ImARam2

Bob the Badger - Do you really think I'm having a go at the likes of yourself, then you are mistaken.
I'm now in my 70's, having first stepped inside the Baseball Ground in 1962, as well as retaining my season ticket when I worked in the Middle East for 20+ years!! Oh yes, that was difficult getting back to Derby and I missed many games.
You know as well as I do, there are so called "fans" who try to convince you that they've "never missed a game", but be unable to name a player; manager or any outstanding games which we could all recall instantly.
Look at the scramble and arguments which arose when we last played at Wembley and "fans" were trying to get tickets for the play-off game. You mark my words, if we end up in the Wembley play-off final again, then it'll be exactly the same arguments.

If "fans" wanted a ticket for the last match of the season, why didn't they buy them 4 weeks ago when there were a sufficient number still  available? 
Are these "fans" touts or just "sunshine supporters"?
To all the fans now wanting tickets, here's a message, either buy a season ticket and you'll never miss a game, or a Wembley ticket, or you choose your game well in advance and purchase a ticket when they come online.

We also won a Division 1 title with one of the lowest ever points total (2 points for win), and did you moan that season that the league was dreadful?

We also won a Division 1 title with one of the lowest ever points total (2 points for win), and did you moan that season that the league was dreadful?

If "fans" wanted a ticket for the last match of the season, why didn't they buy them 4 weeks ago when there were a sufficient number still  available? 
Are these "fans" touts or just "sunshine supporters"?
To all the fans now wanting tickets, here's a message, either buy a season ticket and you'll never miss a game, or a Wembley ticket, or you choose your game well in advance and purchase a ticket when they come online.

We also won a Division 1 title with one of the lowest ever points total (2 points for win), and did you moan that season that the league was dreadful?

Mental innit?. A few more kicks might decide whether we're playing Everton next season, or Mansfield friggin' Town 😭

That is a great point and something the more tedious Warne critics often seem to forget: there is another team playing too!
I suppose if you go into the season thinking "we are the famous Derby County, we'll just brush these insignificant little minnows away" then you are probably going to disappointed when you don't win every game 6-0 looking like Brazil in the 70s.
At the same time though, teams have often come to Pride Park and looked to keep it very tight. They did the same once we became good under Steve Mac 1, which is why we never looked quite as amazing under him as when he first joined. As teams set up to frustrate us, our passing style suffered and we really could have done with options to get it wide and crossed into the box in the air.
We became a better team this season away from home, where our style was more suited to teams coming onto us more. We've rarely ever/never been so good away from home, but less people see these games live. We've struggled a bit more away recently, as even the home teams have set up to frustrate us too. The Stevenage nadir was probably because it was Stevenage, maybe the worst team for us to play away to for the way we setup.
Even on Saturday, we raced into a 2 goal lead, never looked in any trouble at all, yet people are genuinely concerned we didn't score from open play! Should we have thrown men recklessly forward, risking a counter attack, but hoping one of those extra players could have converted at least on of the many crosses flashed across the goal? I guess Saturday doesn't really count though, as it was "only" Leighton Orient, "the sort of team we should be beating". Even though they have taken points off our promotion rivals when we've beaten them twice.
As other posters have said, it's a shame that some posters seem to have taken so little joy from what could be our first promotion in nearly 20 years. I don't know where this purity in football took hold. After what we've been thru, you'd think people would be even more thankful for potential success.
I don't remember any of it when we went up with Billy. It's like West Ham fans who want Moyes gone...these are glory years for West Ham. They won a European Trophy last year and have barely got close to winning anything in decades.
Anyway, big thanks to Warne and his team for getting us this close.
 

Incredible really, here we are on the cusp of bagging promotion with club record points and still there are "Fans" who are more interested in agitating for a change in manager. I think Lionel had the right idea some years ago telling such people what they could do. Take a trip down the A52 if I recall. Top chap Lionel and we all owe a debt to him. I remember when he appointed Jim Smith and many also moaned.
Fingers crossed for crossing the line and I'm hoping Warne will do a good job developing the squad and establishing us as a middle third upwardly looking championship team next season, which is what he has been given the target to do by the board.
I'm very thankful we have an astute owner, who is putting the club on a stable footing, and not sacking managers all the time.

Hello again,
I had a great afternoon yesterday at Pride Park, obviously helped by the outcome. Absolutely brilliant support, underlined by the fact that a Premier League fixture down the road had a lower attendance, even with the decent following that the West Midlands sent over. Decent noise throughout the game too, Pride Park seems to work well with the crowd sound and atmosphere - some of the new stadiums get this wrong. I don't think anybody has managed to emulate atmosphere from the old stadiums that were touched by the hand of Archibald Leitch but Pride Park certainly has most of it and, of course, the people component. 
As for the game, it seemed to me that there looked to be a division between the two sides. I felt that the club, city and fan base seemed to be out of place at L1 level. 
Back soon.

Interesting comments from Richie Wellens
 

I've already renewed my ST because no matter what division they may play in, and yes, I moan and have a go at the players from time-to-time, I've always supported my club - Derby County F.C.
Yes, I can afford to have a ST and I understand others cannot pay out such a sum, especially with other commitments and cost of living issues, however, it doesn't matter if you only go and watch 5 or 10 matches a season, you are still a Rams fan as far as I'm concerned and whatever support you give the club, it matters.
Championship or League 1 again, always support your club.
 

I've already renewed my ST because no matter what division they may play in, and yes, I moan and have a go at the players from time-to-time, I've always supported my club - Derby County F.C.
Yes, I can afford to have a ST and I understand others cannot pay out such a sum, especially with other commitments and cost of living issues, however, it doesn't matter if you only go and watch 5 or 10 matches a season, you are still a Rams fan as far as I'm concerned and whatever support you give the club, it matters.
Championship or League 1 again, always support your club.
 

I've already renewed my ST because no matter what division they may play in, and yes, I moan and have a go at the players from time-to-time, I've always supported my club - Derby County F.C.
Yes, I can afford to have a ST and I understand others cannot pay out such a sum, especially with other commitments and cost of living issues, however, it doesn't matter if you only go and watch 5 or 10 matches a season, you are still a Rams fan as far as I'm concerned and whatever support you give the club, it matters.
Championship or League 1 again, always support your club.
 

I've already renewed my ST because no matter what division they may play in, and yes, I moan and have a go at the players from time-to-time, I've always supported my club - Derby County F.C.
Yes, I can afford to have a ST and I understand others cannot pay out such a sum, especially with other commitments and cost of living issues, however, it doesn't matter if you only go and watch 5 or 10 matches a season, you are still a Rams fan as far as I'm concerned and whatever support you give the club, it matters.
Championship or League 1 again, always support your club.
 

I've already renewed my ST because no matter what division they may play in, and yes, I moan and have a go at the players from time-to-time, I've always supported my club - Derby County F.C.
Yes, I can afford to have a ST and I understand others cannot pay out such a sum, especially with other commitments and cost of living issues, however, it doesn't matter if you only go and watch 5 or 10 matches a season, you are still a Rams fan as far as I'm concerned and whatever support you give the club, it matters.
Championship or League 1 again, always support your club.
 

PG Wodehouse from the directors box.
Pride Park, that verdant cathedral of sporting prowess, was teeming with eager souls, packed to the very rafters, for this monumental clash of titans vying for the coveted automatic promotion spot. As the erudite young Owen Bradley aptly remarked, one could almost taste the palpable tension hanging thickly in the air, stirring even the most stoic of hearts. Personally, I found myself afflicted with pre-match jitters of such magnitude that I could scarcely bring myself to partake of the morning repast. Indeed, so overcome was I by nerves that I instructed my trusty manservant, Jeeves, to consume it in my stead. The early setback of a hammy for the padel maestro Gayle did little to assuage the anxious throng, yet amidst the tumult, the bobble-hatted Warne, armed with nothing more than his boundless enthusiasm and a penchant for vigorous arm-waving à la Bradley, orchestrated a tactical masterstroke, deftly shuffling his substitute pack like a magician conjuring rabbits from a hat. And lo, it was the wand of Elder that proved the catalyst for glory, delivering a sublime cross to the onrushing buffalo, who, with a flourish of his head , sent the ball soaring into the net with all the grace of a virtuoso pianist striking the final chord of a symphony. Though much of the contest saw the Rams engaged in a valiant rearguard action, the stalwart trio of Cashin, Admirable Nelson, and the Dorian Gray-like Forsyth, aided by the cat-like reflexes of Wildsmith, formed an impenetrable bulwark against the relentless onslaught of their adversaries. With second place now firmly within their grasp, the Rams find themselves masters of their own fate, the jubilant cries of “Ebouuuuuuu” echoing like a chorus of angels as the final whistle heralds their triumph, accompanied by the joyous bounce of victory.

If Rams are away and I'm not able to go, then I watch Belper Town or Mickleover FC, or sometimes if both of those teams are away then I'll wander down to Eyes Meadow, Duffield to watch a local team.

If Rams are away and I'm not able to go, then I watch Belper Town or Mickleover FC, or sometimes if both of those teams are away then I'll wander down to Eyes Meadow, Duffield to watch a local team.

If Rams are away and I'm not able to go, then I watch Belper Town or Mickleover FC, or sometimes if both of those teams are away then I'll wander down to Eyes Meadow, Duffield to watch a local team.

I do wonder about some on here. We were miles better than them and I lost count of how many cheaty little fouls they put in tonight that weren't carded. We were also the only side that looked like scoring all night. Does anyone really think they deserved a point tonight? I really don't get the mardiness from some quarters. 

Did you watch the game at PP? We sofa fans had the benefit of replays.
Both yellows for their defender were ridiculous. One for handball when it hit him from two hards away, the second Hourihane dived.
Gayle also handled the ball for the penalty.
Gayle’s opening goal looked offside too.

It's not Barker's call.
It's the match day sponsors who choose the MotM, and after the game the player, in this case Ward, comes into the Toyota hospitality suite to be interviewed by McFarland, Davies & Wilson, then have photographs with the sponsors.
I know because I was there.

I'm not sure the crowd noticed on Saturday as Stevenage had a player, at every corner, standing next to Wildsmith and either baulked his movement towards the ball or was pulling his shirt as he tried to jump for the ball.
This is a similar tactic that Arsenal having been doing this season in the Premier and has been highlighted a couple of times on MotD, especially in their win against Liverpool recently.

Stop 'booing him' 😛
Love his attitude, love his determination, love it if we sign him.