Wsm-ram

…are you for the last 2 games? I’ve been home & away for most of the season but had to reluctantly relinquish my tickets for Cambridge & Carlisle for the sunnier clime of Sri Lanka from where I’ll be watching tonight. Pre-match today I’m taking plenty of fluid on board and doing some light pool work just to keep myself loose. It’s my birthday tomorrow so hopefully the Rams will present me with 3 points just to make tomorrow sweeter. 
Where are you watching from if you’re not at the game? 🐏

Seems to be the tone if Collins’ pre-match interview is anything to base it on. He seemed quietly confident, fingers crossed it translates into a strong performance on Saturday.

Confirmation from the man himself that he’s had an op and is done for the season. Real shame with his injuries this season especially as he was playing well of late, however his contribution with a few goals and assists at the business end of the season could still prove key.  

Good point. No plan B! 
Whereas Warne has a Plan A, B and C. We sometimes see all three in the same match. 😂
Just an aside, Warne wasn't at the Supporters Club event last night because he'd gone to watch Cambridge at Bristol Rovers. Even at this late stage of the season, he's leaving no stone unturned in his quest to get us up. He works as hard as he expects from the players. 

First promotion for 17 years. First automatic promotion for nearly 30 years. Let’s counter your argument and say you think that finishing 3rd, playing good football but failing where it really matters is an achievement?
The arrogant attitude that anything less than running away with the title with triple figure points is a failure is why big clubs like Sunderland, Ipswich, Notts Forest etc got stuck down here for longer.
Less than two years ago we had about 6 players, no academy, no manager and had to play pre-season in temporary shirts because we didn’t even have kits. We were also put under restrictions, which still haven’t run out yet. So yes, I think getting automatic promotion in this timeframe is an achievement. A very good one, actually.

What a brilliant night! Dan (B4) and Angie Vallance received the Alfreton supporters award.  I almost missed it as I was in the loo 😂 the glass award is lovely and will have pride of place in my parents house. The players looked visibly touched when it was announced Dan and Angie were being awarded posthumously. It was lovely to see so over 200 people there to celebrate DCFC and those who love the club. I had no idea what to expect but it was amazing. Lovely food and company. I had no idea the players and David Clowes would be there, so that was a lovely surprise. 

Have you watched Derby… ever?

FULL TIME! 2-2
G'wan Shrewsbury!

Well done Pompey

Considering he's talking to me, that's not the case at all.  Long story short, me, my lad, and a few of his mates waited for the players after the Bolton game for pics, and I waited a bit longer than most for a pic with the gaffer, but I guess he was either still basking in the post victory glow at the bar, or he'd popped off early.  Fast forward to Saturday and my lad's mates were again waiting outside and one of them told him I was a Derby fan of 40 years & I was gutted I'd missed him a couple of weeks ago.  Warney politely asked him for his phone, asked what my name was, and hit Record.  Top bloke...

Interesting. First few minutes he got caught in possession, couldn’t seem to get past his man, and couldn’t shield the ball. 
I found myself sadly reflecting on how our once most promising junior player has seemed increasingly lost as the season has gone by. I was ready to give up on him. 
And then “something” happened. I’m not totally sure what the “something” was, but something seemed to click. I think it was when he received the ball deep after about 20 minutes and instead of trying to muscle his way past, he shimmied, cut inside and was suddenly in acres of space. From then on I thought he looked dangerous every time he had the ball, and was definitely in the top three players on the pitch. 
Let’s hope he can build on this. 

Well done on your win and putting things back in your own hands.  I thought we were fortunate at times today, for some reason our early goal seemed to send us in to our shell; Bolton have some decent footballers, who exploited that for the rest of the first half and we were lucky not to go in behind.  Second half a bit more even.
All the best for the run in - as I've said elsewhere I'm hoping we'll both end up in the automatic slots now; but I do think you're probably at the stage where you can't afford any slip ups in the last couple of games.
I've just poured a large glass of red. Enjoy your evenings, Rams.

Good honest performance today, everybody had a decent performance and Orient never really got a chance to do much. Excellent support from the crowd too. Stand out for me was Thomson and Wilson, two fine young players full of passion and energy. Great stuff.

The thing that Warne has really achieved is a colossal improvement in both our attacking and defending set pieces. 
Obviously the stats show the effectiveness off the attacking corners and free kicks - I believe we've scored more than any other of the 92 clubs.
However, I reckon the improvement in the defending from corners has been even better. For so many years, I've sat in the West Stand watching us defend set pieces with my hands over my eyes in terror. They had the same effect as Doctor Who had on six year old me. Now I'm relaxed enough to carry on a conversation. I expect us not to concede. 
I actually think that improvement is a significant reason why automatic promotion is in our hands with two games to go.

Attendance 30,247
5th highest today in all leagues and a larger crowd than at Forest.
………………………………….well done to one and all.👍🐏

Thank you Portsmouth FC

We could have had 7 or 8 today. Clinical from set pieces, but we squandered so many chances from open play too. Could have had 3 in a single 5 minute spell towards around the 75th minute mark.
Credit where it's due; Warne will have known he would be absolutely crucified for the Bradley led back 3 call, had we lost, or drawn, so I hope even his fiercest detractors will acknowledge his courage and game strategy today. No way I'd have played Bradley, though IIRC both @Ghost of Clough and @DCFC1388 I think called his selection more or less bang on.
The stats don't exactly scream it, but we've absolutely battered them today and on B4's birthday too!
COYR

With NML struggling for form should Warne have made him captain? Don’t get me wrong I think he is a real quality player but the dip in form is a worry and whilst it extends longer than when he has been captain I do wonder if the captaincy is placing additional pressure on him. Probably too late to change things but I wonder if Nelson would have been a better choice?

No. Pay him a nice fat 'thanks for the promotion' bonus and send him on with our best wishes. He's a good guy and I'd probably enjoy his company, but his football is the polar opposite if what I enjoy watching and I don't think it's good enough for the second tier.
EDIT: Apologies, I misread your post. It's still a no. If we don't go up he has, by his own admission, failed. Position untenable.

It’s much closer than I’d like, but the most important thing is it’s still in our own hands.
COYR

Probably the best away support I’ve seen at Fratton park this season. Draw was probably a fair result and I’d have taken that if you offered it to me before the game.
 
Safe journey back gents if you’re heading back tonight. I have a four hour plus drive to Norfolk now 🤣🙊. 

a tad frustrated that we lost a lead twice... but no way is a draw a bad result.  
A cracking first half as a spectacle, and an almost classic away holding job second half.  Nervy throughout, and kind of relieved in the end.
If I'd have read the script before kick off, and new the outcome, it would have got a massive thumbs up from me. We may not have strictly played for a draw, but that draw may be the point that takes us over the line.
A very, very good night.
Well done, Super Rams.
 

Even if we won tonight, Pompey to beat Bolton all day long!
I really couldn't care less about catching Portsmouth, I guarantee you that come around 14:30 on Saturday 27th April, if we are sitting in 2nd place, not one single part of me will be disappointed we didn't win the league.
Get us up, get us out of this league, 2nd will be perfect thank you.

Great point, despite losing the leads. I'll take that all day long.

Hi Rams fans,
Have been following your forum for a wee while and thought I'd stick my nose in.
Registering took a while but I got there in the end, so.
To quote Neil Young, 'Tonight's The Night'. I guess tonight's game isn't pivotal, but things might be a little clearer..
Last night's results didn't help either of our clubs, in the end it's in our own hands.
Main reason for joining Rams board is the family split that exists....I am Pompey, my son is Derby., He and I have had
little contact due to past ructions between his mum and I...Last time I saw him he was a part time Celtic fan. (He was
born in Scotland, where I lived and was married for some 20 years. I took him to see a couple of Pompey games but
he wasn't impressed, took him to my school where I was a goalie...unimpressed. It was only when my ex remarried that
the Rams bug seemed to bite. Dunno if picture will show on this thread.
Tonight will be interesting, even if it's a dull game. A draw would suit us fine and I have to say that our final games fill
me with some dread. We had a 'blip' earlier in the season and recovered. This time, any blip will not be recoverable.
I have followed Pompey for over 55 years (youngsters refuse to believe me when I tell them we have an innate ability
to mess up just as we're about to cross finishing line. (I guess this is what attracted me to Hearts when in Edinburgh,
very similar ground, fan base and fatal flaws!) How you can beat us....classified I'm afraid but we have some very obvious 
weaknesses you can exploit. Don't go into game looking for a point, teams that have done well at Fratton have come out
and taken game to us.
Why are we top of the league? Many fans mutter 'They're nothing special..have seen much better' These fans are often right.
Many of our performances have been sub-optimal BUT the one aspect that has run through most games is a newfound
belief that, even if we o 0-2 down, the situation is recoverable. Games last 95 minutes or so these days...we manage to keep
believing the situation is retrievable. It's this that has sent us to the top...plus a pretty stingy defence, a creative midfield
and strikers who, on their day can tear any League One side to shreds. Last game against Wycombe their left back wanted
to go off suffering from 'twisted blood'. (Gag borrowed from Man Utd, George Best joke.) On their day, Kamara and Yengi,
supported by Bishop and Saydee are a real handful.
Lat night's results went pretty much according to form but previous games have shown all the maths and super computers
in the world simply cannot predict what will actually happen.
I hope you guys go up....Derby are a 'proper' club, part of the game's history BUT...so are we. Nobody has a divine right to be
'top of the tree'.....Anyone else remember the hushed tones from tv pundits when the mighty Man Utd were relegated?
It was as if there had been a death in the family.
Treat both success and failure as imposters....keep supporting your club. Good luck to all Rams making the journey down..
I see a few travelled down over the weekend and have already sampled some of our local beers.
All the best Rams...., Nick