Wsm-ram

I'm glad more is being said in the media about these two obnoxious chancers - we need the media to call out their vile behaviours.

Goodbye 2021, without a deduction this team made up of freebies and academy players would be 13th in the Championship, just 8pts off the top 6. 
Build the Rooney statue now. 
First job in management, everything he's had to deal with, incredible job he's doing. ???
 

So the Mods let this thread degenerate into a punfest - pages and pages of tripe which those seeking updates and info have to plough through.
Start a new section or better still a new forum for the clowns.
 

I think we’d accept a bid from a Laura Ashley right now.
Roos could have a nice set of curtains across his goal. He’d like that.

I was full of optimism a few weeks ago and bought my 11 month old a mini kit for Christmas (shhh, Mummy doesn’t know yet…).  Without wanting to be a Debbie downer, it’s a cruel twist of fate that that May now be the final kit of Derby County FC as we know it.
I’ve been hopeful for the Appleby consortium since day one and I hope they get it over the line in time.  It would be an impossible task to get a little lad interested in a Northern Counties team when they don’t even live in the area…
In reality, this is a business issue but, sentimentally, this is the passing down of the tradition through generations, the possibility of forming memories of going to the game with your parents/grandparents that is on the line.

Lots of differing opinions on here, most of them fairly well balanced, which makes for a great read. One thing we can all agree on is that this process is tiresome, frustrating and (as @angieramsaid) pretty much blind to the fans.
I always try to come back to the facts, which admittedly are few. Quantuma publicly stated there were 3 bidders in the running. Now there are 2. In my mind, CK’s withdrawal is only a massive problem if he was “first in the queue” to be preferred bidder.
But if he was first in the queue, why would he pull out now? If he was first in the queue, why did he (allegedly) increase his bid twice? If he was first in the queue, why haven’t Quantuma (allegedly) spoken to him in a long time?
On balance, those questions make me believe that CK was unlikely to be named the preferred bidder- in which case we have lost very little. I say “very little” in the context of avoiding liquidation, which to me is the main (only?) goal at this stage. Long term we all obviously want a committed, savvy and rich (!) owner who brings the club success- and CK MIGHT have been that owner. But it is impossible to say right now who will be the best owner for DCFC in 3 years’ time.
Final note on my use of the word “allegedly”. Those who are desperate to know something are likely to believe anything. For those reading this thread and feeling despondent, remind yourself of the difference between opinion and fact, and keep the faith. COYR.

Probably been told he isn't the preferred bidder.
Personally didn't like him blabbing away on twitter through the whole process before he actually bought the club as if this happened (always inevitable) then he'll look a bit daft.
Also don't really like the petulance on show from him today either. To come out on twitter in the way he has isn't exactly what I'd want to see.
One thing though, clearly the fact he's been showed round the place by Rooney's agent, can obviously see why Rooney wanted him to get the club.
Lots of people assuming Rooney will end up going now CK won't be the owner.
To be quite honest. Whilst I absolutely think how Rooney has held himself and acted through all of this deserves a huge amount of credit and also a fair crack at bringing us back up. I also wouldn't be massively disappointed if he did leave and we just started from scratch.
 
 

That's the crucial data - of 7500 people in hospital in the UK with a Covid diagnosis, 129 had the Omicron mutation as of December 18th.
If (big if) the Omicron hospitalisation figure stays low or stays within levels that the NHS can handle (as it has in South Africa) and deaths (currently 14 with Omicron) also stay low, then we don't have to do anything dramatic.  The numbers infected will inevitably rise but it doesn't necessarily follow that hospitalisation numbers rise too.

Should recoup that easily when we sue QPR and Villa. Villa broke the rules in 2019 is he suing them ? 

We can, and no doubt many will, argue about the treatment of our Club by the EFL all day, but what should not be lost today is that if Morris hadn’t put us in to Administration a couple of months ago, whilst clearly still a very wealthy man, and committed himself instead to accepting 9 points punishment for our P&S indiscretion, we would still have a Club today that had a chance, a good chance, of being in the Championship next season.
Morris bought a brilliant Club and Team, and in 6 short years ran it into the ground, and ultimately ran away to let someone else clear up the mess. 

So to be clear, Reading who have breached FFP to a higher degree than us will get the same 9 point deduction, but will not have had to put up with the same two years of embargos, denial of the COVID loan, repeated disciplinary processes, legal action from other clubs, being branded cheats in public with no ability to respond?
The EFL are a ducking joke. The process Derby have had to endure is so massively disproportionate to the breach that it's not even funny. Villa, QPR, Reading, Leicester, Bournemouth etc. None of them had to deal with even a fraction of the nonsense we have, and they all breached FFP to a greater degree.
duck the EFL, duck this season. Blood the kids, see which ones are ready for League One, as for the integrity of the competition? duck that as well. Don't care.

This is the exact reason I am still so angry about this whole debacle.  We were guilty of poor communication and fined £100K.  We still didn't break the law. Bent the EFL's rules maybe, but that's it.  We didn't hide it.  We didn't try and cover it up.  We didn't do anything illegal.  Being forced to re-do accounts based of how the EFL wanted it applied (contrary to usual industry practices), we're found to be what? £4m over?  The punishment applied to us for the past 2 years, (courtesy of THEIR delays, change of approach, changes of mind, incompetence, call it what you will), plus the 12 points for Admin far exceeds the perceived crime already.  We couldn't take the loan, which may have stopped Admin, because they had put us in a position such we wouldn't qualify. And to now apply another 9 points, for barely £4m is incredible.....a discrepancy only created because the EFL having previously accepted our accounts for nigh on 4 years changed their minds as a result of a certain person pointing the anomaly out to them.   How does that equate to Reading's breach, over 10x ours, but receiving the same penalty.  Plus of course 3 suspended due to late wages (yeah, Mel should have paid).  I honestly truly don't get it.  
I do get the Administrators wanting to just lie down and accept it all, so we can get a clean slate and move on, but I really hate the fact we have (IMO of course) been unjustly treated and have just accepted it whilst the EFL get away with everything.  Maybe I'm just too principled.   

Every single supporter is completely fed up with the situation and will be gutted if this is true.......but do we really need the constant, never ending Club/Mel/now Administrator bashing??? Really? can't we just mourn the situation TOGETHER, stick TOGETHER and help the Club get back on its feet TOGETHER. 
Some peoples constant need to blame and scapegoat is enough to make anyone say they have had enough and I say that after 53 years of support.

Division 3. As in the third tier. As in league 1?

How have we gone to appealing the 12, to adjourning the 12 to only getting a further 3 and not 9.
To 21. 
Would love an explanation.

The EFL gave up any pretence at impartiality when they were "disappointed" and found it "regrettable" when Derby were only fined for the accounts amortisation stuff. That is not the language of a professional body.
The mask slipped, small minded fearful men who are in thrall to Gibson, Parry and Maguire.

Derby - Hey, here's our accounts. By the way, we used an alternate method involving amortisation.
EFL - Hmmmmmm. It's unusual, but fine, we'll sign off on them.
*Years Later*
EFL - Lol, changed our mind, now they aren't ok.
 
Derby - We've sold our stadium and will add the profit to our accounts.
EFL - We don't like that, but it's not against the rules. We disagree with the valuation of the stadium however.
Derby - OK. Here's a valuation from an independent company who provide a similar figure.
EFL - Nope, we don't agree with the professionals, we'll begin disciplinary action. 
 
Independent panel - Derby didn't do anything wrong.
EFL - Meh, what do you guys know. We will appeal with a new independent panel.
New independent panel - We believe a 100k fine is appropriate for Derby's wrongdoing.
EFL - Nah, we don't like that, let's appeal. Oh and let's also try and relegate them after the season is finished.
 
Derby - Hey, we've renewed Jack Marriott's contract.
EFL - OK.
*6 months later*
EFL - Changed our mind. Marriott is free to leave. And no, you can't sign anyone to replace him, Waghorn, or any of the other players who left.
*Months later*
Derby - Please, we don't have enough senior players to even field a team, just let us sign some.
EFL - *Sigh* Fine, but only 4 or 5. And no more than 4.5k a week! And if you re-sign players like Davies or Wisdom they will take up 1 of those spots. 
 
Derby - Hey we're having some injury problems and would like to use a couple of young lads, but they'll then count as senior players. Can you be a little lenient with this?
EFL - Lol no. 
 
 
I'm really relieved the EFL are trying to help us and make us work. It's really nice to know they have our back.

EFL is supposed to represent the interests of member clubs. Derby is a member club... in fact a founding member. Would it be too much for a body that represents its members interests to try and help a member in its hour of need?
The 12 point deduction is  an automatic deduction so it's not as if the EFL made any decisons on that, the process is set out in the EFL Rules which are also being followed by the administrators. There is no need for anyone to feel pissed about or "shocked" by that,  in fact is is completly improper for EFL to comment in such a way.

Well some Derby fans let our great club again there was nearly a fight kicked off right next to us and I prayed please dont start fighting lucky two lads causing the issues there dad gave them both clip round the ears. Told them to pack it up but then after the game Derby fans fighting with coverty city fans by there train station but once again I think to much beer or cider being drunck why cant they just enjoy a pint or two not to silly level were they no longer know what they are doing.

He is neither objective nor professional. The club's auditors and the Independent Panel (which included a qualified accountant) both confirmed that the club's amortisation policy was compliant with FRS 102. Maguire sought to make a name for himself by repeatedly pointing out that the policy was slightly different to that used by other clubs and inferring that we were cheating. The EFL saw this as an opportunity to get back at Mel Morris and took it to the Panel, only for us to be exonerated (save for a need to expand the notes in the accounts). Unwilling to lose face in this matter, the EFL appealed the decision (so much for the independent review process) and set up another panel with no accountants asked to rule on an accounting matter which then (unsurprisingly) found us guilty. It is this which infuriates most of our fans.
As for the stadium sale, this was a one-off opportunity to realise the increase in value of the stadium to ease the FFP situation. The valuation was professionally obtained, and both submitted to and adjusted in accordance with the stipulations of the EFL, before the transaction went ahead. Whether or not the transaction was in the best interests of the club is a moot point, but it was categorically NOT cheating. That has not stopped the media and the EFL trying to smear it as such. For the EFL to bring a disciplinary charge against the club for carrying out a transaction which they had not only sanctioned, but which had actually been adjusted in accordance with their stipulations, beggars belief and can only have been motivated by vindictiveness.
For all of their stated desire for fair play, we have seen precious little of it from the EFL so far. They have an opportunity to redeem themselves if they give the Administrators' appeal against the 12 point deduction a fair hearing. We shall see.

My argument is, it doesn't matter how our finances were, it doesn't matter how close to the wind Mel was sailing, Covid not only cost us 20 million in revenue, we also werent able to access an £8 million loan that all over clubs could. The EFL, in unprecedented times, conveniently made up the rule that, if you are under an embargo you can't have it. I'm sure it was just a coincidence that the 1 club it affected was us.
That £28 million would have wiped the HMRC bill and then all we are left with is the debt owed for players/managers and other creditor debt which isn't classed as preferential.
The picture would have looked so much better if it wasn't for the landscape unexpectedly changing.
I fully expect our appeal to be a success, as I'm sure the administrators will, and if it isn't the EFL seriously need investigating.

I've signed-up to this Chat to add my two-pennys worth on My Cashley.
So I'm a Barcode and proud and have been since my first game in 1971 - a drab 0-0 at home to Man City, pretty much a portent of the next half century to come. I loved seeing SuperMac and Tudor and the likes. Signing Shearer was amazing, as was coming with one game (March 4, 1996) of winning the Premiership. What Keegan showed Newcastle fans was what was possible. Just like Cloughie showed Derby and Forest fans what was possible. So it's inevitable that you hark back to those days and wish they would return. And then you get accused of having unrealistic expectations and you realise you just should have kept your mouth shut 'cos you can't win that 'argument'. Newcastle fans do not feel 'entitled' - any more than Derby or Forest fans feel 'entitled' - they just have memories of past glory days and wish they could come back. The hysteria on Barrack Road on Thursday evening was a combination of profound relief at getting rid of Cashley and also the return of hope that we might enjoy the glory days of The Entertainers back (even if no trophies came our way again like the last time - it was still fantastic to be a part of).
Anyway, to Cashley. Derby right now is a good fit for him. It's 'local' (to SDHQ) so that makes sense investing in the community, and he absolutely will run the club's finances tightly and profitably. Initially and for a few years you might feel relieved, but as the years go by you'll start to notice that there's no real investment going into the club so everything starts to deteriorate - the ground, the training faciltiies, the academy, and very soon the football. If you are in the Premiership (where you should be), you'll have season after season of worrying every day about relegation so never actually enjoying the football and - if he installs a Steve Bruce as manager one day - you'll have to watch lifeless, unattacking football at its very worst. So no expectations of any kind whilst your club falls apart from the paint downwards.
I've been in Derbyshire for just over a decade now. Pride Park is an outstanding ground and the club deserves to be in the Premiership. Cashley can secure your Championship place and the long-term future of the club, but sadly that level of security potentially comes with a massive price in the case of Cashley. Ironically, we might suffer the same consequences at St. James' but that's a wholly different debate, I suspect.

I am writing this, largely out of frustration, but I feel I need to get it off my chest.
My dad was a season ticket holder for 50-odd years and he died of cancer in September. (I joined him as a season ticket holder from 1987)
He had renewed his ticket for the 2020-21 season before the pandemic hit which was carried over into this season.
In April, when he knew he was too poorly to go again, he wrote to the ticket office advising as such and would therefore prefer a refund to the ticket for 2021-22.
He received a response saying that the club could not provide a refund as the deadline had since passed.
As a result, I wrote to the club in July to see if an amicable solution could be found to transfer his ticket to my friend who would pay the difference from a 65+ ticket to a standard adult one, then paying my dad for the rest of the ticket.
I heard nothing.  I chased again twice and still heard nothing.
In an attempt to try and sort it out before the season ticket deadline (after my dad had recently died and after Derby had gone into administration), I went to the ticket office and was advised the process would be that my friend would have to buy the ticket in full and my dad could get a refund on his seat, due to his death.
I therefore paid for my friend’s seat (which was my dad’s seat) in full for my friend and gave details with regards to getting a refund.
This week, the SLO contacted me to say that it would be possible to upgrade his seat to my friend and to contact the ticket office accordingly, in response to my email sent in July.
When I explained what I had already been told by the ticket office, I received another email advising that due to the administration events, no refund could be given at all.
So, Derby County have taken my dad’s money and my friend’s money for the same seat, have given me conflicting information and are now reneging on returning my Dad’s refund (which would have obviously gone to my mother).
I have requested that I get his season ticket back but for a different seat, as I can either bring someone else, or sell it on to recover some of the cash, but have had no response so far.
I can’t express how poorly I have felt Derby have handled this, (effectively costing me over £300) and it shows how much they valued my dad as a “customer”, when their lack of providing the correct information or acting in a timely manner could have seen this resolved.
Overall, I’m really saddened that this becomes my Dad’s final legacy with the club that he loved.