ImARam2

The first time I visited the Baseball Ground was in the 'Boys Corner'/Normanton End for a reserve game, on Saturday, 27th January 1962, with Derby Reserves vs Bolton Wanderers Reserves, which the Rams won 6-0.
It was the day the first team were playing Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup and I can remember shouting to the Derby goalkeeper, Ken Oxford, what was the first team score.
I was 9 years old, along with a friend, also 9, my brother & his friend, both aged 7, we got the bus from Breadsall Estate to Derby, Tenant Street, got a free bag of chips from the 'Savoy' chippie on the Morledge because my mother worked there, walked to the BBG, walked backed to town, and then home for tea.
I'm nearly 71 years of age, and wherever I've lived and worked around the world, and there's been many, I've taken my love of my home town and football club with me, and I can still remember that first visit to the BBG as it was yesterday.
 

The first time I visited the Baseball Ground was in the 'Boys Corner'/Normanton End for a reserve game, on Saturday, 27th January 1962, with Derby Reserves vs Bolton Wanderers Reserves, which the Rams won 6-0.
It was the day the first team were playing Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup and I can remember shouting to the Derby goalkeeper, Ken Oxford, what was the first team score.
I was 9 years old, along with a friend, also 9, my brother & his friend, both aged 7, we got the bus from Breadsall Estate to Derby, Tenant Street, got a free bag of chips from the 'Savoy' chippie on the Morledge because my mother worked there, walked to the BBG, walked backed to town, and then home for tea.
I'm nearly 71 years of age, and wherever I've lived and worked around the world, and there's been many, I've taken my love of my home town and football club with me, and I can still remember that first visit to the BBG as it was yesterday.
 

The first time I visited the Baseball Ground was in the 'Boys Corner'/Normanton End for a reserve game, on Saturday, 27th January 1962, with Derby Reserves vs Bolton Wanderers Reserves, which the Rams won 6-0.
It was the day the first team were playing Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup and I can remember shouting to the Derby goalkeeper, Ken Oxford, what was the first team score.
I was 9 years old, along with a friend, also 9, my brother & his friend, both aged 7, we got the bus from Breadsall Estate to Derby, Tenant Street, got a free bag of chips from the 'Savoy' chippie on the Morledge because my mother worked there, walked to the BBG, walked backed to town, and then home for tea.
I'm nearly 71 years of age, and wherever I've lived and worked around the world, and there's been many, I've taken my love of my home town and football club with me, and I can still remember that first visit to the BBG as it was yesterday.
 

I began playing Sunday league football in 1968 when I was 16 years old and I can vouch for some of the "tactics" and intimidation which the older players gave us, many of them just out of the pub from their Sunday lunchtime session.
You grew up quick on a football field in those days!!
I started with Osmaston Park Rangers, later renamed Derby Engineers, before switching to playing on a Saturday's with Allestree RBL, Allenton Athletic, Aston on Trent, Roe Farm FC and Borrowash Vics.
There were some very good 'local' semi-pro players in those days and I believe many would have made full-time professional levels if they had been given the opportunity and money to play, because many where in decent jobs and couldn't afford to play full-time.
I always loved playing football and continued to play when I worked overseas in Saudi Arabia, where the 'Saudia' team reached the local expatriate's cup final, as well as playing in Abu Dhabi up to my mid-50's.
My last full 90 minutes game was in a charity match on Pride Park, one day before my 65th birthday, which was a fantastic day, with photographs and a DVD to prove it to my grandson.

The first time I visited the Baseball Ground was in the 'Boys Corner'/Normanton End for a reserve game, on Saturday, 27th January 1962, with Derby Reserves vs Bolton Wanderers Reserves, which the Rams won 6-0.
It was the day the first team were playing Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup and I can remember shouting to the Derby goalkeeper, Ken Oxford, what was the first team score.
I was 9 years old, along with a friend, also 9, my brother & his friend, both aged 7, we got the bus from Breadsall Estate to Derby, Tenant Street, got a free bag of chips from the 'Savoy' chippie on the Morledge because my mother worked there, walked to the BBG, walked backed to town, and then home for tea.
I'm nearly 71 years of age, and wherever I've lived and worked around the world, and there's been many, I've taken my love of my home town and football club with me, and I can still remember that first visit to the BBG as it was yesterday.
 

The first time I visited the Baseball Ground was in the 'Boys Corner'/Normanton End for a reserve game, on Saturday, 27th January 1962, with Derby Reserves vs Bolton Wanderers Reserves, which the Rams won 6-0.
It was the day the first team were playing Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup and I can remember shouting to the Derby goalkeeper, Ken Oxford, what was the first team score.
I was 9 years old, along with a friend, also 9, my brother & his friend, both aged 7, we got the bus from Breadsall Estate to Derby, Tenant Street, got a free bag of chips from the 'Savoy' chippie on the Morledge because my mother worked there, walked to the BBG, walked backed to town, and then home for tea.
I'm nearly 71 years of age, and wherever I've lived and worked around the world, and there's been many, I've taken my love of my home town and football club with me, and I can still remember that first visit to the BBG as it was yesterday.
 

The first time I visited the Baseball Ground was in the 'Boys Corner'/Normanton End for a reserve game, on Saturday, 27th January 1962, with Derby Reserves vs Bolton Wanderers Reserves, which the Rams won 6-0.
It was the day the first team were playing Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup and I can remember shouting to the Derby goalkeeper, Ken Oxford, what was the first team score.
I was 9 years old, along with a friend, also 9, my brother & his friend, both aged 7, we got the bus from Breadsall Estate to Derby, Tenant Street, got a free bag of chips from the 'Savoy' chippie on the Morledge because my mother worked there, walked to the BBG, walked backed to town, and then home for tea.
I'm nearly 71 years of age, and wherever I've lived and worked around the world, and there's been many, I've taken my love of my home town and football club with me, and I can still remember that first visit to the BBG as it was yesterday.
 

I began playing Sunday league football in 1968 when I was 16 years old and I can vouch for some of the "tactics" and intimidation which the older players gave us, many of them just out of the pub from their Sunday lunchtime session.
You grew up quick on a football field in those days!!
I started with Osmaston Park Rangers, later renamed Derby Engineers, before switching to playing on a Saturday's with Allestree RBL, Allenton Athletic, Aston on Trent, Roe Farm FC and Borrowash Vics.
There were some very good 'local' semi-pro players in those days and I believe many would have made full-time professional levels if they had been given the opportunity and money to play, because many where in decent jobs and couldn't afford to play full-time.
I always loved playing football and continued to play when I worked overseas in Saudi Arabia, where the 'Saudia' team reached the local expatriate's cup final, as well as playing in Abu Dhabi up to my mid-50's.
My last full 90 minutes game was in a charity match on Pride Park, one day before my 65th birthday, which was a fantastic day, with photographs and a DVD to prove it to my grandson.

I began playing Sunday league football in 1968 when I was 16 years old and I can vouch for some of the "tactics" and intimidation which the older players gave us, many of them just out of the pub from their Sunday lunchtime session.
You grew up quick on a football field in those days!!
I started with Osmaston Park Rangers, later renamed Derby Engineers, before switching to playing on a Saturday's with Allestree RBL, Allenton Athletic, Aston on Trent, Roe Farm FC and Borrowash Vics.
There were some very good 'local' semi-pro players in those days and I believe many would have made full-time professional levels if they had been given the opportunity and money to play, because many where in decent jobs and couldn't afford to play full-time.
I always loved playing football and continued to play when I worked overseas in Saudi Arabia, where the 'Saudia' team reached the local expatriate's cup final, as well as playing in Abu Dhabi up to my mid-50's.
My last full 90 minutes game was in a charity match on Pride Park, one day before my 65th birthday, which was a fantastic day, with photographs and a DVD to prove it to my grandson.

I began playing Sunday league football in 1968 when I was 16 years old and I can vouch for some of the "tactics" and intimidation which the older players gave us, many of them just out of the pub from their Sunday lunchtime session.
You grew up quick on a football field in those days!!
I started with Osmaston Park Rangers, later renamed Derby Engineers, before switching to playing on a Saturday's with Allestree RBL, Allenton Athletic, Aston on Trent, Roe Farm FC and Borrowash Vics.
There were some very good 'local' semi-pro players in those days and I believe many would have made full-time professional levels if they had been given the opportunity and money to play, because many where in decent jobs and couldn't afford to play full-time.
I always loved playing football and continued to play when I worked overseas in Saudi Arabia, where the 'Saudia' team reached the local expatriate's cup final, as well as playing in Abu Dhabi up to my mid-50's.
My last full 90 minutes game was in a charity match on Pride Park, one day before my 65th birthday, which was a fantastic day, with photographs and a DVD to prove it to my grandson.

Ref: The Morecambe managers 'sour-grapes' comments.
I think Derby County should put out a disclaimer before every game, over the Tannoy and in the match progamme as follows:
No Transfers were paid for players this season, as the club is in an embargo for two seasons. The maximum contract for any player is two seasons The only players the club can sign are out-of-contract, or a loan, to which the club cannot pay any fees to an agent The players cannot be paid more than (£12,000 per week ?) And p.s. 'Our average attendance is bigger than some grounds' Perhaps that will stop the visiting teams, managers and fans from saying how unfair that they are having to compete against such a "rich" club.

I thought the particular issues where he was talking out of his anorak were on the penalties and yellow card count.
On the penos, he admitted he hadn't looked at the incidents again, yet hinted darkly at a conspiracy because we'd had two penalties in each game (for me, the first was 'soft', but the defender certainly didn't play the ball, but the second was pretty routine). I suppose he could think them unlucky that 4 of our 5 penalties have come against them, but that suggests that referees hate his team more than they actually favour ours ?
On the card count, I thought the ref overall was quite lenient with his use of cards and it's not unusual for a team getting battered to commit the kind of fouls that tend to be punished with yellow cards - I thought the player who goit booked for the foul on Roberts that led to the 1st goal was unlucky, but not the others. A ratio of 6 fouls to 17 is pretty telling and I don't recall us having to make a single 'bad' or professional foul in the whole game. And if he thinks we get favourable refs, he really should watch a few more of our games!

Ref: The Morecambe managers 'sour-grapes' comments.
I think Derby County should put out a disclaimer before every game, over the Tannoy and in the match progamme as follows:
No Transfers were paid for players this season, as the club is in an embargo for two seasons. The maximum contract for any player is two seasons The only players the club can sign are out-of-contract, or a loan, to which the club cannot pay any fees to an agent The players cannot be paid more than (£12,000 per week ?) And p.s. 'Our average attendance is bigger than some grounds' Perhaps that will stop the visiting teams, managers and fans from saying how unfair that they are having to compete against such a "rich" club.

Ref: The Morecambe managers 'sour-grapes' comments.
I think Derby County should put out a disclaimer before every game, over the Tannoy and in the match progamme as follows:
No Transfers were paid for players this season, as the club is in an embargo for two seasons. The maximum contract for any player is two seasons The only players the club can sign are out-of-contract, or a loan, to which the club cannot pay any fees to an agent The players cannot be paid more than (£12,000 per week ?) And p.s. 'Our average attendance is bigger than some grounds' Perhaps that will stop the visiting teams, managers and fans from saying how unfair that they are having to compete against such a "rich" club.

Ref: The Morecambe managers 'sour-grapes' comments.
I think Derby County should put out a disclaimer before every game, over the Tannoy and in the match progamme as follows:
No Transfers were paid for players this season, as the club is in an embargo for two seasons. The maximum contract for any player is two seasons The only players the club can sign are out-of-contract, or a loan, to which the club cannot pay any fees to an agent The players cannot be paid more than (£12,000 per week ?) And p.s. 'Our average attendance is bigger than some grounds' Perhaps that will stop the visiting teams, managers and fans from saying how unfair that they are having to compete against such a "rich" club.

As a Vale fan I was gutted after the match but the consensus among our fans was that the best team won. Thought we edged a tetchy first half but after scoring we sat back and invited you on and you duly obliged. Last 20 minutes you looked like a top of the table side. That was the best our goalie has played all season! Unfortunately both our main strikers(Ellison and Wilson)! are out injured so we were VERY limited up front. As for the away following, I thought you lot were superb. Sang loudly all through the match apart from, understandably, the 10 mins after we scored. I've supported Vale since 1969 and think overall that was THE best overall away backing I've heard in that time. You should be proud. That stand you were in has excellent acoustics and will be our home end next season with away fans being housed in the stand opposite you last night. As for on the pitch I'd say, though you only really started playing late on, you were the second best team I've seen at Vale Park this season, with Ipshit being clearly the best. Hope you get promoted with Sjoke City exchanging places with you! Again, great effort by your support last night! Our pitch is s*** but looked like Wembley compared to the old Baseball Ground mud heap of the 70s. Didn't seem to hinder Kevin Hector, Roger Davies or Alan Hinton? too much though.

I always back every manager when they’re in the door and am usually one of the last to turn. My immediate reaction to the appointment with outrage. Why have we not given the job to Liam who is doing a decent job and deserves our backing for sticking with us through last season’s chaos, and replace him with a hoof ball merchant who has only managed a small club and might get us out of this league but doesn’t have the credentials to make us competitive in the championship. I was in this space probably for a couple of days but I actually did my research and saw he’s a good guy who will manage with integrity and embody all the values of David Clowes, he will stop at nothing to do his best for the club, and furthermore he’s actually a good tactician and lives/breathes the game, maybe his style at Rotherham was borne out of making the best of the resources he had.
Fast forward and it’s safe to say I’m delighted Warne is at our club and more than a lot of managers I really want him to do well, and the coaching staff also. They seem really good people and this squad of players seem a really good bunch also.
A major positive of the s**** we’ve been through is it’s brought the club and the players closer to the fans again like the old days. They’re all relatable, there is no chance they will be taking flights to Blackpool. The higher up the pyramid you go the more out of touch the players and club are and you may reach mid table mediocrity in the premier league - but what then. Sure I want us to be back in the championship at the earliest opportunity and be competitive in that league as a minimum, and I want us to reach the premier league but what a ride it would be if we got there and if we did make it, we would certainly appreciate it more than we we wouldve done had we beat Villa. Hopefully the club can do it and keep the spirit and foundations of now 

I have no ill-feelings towards Lampard, considering how he's managerial career has gone then I wouldn't be surprised to see him back for a second spell with us in the future. Not sure what has to transpire for that to happen, but no doubt he's days at Everton are coming to an end. 
Wish him well for the future, wherever he ends up. 

2022 eh?
It was the worst of years and the best of years.
I may have nicked that from somewhere!
We nearly died, it seemed half the football world wanted us to, from the hierarchy of the EFL to absolute chancers and grifters like Steve Gibson. I will always despise Rick Parry and Gibson. Despicable human beings who represent pretty much everything that is wrong with this world. Grubby, greedy little men who think they are above everyone else with no empathy for ordinary people.
We fought. Our support was unprecedented, unbelievable, superb, every game until the end of the season was the best I've ever seen. There were games toward the end where I just stood in the middle of the South Stand and marvelled at every stand singing as one, it was emotional, uplifting, it made me proud to be a Derby fan, proud to be from this beautiful, wonderful, part of the country.
The march on the day of the Birmingham match. Those of us who were there will never forget it. Looking back from the flyover near the station and seeing the road full all the way back to Traffic Street......its a wide road!
We've had our Christmas present, our club survived thanks to our unconditional support which I believe convinced David Clowes to step in and do what most of us would have done if we could.
Merry Christmas to all of you, keep the faith and get behind the Rams at every game you can get to.
?
 

I couldn’t see another place to share the above so started a new thread, mods please move/merge if there’s a more appropriate and existing thread. Just thought it worth shouting about this nice little community touch from some of the coaching and playing staff, the pandemic and off the field situation seemed to deny so many feel good moments that it’s nice to see normality resume with this sort of thing. Well done ? ? 

Who are these going to be then - Dopey; Grumpy; Happy; Sleepy or Bashful?

I always cringe a bit when United are called “Manure” on here.
1 v 1 I would always want a DCFC win but United were my introduction to the great game and I have always followed them. I was born within 10 miles of the ground, they are where I came from. The Glazers represent everything I loath about the top flight. Levered money, “franchise” “business model” “matchday experience” “stakeholders” . All from the vomit factory that understands so little about what a football club means to it’s real supporters.
I just hope these trailer park, wide boy, loan shark stain on the game are going elsewhere with their borrowed asset stripping money
 
God bless David Clowes. I don’t care that we can’t buy our league or whether we get promoted this season, I care that someone did something for love of the club and what it is and means to our city, rather than a balance sheet or an ego. 
 
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It seems so anachronistic for Jimmy Hagan to have been at the Baseball Ground in charge of Benfica. He had been at Derby County so long ago that he would have chatted to Steve Bloomer when Bloomer was the groundsman. I doubt if he had any fondness for the Rams. He had been allowed to go to Sheffield United even though Derby must have realised how good he was. He went on to have a great 20 year career for the Blades. It was a bit like when Man United let Giles go to Leeds.  Sometimes managers get rid of players against the long-term interest of their clubs. It is often a case of a personality clash.

I don’t think Brian Clough put many people on a pedestal but I’m sure he would have respected Hagan. He performed wonders at Peterborough. His time at West Brom wasn’t as successful. In fact, his players went on strike in January of 1964 because he wouldn’t let his players wear tracksuit bottoms during training. Those of us of pension age will remember how cold it was that winter. When Hagan drove his car into a canal some of these players jumped in to rescue him. The others probably thought "Let him drown".

Below in the Youtube link at 5:57 you can see the canal he drove his car into. It was next to West Brom’s old training ground. The clip is from a documentary from about 1962 called “The Saturday Men”. It was supposed to be about the life of an average footballer but many of those players were far from average – e.g. Bobby Robson, Don Howe, Jock Wallace, etc.
It’s fascinating to see how much industry there was at that time. The background in the clip seems to be full of factory chimneys. This has got nothing to do with Jimmy Hagan but I find it hard to understand how we were so poor then when we were manufacturing so much. Today when we make nothing the situation seems reversed.
 

This is the story about the strike :
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/incoming/gallery/baggies-refused-wear-shorts-343350
This is about Hagan’s crash :
https://www.pressreader.com/uk/black-country-bugle/20180815/281861529341413
 

Better known as:
N otts Florist's
S hort
P remier League
C oming to a 
C atastrophic end.
 
 
 
 
 

Full credit to Torquay. They gave it everything, made it a really hard afternoon for us, and got the result they very much deserved.
They took every element - the small ground, the deteriorating pitch with slippery conditions, the wet and windy weather, the crowd, the officials’ decisions - bottled it up and used it as a leveller.
This was a classic example of why we love cup football. It’s not the game to dissect and ponder over or indeed to use as a stick to beat Warne with.
Those conditions would have been difficult for many a bigger team looking to avoid an upset.
Previous Derby teams would have lost that kind of game. It was the perfect recipe for an upset, whether you play possession football or otherwise.
To my mind, win the replay and what’s the fuss?