TomBustler1884

Whether there is or isn't a conspiracy (there isn't, they're just wildly inconsistent or incompetent), it does us no favours for Rooney to be openly questioning it in interviews imo. It doesn't reflect well and comes across as a bit desperate.

We lost last night because of a lack of magic and experience in our squad. We got into numerous good setups around their box, but almost always tried to take on one man too many, picked the wrong pass or missed good runs. You could see it in the frustration of Morrison and CKR when the likes of Ebosele and Plange got it wrong. That's part of having a team of inexperienced but talented youngsters though - they need space and time to make mistakes and learn from them.

Derby Telegraph saying update likely tomorrow.

3 minutes ago, ttkk said:

Tame Millwall fan here. I have posted before, but not for a while. 

I enjoyed the game last night, mainly because you got it on, unlike Blackburn Rovers! Seriously though, as football fans, we all know the epicaricacy or 'schadenfreude' nature of the game's culture... and last night was a classic example. It was interesting and enjoyable to see a large crowd gather to get behind their city's only professional team so passionately, as their young and patched up side gallantly tries to overcome the huge obstacle of a 21 point deduction. I mean that by the way. I am not taking the Michael. This sense of spectacle was heightened by the fact that I was one of the 514 band of followers of perhaps the most unfashionable football club in England, managed by a disliked former Derby manager and containing some unpopular former 'Rams'. 

I think once the disappointment of losing what on paper looked like a winnable home match dissipates for you, you will be once again be filled with pride and no little hope - as Rooney and your players are doing an amazing job. I see some are already in that place. As others have pointed out, your young side came up against a very experienced and well-drilled defence last night. However, it must also be noted, that the reason we 'celebrated like we had won the league', is because we are going through our own injury crisis, and are also having to field a lot of young players, including a 15 year old! 

I also take issue with being called 'tin-pot'. Yes, we are a small club at Championship level, but I would not say we are tin-pot. I associate 'tin-pot' with clubs with no real character, history or romance. The sort of club whose fans sing the same old generic songs as everyone else - thankfully I have never heard a Millwall crowd sing a generic football chant like 'Everywhere We Go' or 'Easy' etc. etc. In fact, because of our strong sense of identity and character, I have only ever heard us sing very Millwall centric songs - NOLU, Let Em Come, Millwall to different tunes. 

Furthermore, Millwall have a rich and proud history - pioneers of professional football in London and the South no less. The only club able to challenge the dominance of the northern and midlands sides in the late Victorian era in football's oldest competition - the FA Cup. In fact, this is the reason Millwall are the only senior football club in English football to earn their nickname through footballing endeavour and achievement! Formerly the 'Dockers', Millwall were christened the 'Lions of the South' by the national press, after giving the likes of Aston Villa (the best club side of the Victorian era), Everton, Preston NE and yes, Derby County, bloody noses in the cup! 

Moreover, I was first taken to The Den by my granddad and uncle in 1985. By my maths, in the 37 seasons that have followed, Millwall and Derby County have played at the same level in 23 of them. That hardly suggests that going by endevours on the pitch, that Derby County are a vastly superior outfit. In fact that reflects rather poorly on Derby County, who represent a whole city and since Chesterfield have slipped out of the Football League, are the only representative for the whole of Derbyshire playing top level football. Whereas Millwall have to compete with some of the biggest clubs in world football in Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United (spit) only a tube ride away, plus the likes of Crystal Palace and Charlton Athletic on our doorstep. I would argue that rather than being 'tin-pot', we are a very well-run club that gets the most out of its resources, allowing us to be a humble but proud second tier battler that no-one likes playing at The Den or in the cups. That may not be 'ambitious', but what's the alternative? Chase the dream like Derby County? 

That leads me on to Gary Rowett. Many Millwall fans are not enamoured with him either. You are correct, sometimes the football is painful. But needs must. Again, I take issue with it being 'typical' Millwall. From my time supporting the club Millwall have always been an aggressive and direct team yes, but in a positive way. That is to say, taking the game to the opposition, especially at The Den. However, Rowett is a dour pragmatic manager. That isn't Millwall, more like Charlton! But, times have changed, the Championship is full of big city clubs with regional level support like Derby County, Nottingham Forest, Sheffield United etc, all wanting to get into the promised land, as well as clubs like Bournemouth and Fulham, their pockets filled with the filthy lucre of parachute payments. Millwall currently need to keep their heads down and become more and more entrenched, like a tick in the Championship beast and hope we get a lucky season like Burnley or Huddersfield Town did, or even the jammiest of jammy clubs - Crystal Palace! 

Also, the club hierarchy are quite happy for a steady ship, as their main concern is this: https://www.millwallfc.co.uk/news/2020/february/millwall-reveal-plans-for-stadium-redevelopment/

The opportunity to develop land around The Den, which would allow us income streams to compete seriously for promotion. If and when it gets given the green light (Lewisham Council has already approved the adjoining Renewel development), then I would imagine Huski will fully takeover the club and maybe our ambitions will increase. Until then, it is all aboard the keep it steady Rowett Express! 

Okay, if you bothered to read all that, I will sign off by genuinely wishing you well... because as football fans of a grand old club like Derby County, you certainly do not deserve what you have been through! Even if you do not win this battle, I am positive you will bounce back stronger for it! Good luck. 

See, if you could encourage some of the class of your response to certain players (Malone, your number 2, Bennett) and the more unsavoury elements of your fanbase, you'd see a lot more respect and appreciation for your club!

In all honesty, Millwall didn't have to work too hard last night which is frustrating. I've seen you play dirtier or worse at Derby so fair enough!

A bit too much inexperience in the lineup tonight. You need to stand up to the likes of Millwall and we got bullied first half, which is disappointing.

Second half much improved but we still rarely looked like scoring. Having said that, Millwall offered nothing 2nd half, and we should have had a penalty.

It is what it is. Give me a DCFC at the end of the season, regardless of division and I'll be happy.

Final word for the ex-Rams tonight. Evans and Pearce are fine. Bennett is irrelevant for me, mainly because he's just clearly an idiot, he just isn't intelligent.

Scott Malone though. He's that guy at school who people hated yet somehow hung out with the popular kids. A deeply unpleasant banker. Genuinely, there aren't many former players I like less and his attitude when he returns to play here is incredibly unprofessional. I'm disappointed Kaz didn't leave one on him tbh 

Having a look at Millwall's squad, they've got a fairly strong group, interested to know if they have any injuries at the moment. Wil be a difficult match.

Walk along London Rd or get a taxi - head to alexandra, brunswick and bustler. Only 5 mins from where you are staying by taxi

I'm pleased that bit is done. Now all the pressure is on the administrators to prove they're not talking out of their buttocks and announce a preferred bidder. They said the Boro claim was the block, now it's gone, so do your jobs and get us out of admin.

Trying to be positive, I would hope this week has gone as follows - 

1. Mel makes his public offer, knowing it's not as simple as he says it is

2. Gibson responds saying it's not possible to transfer his claim and he should indemnify the club.

3. EFL tell all parties they would prefer to have the claim settled between Mel and Gibson so a preferred bidder can be named.

4. Mel and Gibson have been in discussions with their lawyers and each other to see if there is a way forward they can agree to. That's what everyone is waiting to hear.

I know that "Team Derby" met with the admins yesterday.

Really, really hope I'm right!!

13 minutes ago, WestLondonRam said:

Even Festy was singing it on the bench last night. After Wayne Rooney was having a chat with him. The cameras stayed on him to see him singing “we don’t give a Duck” 

Need someone to find the footage!

21 minutes ago, BoroWill said:

After Morris gaslit you all for 5 years, what makes you put any trust in a word he says?

 

 

This whole agenda that fans of other clubs has around DCFC fans trusting Mel Morris winds me up.

Not one person on this forum, in Pride Park, on Twitter, or wherever, has any trust in a word Mel Morris says. We spent the best part of a decade backing him in his efforts to get us promoted. He was questioned repeatedly at fan forums, Q&As and in the press as to how close to FFP we were, and whether our spending levels were sustainable.

Now at that point, as fans without sight of the inner workings of our club ownership, we have no option but to accept what he says. Is there an element of our fanbase that revelled in him sailing close to the wind? Yes. Every club has those fans who banter (ugh, horrible word) on social media.

Did we call him one of our own for delivering trips to Wembley and players we didn't expect to see here? Yes. Why wouldn't we, even knowing his idiosyncracies (too close to players for example)

Clearly, he lied. Plain and simple. To fans, managers, players, journalists, the EFL, everyone. 

So now, nobody trusts him. Quite rightly.

However, our club is on the brink of extinction. Despite people saying, "oh it will get sorted out eventually, typical Derby will get away with it". That attitude is what will see the club go under. We are fans, we have no power beyond spending money at the club and raising awareness of the threat, so if he is offering to take on the claims personally, we will obviously cling to that faint hope, whether it's realistic or not. WE ARE DESPERATE.

Should our fans be threatening Gibson? No of course not, but he is threatening the future of the club, regardless of whether that is his intention. Football is a weird, tribal community that binds people together, and turbocharges emotions. The depth of loathing now towards Gibson will not go anywhere quickly and I hope for everyone's sake, that even if the procedural concept of Morris and Gibson taking the claims personal is impossible, both of them work to remove DCFC from the dispute and allow the takeover to happen, because if they don't, the club WILL liquidate, and the likes of the EFL, Gibson, Couhig, Morris, etc will have seen nothing compared to the fury DCFC fans will have at the loss of their club. Not a threat, just a fact.

I enjoy Twitter. Lots of news, lots of idiots but came into it's own after the last couple of weeks.

I get lots of people giving out abuse, generally ignore most of it, call out the odd one with over the top politeness, at which point they vanish. 

It seems people aren't able to debate or change their points of view anymore!

1 hour ago, Ram1988 said:

Finally...I hope Mel wipes the floor with you Steve Gibson with your ridiculous claims!!

I dont really care who wins as long as the whole sorry saga doesn't come anywhere near DCFC again.

From first to last, that was emotional. From coming down Irongate and hearing the chants, seeing the flags, smoke and sheer number of people. Walking as one through OUR city, the onlookers shocked, smiling, proud, applauding, BEWILDERED. Booming through Cokc Pitt Island, then understanding the scale of the march as we crested the Pride Park flyover and looked forwards and back. 12,000 Derbeians from all backgrounds, a moment never to be forgotten.

Then getting to Pride Park, heading into the tightly packed concourse, and out to the seat. The swell of noise as 29000 Rams roared their support. It all got a bit dusty as Jamie bellowed our anthem, spontaneous applause, all 4 corners of the ground united as one. The flags, the scarves, the banners, bleeding black and white.

Good of the lads to give us an hour for a breather before taking us back to the raucous highs of earlier to snatch a draw on this day of days. Home to scour the socials and catch a breath.

I'll never forget this one, I'm more devoted than ever. We're Derby County, we'll fight to the end.

So I'm going on the march, I know people going, but not necessarily going with anybody, so if anyone sees me do say hi!

On another note, I've been awake since 4am, and I'm now headbanging to Thunderstruck with my 2 yr old.

This is not normal.

Five Lamps

Plenty of folk queuing outside the ticket office

11 hours ago, Rev said:

I nearly had my eye out, thank god I was wearing my monocle.

I immediately ordered nanny use her left hand for safety's sake, and we never spoke of it again.

Hence the nightmare getting them cleared!

7 minutes ago, Rev said:

The only flag I can remember getting was a black bin liner sellotaped to a massive straw.

And you should be bloody grateful, that was a logistical nightmare getting those ordered, cleared through the Safety Group and set up properly!

Whether we have a bidder or not, I hope the march still happens. The idea of hundreds or thousands of DCFC fans, all marching together to the match would be amazing, either in protest, or in celebration.

So excited for Sunday!

Whether @Bald Eagle's Barmy Army is on the wind up or is itk, i have heard things today from someone i trust that what he is suggesting may just be true.

So hopefully they're not both talking out of their behinds!

2 hours ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

Drinks are on @DarkFruitsRam7!!

I'll be there Nick, although a 30 minute slow walk to Pride Park from there is optimistic!!

Have we got refreshment stations along the way?!

8 hours ago, Nuwtfly said:

Big week, Rams fans: how's your nerves?

https://tenor.com/bFEMG.gif

Just to note, any destruction of the stadium - seats, concourses, etc - will have to be paid for DCFC, so maybe just leave any protest to the verbal kind!