpleasantness. At no point, though, did I feel intimidated by any Derby fans - I was happily talking to a couple of them. For a busy train, after a football match, it was as peaceable as it gets. 
The fan whose wife had been pushed over was addressing, from memory, British Transport Police officer Smith, who normally works out of Leeds, and has been with the police, since 1981. If that doesn't identify him, I took some surreptitious video footage with my smartphone, which you can have, if you like.
It isn't verbatim, but parts of the conversation went like this, with 'F', being the fan whose wife had been pushed over, and 'O', being officer Smith.
F - why did you push my wife over?
O - I can push whoever I want. They (I think 'they', meant the yellow-jacketed stewards, who had been outside the train station) cannot, but we can, and we will, if we have to.
F - what? You're not even going to apologise?
O - carry on with your mouth, and I'll arrest you, when we pull into Sheffield.
I also had a conversation with officer Smith, just as we were arriving into Sheffield. He said he would have had no problem 'pulling me by [my] scarf', through the solid mass of humanity in front of me, and into the passageway which connects the carriages, if he had been required to do so. When I asked what the consequences for my health would have been from such a decision, he was unconcerned. There was not much in the way of a response to my comment that, if you treat people like animals, you shouldn't be surprised if they behave liked animals.
Officer Smith, when prompted by a different Derby fan, also expounded upon the subject of police intelligence, and how the police decide whether someone 'can be a risk.' Essentially, this came down to attire. Two of the brands mentioned by officer Smith, were Stone Island, and CP. I wanted to ask officer Smith whether this was the same mentality which sees Black citizens targeted, as a consequence of police intelligence, but, as he had already told me 'not to get excited', I thought better of it. 
Officer Smith confirmed that he had been filming, so you may wish to view said footage.
My own comments are as follows: it was only this morning when I read that one per cent of police officers, are under investigation, for alleged criminal activity of their own. It isn't even two years since Sarah Everard was murdered by a serving police officer. In more recent times, there's been David Carrick, too. Now, obviously - obviously - I am not comparing a rude police officer, whose every action I disagreed with, with the murderer of Sarah Everard.
But, if public confidence in the police is as low as it's ever been because of the above events, my experience on the train is not going to restore that confidence. Nobody I saw deserved to be treated with the rudeness, and contempt, which officer Smith displayed. An apology, and an acceptance that he'd made the wrong decision, in letting more people onto the train, would have gone a long way to defusing the situation. I make mistakes in my job, and, when I do, I apologise. And, this man has been one of the public faces of your organisation, for more than four decades!
I'm appalled. I've never done a thing wrong in my life, and yet one of the upholders of the law, thinks there is nothing wrong with telling me he'd pull me around by my scarf, through a line of other human beings, on an already jampacked train. I've been all over the country with Barnsley, and only the police in South Yorkshire, behave in such a high-handed, intimidating way. 
Thanks for your attention.

Well that wasn't quite imperious, but it was pretty good, wasn't it? I have to admit that I was expecting a much tougher game today, given their away record, but that particular Charlton didn't turn up. Actually they did, but we made them look poor. Maybe we did to them what Lincoln have done to us, twice! We seemed to have their measure all over the pitch, which is why they only had two shots on target, and that was the official stats, as I can only remember one.
The ref was pretty good today, which surprised me because we've had our 2 good refs for the season already, but then found out that Trevor Birch, the EFL Chief Exec was at the match! Cynical, aren't I? Although I think the first yellow card should have been red, it was that late and violent. And sadly, that was one of Charlton's calling cards, as they went in really hard on a number of key players. especially White, NML and Dobbin the first time he got on the ball. There was no intent to play the ball in the latter foul, so could arguably have been a red. But overall, the ref got a load of stuff right, and  nipped a lot of potential bad stuff in the bud. Good man!
I was glad that White was in the starting line up - it should have happened two matches ago, but he is there now! And only one up front! Hiya Paul, now I know you are reading this forum! It is a pity that we couldn't put our chances away, or we could have won by 6 or 7 today, but I am not worried, because we were creating chances, and maybe it is a sing that we are still fining our feet after the disappointments of the last two matches, but we are back into a winning mentality. Of note was Didzy's astounding ball to NML in the first half. IT started off heading towards the touchline just inside the Charlton half, then curved to the left and landed between the line and the area for NML to run onto - stunning! But the long raking pass is Cashin's own trademark. I have seen something of both MacFarland and Todd in Cashin's play, but he is quickly demonstrating a lot of Glen Hoddle's ability with the long pass which, in whatever direction he sends it ends up at the feet of the player intended. It isn't a one off, he does it consistently. What a privilege to have him in the side, and to have him so committed to the club! Man of the match  was only fair. And it was good to have the crowd back on song again!
Tonight's journey home didn't have the euphoria of the journey home from Port Vale, but I went home a very happy boy! Bring on the Barnsley!

Lovely piece on Football Focus just now. Doing good things up north.

Back-to-back convincing home victories see Warne's Rams start 2023 as they ended 2022... unbeaten and tight at the back. The latest impressive outing sent Derby into the FA Cup Fourth Round - how much of a chance do we now have against Premier League West Ham when they're in town later this month?
Chris, Tom and Anton also dish out some long overdue praise for Tom Barkhuizen, off the back of his three goals in two games, and herald the goalscoring return of Jason Knight. How long will the unbeaten run last... and are unbeaten runs always a good thing in the first place

PODCAST LINK:

https://soundcloud.com/user-147200653/sbw-147-warnes-sweet-16-unbeaten

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Sausage roll and baked beans

Hey all - our new podcast is out now:

The Rams make it six unbeaten in all competitions with a 3-1 victory away at MK Dons and Richard and Anton are joined by Chris Smith, also known as @cspaceram, to dissect a busy week of Derby County action.
Did Jake Rooney step up on his league debut to give Paul Warne another reliable centre-back option and can Derby take inspiration from their Anfield performance into tough league games on the horizon?
 


Cheers! Chris
 

I'm old enough to remember face to face work meetings that achieved nothing and whole days in the office making the square root of bugger all progress on whatever was supposed to have progressed...

Hey all, our new SBW podcast is out now:

A frankly ludicrous three minute spell in Accrington sees Derby survive two penalties before new goalscoring hero Will Osula made the hosts pay at the other end seconds later in the Rams' 3-0 triumph - Paul Warne's second consecutive away win as new boss.
Chris, Richard and Anton try to wrap their heads around *that* astonishing period of play in the first half, hail Prince William and his debut brace, and discuss Derby's striking options with no less than four forwards all gunning for a starting place.
There's analysis too on Derby's style of play under their new management team, and a look at the formative League One table, where the well-placed Rams sit 9th, with games in hand on those around them.
SUPPORT SBW ON PATREON!
Get a bonus podcast each month, a welcome pack, free stuff, and competitions by becoming an SBW Patron - we really appreciate the support.
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On  checking my profile I find that I have treated folk to 322 drinks but have only had 106 back.
It seems sad to spend three times as much on others than I get back.
Still..
It is more blessed to give than receive...
Isn't it?

After an annoyingly long wait, Derby finally have an away goal(s), and an assured 2-0 win over Cambridge to go with it. Chris, Richard, and Tom herald the arrival of 'Warne Ball' by assessing how the Rams got to grips with the new gaffer's style impressively early, James Collins' match-winning brace, and a composed clean sheet for Derby's new-look back three.
There's also analysis of Warne's team shape, the new manager's leadership style and personality... and the welcome return of 'Win, Lose or Schnoor'.
 

 

True this.  Used to do some training courses down there and come 5 o clock everyone is driving away fast as they can

Bracknell, the whole town is a complete ghost town after about 7pm. And even the ghosts are wearing ankle tags.

I went to school in Luton between the ages of 6 and 9.
Seemed OK to me, well, Ramridge Infant School was alright.

Luton

Luton

Going to a Northumberland next week, which has reminded me how nice the beach at Alnmouth is. It’s what Northumberland is known for, but Alnmouth is that but more quieter I think. I can’t claim the actual place is anything amazing aside couple of decent pubs and a nice cafe in an old school, also it’s a bit like two golf clubs have kinda over taken the whole area which ruins its aesthetic a little bit.
Go to Alnmouth and enjoy the beach, possibly walk up the coast to Boulmer to The Fishing Boat Inn if you want to spend the day there!

Can we get Kevin Harper signed in time ?