StarterForTen

While with you in thinking that Whittaker looks a little under-cooked at the moment, I'm not sure a stint in League Two is what he needs - that level of football would not be the place for his skills to thrive in my opinion. More and more minutes off the bench to gain confidence is perhaps a better pathway. I think he'll make the breakthrough here within the next 18 months.

Why do football fans so often confuse investment with consumption? Choosing to spend one’s time and money on a leisure pursuit is simply an act of consumerism - even if it turns out to be not that enjoyable. If I choose to spend £100 on going to the opera I’m hardly investing in it am I? if I choose to spend 10 hours a week litter picking in my local town then I’m investing in my community. I don’t regard following a football team is anything like the same thing. Like all of us, I’ve ‘wasted’ many an afternoon supporting the Rams, but I’ve only ever done it for my own edification.

Lots of water to run under the bridge on this one. But there is only one absolute certainty.... ....plenty of lawyers are going to get very, very rich!

Well I for one did exactly that. I saw Wayne Rooney wearing the number 32 shirt and interpreted that as sound financial advice to gamble all I had on 32 red on the roulette wheel. I sold my car, all my furniture and re-mortgaged my house. Took my pot to Macau (where there are no limits on the tables) and placed the bet. So sure was I of success my hand didn't even tremble as I pushed the mountain of chips on to the baize; my lip did not quiver as the wheel spun and the ball rattled and ricocheted across it. Then - as the silver marble found its final fateful resting place - reality hit me like a train and, of course, my life was over as I knew it. With a heavy heart, I now have to live in the tax haven of Belize as the bet came off (it was never in doubt though, was it?) and I am a gazzilionaire. So forget Bitcoin, go Rooney 32.

Can I have some of what you've had please?

Could it be another of those get-round-the-FFP-balloon-payment contracts that we offered to Johnson, Butterfield and co last year?

This is indeed a sad day. I worked for the Club at the start of Jim's tenure (in fact he wore my club tie at his unveiling press conference) and I recall the general underwhelming feeling that greeted his appointment. But actually he was the absolute perfect fit for the Rams because him and the owner were like two peas in a pod! Jim was the football man and Lionel the money and they got on very, very well. Probably helped by the fact Lionel owned a pub - I think there were more than few lock-ins at the Yew Tree over the years! Lionel trusted Jim to do his work and Jim repaid that trust by serving up the kind of football Lionel craved to watch, and we all got to ride on the coat tails of that incredible journey. Good football, great characters and unbelievable highs - never more so than that first season at Pride Park when we all did live the dream. Thank you Jim for delivering the happiest of times. And thank you to Lionel too, for providing the red wine that fuelled it!!

So about 2/3rds of what Rooney is allegedly being paid?

I know the thread is comparing Rooney with Ravanelli, so apologies for the hijack. But a real comparison is with the signing of Dave Mackay, as others have alluded to. We were a second-tier side back then, like we are now, yet Cloughie managed to recruit one of the great (albeit ageing) stars of a fantastic Spurs team. He was coming up to 34 when he signed for the Rams yet played more than 120 games over the next three seasons - massively influencing the way the team played along the way. Didn't he win the football writers player of the year as a second division player with us? Now, if Rooney can have that kind of effect on our Club then he will truly be one of our greatest signings!

It's Hamer Time...

That's right. The full title of Beckett's script was: 'Waiting for Godot....'s run in behind the last defender'

I've always thought Wisdom would be ideal as the right hand man in a back three.

Derby 4-1 Wigan FRGS: Lawrence

Selby? Surely we just need to re-sign Steve Davies?

Charlton 3-0 Derby FRGS Davies (own goal)