Ramzabac

I can't leave this extract out.
"What life? They played like this under the last manager.

These players are as bad or worse. Grabbans shot, Lolley's dead, Mighten only exists in the minds of people who frequent Wilford Lane, Carvalho is a poltergeist who only terrifies the clubs accountant, Silva who even knows, Yates is a remote control car where the controls have jammed meaning he's just running in a perpetual circle, Johnson has an open National Express ticket to Brentford, Hovarth is only here as an interpreter to the CEO, Lyle Taylor's mind is on his bank account, Figueriedo's sat nav is broken and keeps telling him our goal is the one we need to score in, Gaetan Bong is the answer to a bad joke in a Christmas cracker, does Carl Jenkinson exist? I am not sure but I am sure I sure an Crimewatch appeal asking if anyone has known his whereabouts for the last year, Cafu is a fake player who stole his name off a legend and Jack Colback is the body from Operation and some snot nosed kid keeps taking out all the useful bones before he pulls on a shirt.

I can only go on what my eyes show me and the overwhelming evidence from most of these players, as a whole is that they are in fact completely terrible, or young kids being asked to do something far beyond them right now or a bag of broken biscuits some cheeky sod has dressed up in a Forest kit."

Is this the Matchday thread? Less than 36 hours before kick off, and no one seems to be too arsed.
For those not going, it’s on Sky red button at 8 o’clock, but clashes with Holby City on BBC.  Choose your hospital case.

Derby were better in the first half. Max Bird had a really good chance to score, while we often pulled them out of position.
Second half was mostly Boro though. They missed a great headed chance at the back post, hit the bar with another glancing header while they also should have scored when they were in down our right but the cross across goal was poor.
Boro pushed up second half and we struggled to get out as Sibley and Joz tired.
A draw was fair over the 90 minutes, but you can understand with Boro’s momentum second half why they may feel they should have won it.
We’ll take the point and move on.
 

Mel comes out of it, albeit not squeaky clean, at least with not enough dirt on him to pile in on him (and consequently us) going forward. At least not based on this documentary. At least not for any outsiders. 
However, as a Derby fan, we know Mel is a smart man. You can't tell me that he didn't know what he was getting into when he engaged with Samuelson. He had this fake Chinese takeover, although how much he knew of Mr.X's proposed criminality I'm not sure and then followed it up with the BZI take over - again involving Samuelson. I'm led to believe he didn't have anything to do with the Erik Alonso takeover, but there were many similarities to things mentioned in the documentary and that proposed charade. I wouldn't at all be surprised if he potentially had a hand in that one too.  
Mel Morris is doing almost everything I expected we would be protected from by having a local investor. I thought at the very least we would be in safe hands during his tenure and he would only sell to someone he trusted. I don't buy that anymore. I can't buy that anymore, because Samuelson was a known entity and yet he's given him two, potentially three, chances to sell our club to his clients. I mean, a middle-eastern news outlet knew he was dodgy as duck and decided to set this whole thing up. For me, Mel can't claim not to know what he was about and what getting into business with him meant. I think that's the thing that saddens me the most. 
I know most of us on here knew Samuelson was a bit of a deviant, but not to such levels. He still claims to be above the law despite openly discussing fake passports and hiding criminality from the EFL to get them in charge to clean money. It's absolutely outrageous. It's obvious that people in the game, however, did. Ultimately, the selling owner doesn't care as long as he gets his money and it's the fans that pay. I think that's where I am with Mel at the moment. The future of this club is in the hand's of a desperate man willing to accept the advances of anyone that will give him and escape route. We are simply voiceless in this transaction and as a fan base really can only hope that the EFL won't allow anyone too crooked into our club. 
On another note, I thought the comments about not wanting to see the club on a steady decline in the documentary was ironic considering the situation we find ourselves in. He bought the club in a good position. I know that comment was a couple of seasons ago now, but even if would have to admit he's selling the club in a far worst state than when he bought in. 

I’ve just finished watching it. Wasn’t as damning as I thought it would be.
The whole documentary is about how this Samuelson bloke can hide the identities of dodgy/criminal investors when buying a football club and help launder money. Derby just happen to be one of the options he suggested because we were/are for sale at the time. 
Interestingly, Mel Morris hired Samuelson to get Derby some new investors towards back in the Lampard days. Documentary shows this fake investor (undercover agent) meeting Morris at Pride Park the day Lampard becomes Chelsea manager. Samuelson was also involved in the “fake” Sheikh bid - which shows you how long Samuelson and Morris were working together. Statement from Morris at the end says we’ve not been conducting any business with Samuelson for a long time. So maybe since that deal went through? Although the Alonso bid had mystery investors that fit the way Samuelson explained how he hides things. 
So overall I don’t think we have a lot to worry about (aside from the general future of football ownership!).
One thing that may hurt us is Morris explaining another cute way for the new owners to take advantage of FFP by having him stay on as an unnamed investor who maintains the debts. Saying he doesn’t benefit, but the club does. Which goes to show he’s still trying to do his best for Derby County, despite our current ill feeling towards him. But that little bit of footage will probably harm our already fragile relationship with the EFL. Will we ever catch a break!
 
 

Greetings from "Across the pond" in Detroit. It took me while to gather my thoughts on this topic and commit to posting them.  
My Derby fandom arrived much later in life, at 45 years of age.   I grew up in Detroit and have always supported Detroit sports teams, as well as Michigan State and Notre Dame University.  I grew up playing soccer, as did my father, who emigrated from Croatia, as well as two of my three boys.  My middle son and I started following the club in the 2013-14 season. We were interested in finding an English team to follow and knowing Andy Appleby as a fellow metro-Detroiter we started to follow Derby, originally only through the team's twitter feed and the occasional broadcast on BEIN network.  We watched them through the playoff victory against Brighton, then the calamity against QPR.  
An additional Detroit-Derby link is through Roger Faulkner, a Derby supporter who was one of the co-owners of Detroit's 1970s NASL team, the Express.  
As we are acclimated to unfortunate twists of fate with our Detroit-area teams,(ie the Detroit Lions NFL team)  the playoff final defeat cemented our support of Derby County.  In the years since, we are charter subscribers of RamsTV  and are now able to follow a number of games on ESPN Plus.  I also follow this forum on a daily basis and do admire the folks who frequent this Board, such as B4 and David.  Your deep, heartfelt support of the club, usually with a healthy dose of humor, is a joy to peruse through these cyber-pages.   
Other random observations from the Motor City:
 - Whether my son and I ever get to Pride Park remains to be seen, it is definitely on our bucket list.  If any forum goers are in the neighborhood, I would be delighted to treat you a Detroit City FC soccer game.  They are our local team and have a game atmosphere that supporters such as yourselves can appreciate. 
- While Mel Morris has his detractors these days, in my view he was spot-on with regard to EFL television rights. They are tremendously undervalued.  The Championship is the most entertaining overseas league to watch, in my view.  The Premier League top clubs are usually the in the same group of 4-6.  The Bundesliga, La Liga, League 1 and Serie A are all dominated by super clubs, with the remaining teams just trying to stay up. What fun is that? The Championship season is a rock-fight every year. Evenly matched teams with historic rivalries.  A crabs-in-the-bucket attempted escape through either the untold fortunes of promotion or the richest game in football.  Conversely,  the trap door of relegation immerses a club in financial quicksand, without parachute payments to assist out of the morass.  
-  In a way, the reduced expectations of this year may make for a more enjoyable season than chasing promotion.  If the club average one point a game, they will be in a position to stay up at the end, which is the goal of this year.  In any other recent season a home draw to Huddersfield would be met with concern from Derby supporters. This year, it feels like a win. 
- Thank you for your contributions to the forum, which I have enjoyed reading through the years. I hope to meet up with some of your some day either at Pride Park or the next time Derby launch a summer tour of the US. 
- COYR
 
 

I would argue that's cobblers as Covid regulations were effectively ended on 19th July.

Born and raised in Mickleover. Junior season ticket holder from 1969 onwards in the newly built Ley Stand. Great memories with my dad. Moved to Wilts/Glos in 1984 with my job. Still down here, as married a Glos girl and all my kids are wurzels (and rams fans). East Stand season ticket holders with my wife who I converted from a Liverpool fan. Just finished refurbishing the family home in Mickleover after my dad passed away last year and we are keeping it in the family and renting it out. 

Born and raised in Mickleover. Junior season ticket holder from 1969 onwards in the newly built Ley Stand. Great memories with my dad. Moved to Wilts/Glos in 1984 with my job. Still down here, as married a Glos girl and all my kids are wurzels (and rams fans). East Stand season ticket holders with my wife who I converted from a Liverpool fan. Just finished refurbishing the family home in Mickleover after my dad passed away last year and we are keeping it in the family and renting it out. 

Born and raised in Mickleover. Junior season ticket holder from 1969 onwards in the newly built Ley Stand. Great memories with my dad. Moved to Wilts/Glos in 1984 with my job. Still down here, as married a Glos girl and all my kids are wurzels (and rams fans). East Stand season ticket holders with my wife who I converted from a Liverpool fan. Just finished refurbishing the family home in Mickleover after my dad passed away last year and we are keeping it in the family and renting it out. 

Born and raised in Mickleover. Junior season ticket holder from 1969 onwards in the newly built Ley Stand. Great memories with my dad. Moved to Wilts/Glos in 1984 with my job. Still down here, as married a Glos girl and all my kids are wurzels (and rams fans). East Stand season ticket holders with my wife who I converted from a Liverpool fan. Just finished refurbishing the family home in Mickleover after my dad passed away last year and we are keeping it in the family and renting it out. 

Born and raised in Mickleover. Junior season ticket holder from 1969 onwards in the newly built Ley Stand. Great memories with my dad. Moved to Wilts/Glos in 1984 with my job. Still down here, as married a Glos girl and all my kids are wurzels (and rams fans). East Stand season ticket holders with my wife who I converted from a Liverpool fan. Just finished refurbishing the family home in Mickleover after my dad passed away last year and we are keeping it in the family and renting it out. 

Born and raised in Mickleover. Junior season ticket holder from 1969 onwards in the newly built Ley Stand. Great memories with my dad. Moved to Wilts/Glos in 1984 with my job. Still down here, as married a Glos girl and all my kids are wurzels (and rams fans). East Stand season ticket holders with my wife who I converted from a Liverpool fan. Just finished refurbishing the family home in Mickleover after my dad passed away last year and we are keeping it in the family and renting it out. 

Born and raised in Mickleover. Junior season ticket holder from 1969 onwards in the newly built Ley Stand. Great memories with my dad. Moved to Wilts/Glos in 1984 with my job. Still down here, as married a Glos girl and all my kids are wurzels (and rams fans). East Stand season ticket holders with my wife who I converted from a Liverpool fan. Just finished refurbishing the family home in Mickleover after my dad passed away last year and we are keeping it in the family and renting it out. 

Born and raised in Mickleover. Junior season ticket holder from 1969 onwards in the newly built Ley Stand. Great memories with my dad. Moved to Wilts/Glos in 1984 with my job. Still down here, as married a Glos girl and all my kids are wurzels (and rams fans). East Stand season ticket holders with my wife who I converted from a Liverpool fan. Just finished refurbishing the family home in Mickleover after my dad passed away last year and we are keeping it in the family and renting it out. 

Derby having a youth development centre at a club who are nicknamed the Lambs is perfect

i did a podcast with Kieran Maguire on all this - have a listen
 
https://pod.fo/e/d81d7

I think the barometer is going to be Rooney. If things are that bad he won't stay - we'll have to sell any player we can and will finish 24th, even if we don't get a points deduction. Rooney just doesn't need that.
If Rooney stays, it means that he is convinced that he will have enough resources to at least aim for mid-table. He'd need to very firm assurances from Mel or knowledge of a credible take over on the horizon to stay. At this point Wayne is king rat...if he abandons we're sinking. 

Bit surprised by some of the posts on here - yeah, the protracted nature of Lampard's move to Chelsea was a bit irritating but ultimately few could have begrudged him the move & we've arguably upgraded since.
I wish Frank all the very best at Chelsea so take no pleasure from seeing his first competitive match end like that. It was great to see Mount & Tomori (two lads who did so much to try and get us up last year) in the matchday squad & Mount to start the match. I actually thought Chelsea were much the better team in the first 30 mins & had they gone ahead, the game could have been very different. Instead a sloppy error means they have to chase the match & against 2 strikers as quick as Rashford & Martial, that ain't a great place to be.

Would be no surprise to see Tomori in  the Chelsea side soon. They desperately need more pace in their defence, get caught in transition too often (like we did) and need that pacy player to get them out of trouble.