Carl Sagan

On 12/11/2021 at 10:36, Tamworthram said:

actually, in modern times, that’s myth.

As far as I can see, since Shilton (6ft nothing) every regular first team keeper we’ve have been at least 6 ft 2. 

I mean through the academy and I mean since McClaren 1. Mitchell was tiny. Most of our academy goalies seem small for their age group. Roos seems the only academy keeper we've brought in during the entire period who is standard keeper height.

On 10/11/2021 at 10:20, Mick Harford said:

I'd have Foukes around the same height as me at 5'11, which unfortunately saw me released at 16, however he is playing for the U23's, essentially a ressies side which shows confidence by the club in him and also a level beyond the lads that were youth keepers at Derby at my age and the year after who were both under 6 foot and didn't grow so never played beyond the U18's.

Most GK coaches I speak with won't really look at ANY keeper under 6 foot, but i still maintain that if the talent is there then give them a chance a lad I know who was released at 15 by Reading went away and did A levels and trained privately with coaches has just been signed by Everton for their Dev sides.

Derby have an obsession with short goalies, Roos being the exception. Personally I think it's completely misguided. For anyone under 6 foot 1 to be good in the modern game, they will need to be about the best keeper skill-wise in the country. 

It's become so much about height and reach that, however good someone was who'd stopped growing, I would release them if not 6 foot 2 inches or above... 

4 minutes ago, BucksRam said:

Obviously my cynical perception is that the EFL has delayed this to negatively impact our chances of getting a buyer or at least push it nicely into the January transfer window and extend our embargo accordingly.  Is it a coincidence the Easdales have pulled out due to unacceptable timelines just as this is announced.   I can't see a reason for the adjournment provided anywhere, and the less than helpful EFL statement is, well, less than helpful.  

Anyone know why it's adjourned?

My thoughts exactly. It looks as if the EFL is trying to extend the process to prevent a resolution and make it impossible for the administrators to sell the club. If they had the slightest intention of trying to support a member club, they would expedite the process so another obstacle is removed, thereby helping the club survive as a going concern.

5 hours ago, Unlucky Alf said:

Wasn't it was the Richardsons who were the real villains, The Murder of Jack the Hat McVitie and George Cornell that got the Krays all the Prison time, No doubt the Krays were into most Villainy, But the Richardsons were the ones that used their brains and muscle to get what they wanted.

I keep my head down and don't delve too closely into it all! But everyone tells me the Krays loved their mum which apparently makes it all right...

Currently I see Festy as an impact player or the RWB in a back 5. I hope I'm wrong and this is the game he comes of age and is a constant threat, but I'd have had him on the bench.

After his hat-trick for the U23s yesterday I'd have also had Stretton on the bench or even starting. He's young and full of confidence and would want to take that into the first team.

Tom Lawrence is reunited with Mason Bennett. Boy does "Captain Tom" owe us a performance and a couple of goals.

15 hours ago, Turk Thrust said:

Yes I was thinking just that, though without the murders, and the extortion, and the protection rackets, armed robbery, arson, oh and without one of them diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic and ending up in a prison hospital for the criminally insane,  and the other contracting bladder cancer, and buying their mum a pub in Spitalfields called the Carpenter’s Arms (still there with the bar supposedly made of coffin lids) but otherwise………

Good knowledge. I used to live just round the corner from the Carpenter's Arms (and Vallance Rd where the brothers lived) and their "office", a brilliant greasy spoon in Bethnal Green was just up the road. Somewhat bizarrely there is still a lot of love for the Krays in those parts.

22 hours ago, angieram said:

Not unless you want to cause offence. The new owners at Newcastle weren't very impressed.

As far as I saw that's simply not true. The wokists were up in arms about it saying it was racist (because they want to suck all the joy and fun out of the world) forcing the club and owners to issue a statement reading:

"Those who wish to support the club by wearing appropriate culturally-inspired clothing should feel free to do so as they see fit. We are inclusive to all ... neither the club nor its new owners were offended by attire worn, and appreciate the overt statements of support and acceptance by our great fans."

It's always darkest just before the dawn. Let's hope this is where the mighty Derby County bounce back. A London cabbie once said to me "my dog wouldn't even poo south of the river", but that's where the Rams must travel to take on Gary Rowett's functional ugly outfit. It won't be pretty, but let's hope the players stand up and be counted and deliver the win.

Nearest stations:

• South Bermondsey (by the ground) serviced by trains from London Bridge (a 5 minute journey)
• Surrey Quays (just over 1km walk) serviced by trains from Highbury and Islington/Shoreditch

Come on you Rams!

Two more for Emil at the weekend, on the back of a new contract from Preston.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59018936

Eleven goals already this season:

https://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=96012

I find it so frustrating when we bring players with obvious talent through the academy and then bin them off without giving them a chance.

And black is white and 2+2=5.

34 minutes ago, HuddersRam said:

I've got a contact from Pride so will try and intro Alan's publishers to them. I know that with the new organisation running the Megastore they've had some new rules come into place in terms of what they can and can't stock, and I think they've got some rules in place on who they can now buy stock from. 

Either way, I'll ask around 

Cheers. In case you're able to do anything I'll DM you the guy's details.

For those who don't know, one of Derby's all-time great players, Alan Hinton, has written an autobiography about his extraordinary life, which included playing for England and winning two league titles with us, before moving on from Derby to Canada and America as a player and then becoming a very successful coach and "Mr Soccer" over there. I wonder if he was ever in the running to return to manage us? 

Here's a video that covers some of it. I've started it at the Derby section, but feel free to go back to the beginning.

The book isn't the easiest to get hold of. The DCFC Megastore stocked 100 copies, quickly sold them all, but currently aren't bothering to restock when I don't think it would cost them anything. I feel for Alan who has such a deep passion about Derby, and tweets about the club from his home in Seattle most days, and has written what looks a great book, but it's really hard to get hold of. Right now the only way seems to be through this Wolves site (which is the publisher who has done it with him): https://wolvesbooks.net/ ticking "Triumph and Tragedy".

If anyone has a contact with the Megastore it would be great if they could raise stocking the book with them. The publisher tells me he would personally deliver books to the Megastore at no cost (as he did with the first 100), so I think the club simply needs to sell them and keep a share of the profits.

It's available from Amazon.com in America https://www.amazon.com/Triumph-Tragedy-Alan-Hinton-Story/dp/1999671953/ but oddly the publisher's not even selling it through Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/Triumph-Tragedy-Alan-Hinton-Story/dp/1999671953 or doing an eBook.

A win here and that's 6 games unbeaten but also 10 points from that time. It would be a massive fillip. Lose and it's relegation form regardless of a points deduction. Yet another draw and it's relegation form with the points deduction.

Wins are massive. Right now they're so important so we can build confidence and close the gap. At what point do we take a few more risks to go for 3 points instead of just the 1?

Start Colin but also have Stretton on the bench. It seems weird he's been relegated too the U23s when we don't have a fit centre forward apart from him.

With Knight and Baldock out it was selection error to start Festy high up the pitch and leave Sibbo on the bench and play Stretton in the U23s. Festy will be a phenomenal right back or right wingback. I can understand if it's late in a game you're chasing you might gamble on his pace and power and bring him on there in a substitute role, but football's a simple game and requires round pegs in round holes.

6 hours ago, loweman2 said:

Doing the tour of the emirates and more importantly the museum is a great thing to do when in London, get Charlie as your guide and you will get two hours of some of the most fabulous Derby County stories you could imagine, he loves Derby and has a lot to tell you.

Top tip! Mrs Sagan is a Gooner. I've just had a great idea for her birthday treat...

First Premier League hat-trick for Mason, albeit including a terrible twice-taken penalty!

When he joined us I put a bet on him to be Championship top scorer but I maintain his injury and then aggravating it by playing against (and being allowed to play against Chelsea) cost him that and cost us automatic promotion. He only missed a month but I felt he wasn't right for a very long period after.

But he will be a great England player and I'm glad we saw him in that Derby shirt in a season which gave us a lot of pleasure.

Gladys was watching the game in Seattle:

On this day in 1975. Good to see the goals, but I don't agree with the hyperbole of the twitter feed. 

16 minutes ago, ANGERMAN1 said:

Damn, I missed that (getting ready for work) should we of had a pen?

15 minutes ago, Yani P said:

Not sure if it was just outside but Morrison was tackled from behind so should have been a foul as he didnt appear to get the ball

If you tackle from behind it shouldn't matter if you get the ball or not. It's still a foul. I'm not watching so I don't know where it happened, but our missed penalty count this season is very high. It would be worth an extra half-down points at least already if the officials had made clear and obvious decisions. But that can't be allowed as we need to be made an example of.

1 hour ago, Sparkle said:

He can’t fail here though - I think Newcastle will go for Gerrard when they sack Bruce amicably ?

Yes but he expects to succeed and would back himself to do that. Same with Lampard when he left even though it was obvious to the world Chelsea would sack him once they left their transfer embargo.

If Newcastle and big Saudi money and the Premier League lure come together and make an approach for Wayne, of  course he'll go and he'd be mad not to. Huge opportunity for anyone who believes in their own ability.

He could say it's good for Derby and he's helping us, given then much-needed compensation we would receive. 

As has been said, it would be a tribute to how well he's done in near impossible circumstances this season. It would also be a hammer blow to us. At the start of the campaign I did not want him in the job, but he's surprised me and played the hand he's been dealt incredibly well. But he will also know there's a limit to how long you can get away with it when you have such poor cards.

10 hours ago, Chris_D said:

when did the EFL say this about the sufficient guarantees? be interested how that was phrased / when they said it.

My recollection is that the EFL had been satisfied, but right now I can't find it. If I do I'll post that. All I can find at the moment is the administrators in late September (eg here https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/Derby-administrators-takeover-debt-rooney-5958458) saying they're confident we'll fulfil our fixtures. Presumably they are in a legal position where if that weren't the case they wouldn't be allowed to say it.

There is nothing in the official terse EFL statements. Either I made it up or I read it in one of the journo's pieces discussing administration and what happens next for the club.

Not seen mention of this (but the threads are so long so apologies if I've missed it) but the Nixon thread seems the obvious place. He's saying the EFL have now demanded the Administrators take out loans to put actual money into the bank to cover Derby's commitments all the way through to the end of the season:

Previously the EFL said the Administrators had given them sufficient guarantees that the club would continue trading through to the season's end, and that was sufficient. Now they've changed their minds (they make this up as they go along) and have decided (as Nixon suggests) to treat Derby differently and force us to borrow more money at extortionate rates (and who will lend it to us?).

The EFL is clearly trying to make it much harder for us to find a buyer. Do they want us liquidated as a trophy "pour encourager les autres" (?) or do they just want to make damned sure we get relegated at least one division? It's hard to know. It's an absurdity that we can't demonstrate through projected revenues from gate receipts and TV revenues etc that we will be able to fulfil our fixtures.

Last Night in Soho. Lots of good ideas, with a timeslip horror story, but in the end horror is almost always better implied than shown, and Edgar Wright showed too much here. But great to see Terence Stamp and Dian Rigg (her final film) as well as the young stars. I hadn't realized Anya Taylor-Joy from The Queen's Gambit was going to be in it, but sadly she didn't bother with the premiere so I walked up the red carpet with Matt Smith. Not quite the same. 6/10

Benedetta. I love Paul Verhoeven and everything he does. So that's extraordinary scifi such as Robocop, Total Recall and Starship Troopers, but also movies like Basic Instinct and Black Book. What stands out in all his work is the ambiguity. For instance, in Starship Troopers should you really be on the side of the humans, or isn't it actually the arachnids who are being attacked by the fascists from Earth? Based on a true story, Benedetta is a lesbian nun extravaganza set in the 1600s. It could have descended into silliness, but Virginie Efira was brilliant as the title character (and she did come to the premiere so it was nice to walk up the red carpet with her) and because she played the role with such conviction, you were left wondering. Charlotte Rampling excellent too. 7/10.

Understand it's a problem for some, but I also know dogs who have adored fireworks. Maybe it depends on the dog? Maybe it depends if they can see what is making the noise? If they spot the bright lights in the sky and the joy of people watching them, and recognize that's also making the bangs, I sometimes think they'll understand better rather than if they're locked inside just hearing bangs and wondering what's going on?

Last new year's eve I was down by Tower Bridge for the big national telly show and surprised how many people had brought their dogs with them to see it, and the dogs loved it, perhaps feeding off the excitement of the humans.

But the future is obviously drone displays so fireworks will soon be a thing of the past. Anyway, here's a song about fireworks I've always loved: