ImARam2

We have a club.
From now on, every season will be a great season.
The flowers will smell nicer, the sunsets will be more glorious, food will taste better and life will just feel good.

I've loved this season. Up and downs for sure, but in context, it's been a belter and it's not over yet despite every other club being 'desperate to get us in the play-offs' 🙄 
The ship has been bought and paid for, steadied, even given a lick of paint here and there and whatever the outcome, it feels like we have the right custodian at the helm.
Looking forwards, we're still firmly in the promotion hunt, we're re-finding some of the form that saw us go 16 unbeaten and we've only one more season left to play under Rick & Trev's sanctions before the shackles come off and we are 100% free of EFL interference forever. Honestly, what's not to like? 
On to my not terribly imaginative top 3 moments...
1. Clowes announces purchase of stadium. There were some weird suggestions on here that it did not necessarily follow that he'd then buy the club, but for me, that was the moment I knew the Club was safe from Fat Mike's sweaty little hands, or worse still, the liquidator.
2. The first transfer window; it made my head spin! One minute, we've only 5 contracted senior players then we've got McGoldrick, Collins, Barks, NML, Chester, Roberts et al. After what had gone before it felt like Christmas morning as a kid and the resurgence of belief and pride in the club was tangible.
3. Didzy; 25 goals and 7 assists in 43 games played for the club. There's a poster on here who needs to imagine this season without him, rather than trying to mug him off as a flat track bully to people who watch him play every week. 

Largely agree with all of the above, but would add a special mention for the high quality of opposition time wasting we’ve seen this season.  Can’t recall it ever being at the current s-housing levels before now, it’s insane.

For me the highlight has been the stability of the football club. Perhaps not as exciting as some of the excellent goals scored, but it's something of value that has been absent at DCFC for some time, prior to the arrival of Mr Clowes. 

Does last summer count as this season? If so, for me it’s;
1) the flurry of signings announced with excellent effort by the club’s social media. How exciting was it seeing a squad being pieced together after standing on the edge of oblivion?!
2) the sheer volume of supporters in attendance home and away. Not only has it shown dedication to the cause and how big we are to be pulling such crowds in league one, but it will also have played its part in the continued financial recovery of the club 👏 🐏
3) the overall effort of the squad so far this season. Yes there have been poor performances, and there have also been some very good ones. Overall the season up to this point has exceeded my own personal expectations. Seeing the club competing and pushing towards the top end of the table despite seemingly how close we were to extinction has been so good.
 

I think its been an emotional season but I am soppy generally!
1. The first league game back at PP - very emotional as at times really didnt think it would happen
2 Didzy's penalty last week to put us back in sixth - felt really significant and the singing just me think of it at Wembley. Again welled up
3. Hope still to come

Just watched PW’s pre-match Pompey. Highly verbally intelligent as always and a lovely tribute to the fans and Pride Park at the end which moistened the eyes. It’s not over yet I know …but regardless of whether we get play-offs or not, what are the 3 stand-outs which will stick in the memory for you for League One 2022/23; they don’t have to be positive, just stand-out and season-defining. Mine:
1. David McGoldrick - sublime. I used to watch Charlie George like a hawk and still marvel at the memories. Didzy is up there with Charlie for me. Wonderful feet and vision and contribution which will stick in my memory bank. 
 
2. Standard of Refereeing: All I’ll say is that it has on the whole been like one long episode of the League of Gentlemen & Inside Number 9 rolled into one. Port Vale at home!?! What did we do to deserve these refs? They are caricatures of themselves. 
 
3. Max Bird away at Cheltenham - 2nd goal - “he must have a foot like a trac-shun-En-gin!” …What a goal. 
 
If the season ends on Sunday 7th so be it. I’ve really enjoyed it and we have next season. 🐏

Let's not get ahead of ourselves.
We have to win at least one more game and possibly draw against Sheffield Wednesday to guarantee a play-off place, which is not going to be easy.
Let's celebrate, if and when we get there, and not speculate because we might be in a depression in 2 weeks time.
I want Derby to be there like everyone else, but I am also realistic enough to know how we stared this season and the "journey" we've been on.
 

Why would you want to "experiment" now?
Hourihane has had two very decent games last week vs Exeter & Burton, and apart from Burton hitting the post and the header over the bar near the end, Derby should have been out of sight by at least three more goals by FT.
Two wins with the same players and formation has proven the right balance and should continue.

Why would you want to "experiment" now?
Hourihane has had two very decent games last week vs Exeter & Burton, and apart from Burton hitting the post and the header over the bar near the end, Derby should have been out of sight by at least three more goals by FT.
Two wins with the same players and formation has proven the right balance and should continue.

Why would you want to "experiment" now?
Hourihane has had two very decent games last week vs Exeter & Burton, and apart from Burton hitting the post and the header over the bar near the end, Derby should have been out of sight by at least three more goals by FT.
Two wins with the same players and formation has proven the right balance and should continue.

David Clowes doesn't need any songs or chants as he's comfortable in just owning the club, financing the team, as and where he can, and watching the Rams, hopefully, getting promotion, either this season or next.
Remember, until May last year, he was just a season ticket holder in the North Stand and I doubt anyone knew who he was.
David Clowes is a Derby County supporter, just like me and 30,000 other Rams fans, but you don't have a song me you or me!!!

Why would you want to "experiment" now?
Hourihane has had two very decent games last week vs Exeter & Burton, and apart from Burton hitting the post and the header over the bar near the end, Derby should have been out of sight by at least three more goals by FT.
Two wins with the same players and formation has proven the right balance and should continue.

My parents never had a car and so in the 1960's my grandpa and nanna would take us all to Milford on Cannock Chase on fine Sunday afternoons. Nanna would pack a picnic and when we got there the windbreak would be put up, rugs spread on the ground, the tennis rackets from the boot. We would go for a walk with Petra our dog whilst the ladies sat on the rug and chatted.My sister and I would play 'The Man fron U.N.C.L.E.' rolling around in the bracken, or we would be horses galloping along the grassy paths! Picnic was always salad, salmon, cake, bread and butter and it was always delicious. We would walk over to the ice cream shop and all have a Mr. Whippy with flakes. We would listen to the Sunday chart countdown on the transitor radio. We would come back via Blithfield reservoir. The Adams singers would be singing 'Sing Something Simple' on the radio which I disliked at the time but now I find those old songs so evocative. Grandpa drove a ford Anglia, registration VOP 98. It was a small car. Nanna and grandpa in the front and my mum, dad my sister and me in the back with the dog. Grandpa was a chain smoker and we couldn't have the window open because of Nanna's stiff neck. The roof of the car was yellowed with nicotine. I was frequently car sick!! Nevertheless I miss those times and I am so grateful to my grandparents for those wonderful sunny Sunday afternoons and picnics. They were an essential part of my childhood and how I miss it all.

Why would you want to "experiment" now?
Hourihane has had two very decent games last week vs Exeter & Burton, and apart from Burton hitting the post and the header over the bar near the end, Derby should have been out of sight by at least three more goals by FT.
Two wins with the same players and formation has proven the right balance and should continue.

Why would you want to "experiment" now?
Hourihane has had two very decent games last week vs Exeter & Burton, and apart from Burton hitting the post and the header over the bar near the end, Derby should have been out of sight by at least three more goals by FT.
Two wins with the same players and formation has proven the right balance and should continue.

No offence to the OP, but this argument does my head in.
How many times did people say this when we were in the Championship promotion race? It was said pretty much every season, and yet here we are in League One after missing numerous chances to go up.
Get promoted and worry about everything else afterwards. It’s been 16 years since our last promotion. Nothing is guaranteed.

I think Tamworthram proves it there. Look at the position of both players in the frame he provides - Bird couldn’t have been brought down from that position. He ‘went over’ of his own volition, running away from goal. That’s the softest penalty I have seen in 55 years of watching.  Dino Maarmria and Dave Fletcher called it absolutely correctly. So I don’t think Max will be going to court!!!! 

Bird went down like an old man falling over a crack in the pavement. And had a soft landing outside the area. However we have been on the receiving end of these this season , we know how it hurts. Does Bird get his first assist of the season?

I agree with some points in your post, we could do with more composure in front of goal, especially of late. BUT, despite McGoldrick being our best goalscorer and the only one with the confidence and shooting boots at the moment, to suggest he’s single-handedly scoring those goals does his teammates a great disservice. And for all the wasted chances we have seen this season, without the goals those players you name (and others) have scored throughout the season, we wouldn’t be the 6th or 7th best team in the league we’d be way out of it. It is a team sport, for me it’s always got everything to do with the whole playing staff across the whole season.
 
Regarding yesterday’s game I must have been seeing things when Roberts and Knight were in the box at different points crossing, passing and having attempts at goal. Or Bird being fouled in their box for the penalty (granted that was from a set piece), or in the first half when he won the ball in midfield, stroked a pass out to wing, made a lung bursting run into the box to take a through ball from Roberts by the touchline and cut it back for Sibley to hit to target with an good bit of defending taking the sting out of his shot. Or Hourihane combining with McGoldrick and Sibley in a slick move that saw Sibley cross for NML, or earlier in the game combining with NML who crossed for McGoldrick for our first chance. There were times when we played it long, and it was aimless, and there were times when we played it long and it led to a chance. One attempt on goal even came from us passing it across the back line first like the Rams teams of the last few years.
All of which is available to see in this nice little highlights package;
And aspects of that play were evident against other teams recently like Exeter and MK Dons. There’s been some poor stuff recently, no doubt, but look for it and you’ll see evidence of some very good stuff too. Regardless of how lowly we may perceive the opposition to be, it’s a competitive league at times and we’ve forcibly strung a few ok performances and results together.
I’m hoping we continue building momentum on this mini run, keep a mix of playing it short and long, and we’ll do well these next two games and with any luck see a couple of different goalscorers back on the scoresheet too! 

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

Like  others have mentioned, I really miss whizzing around and getting stuff done in a morning. These days it takes me twice as long, if not more. I miss being pain free!! It's not that I'm in agony, but I hate hobbling down the stairs in the morning when I used to skip down two at a time!! I can do an hour in the garden whereas I used to be able to do a whole morning. I can do 5 hours cleaning in the house but have to take it easier for the next two days. Whereas I used to be able to do a 5 mile walk, 3 is now my limit. My ankles, knees and back are pretty arthritic and they tell me when I have to stop. I'm not that old and the pain makes me feel older than I am!!
I used to arrive into my classroom at 7.30am and leave at 6pm. I wonder now how I ever did it!
As we get older we have to accept what we have lost and celebrate what we still have but it's b****y hard!!! ☹️
This is a message to you young ones!! Value what you have and take good care of your knees!!❤️
 

Dialogue on TV and in cinema that you could actually understand and not interspersed with F*** every other word.

Took my lad today, we’re up from Norwich for a few days over Easter. Enjoyed the session and to be fair to the players most of them stayed much later than expected signing everyone’s autographs and posing for pics. 
 
my lad is chuffed - he got everyone’s signature bar one and when PW found out we lived near Norwich he had a right chat with us. Fair play.
had a quick chat with Stephen Pearce this am too as we arrived and he came across well.

we would have taken this at the start of the season and its probably where we should be. Am I bad in wanting a little more?
The big one for me this season is that we have a club to support and one point we nearly didn't.
The EFL should have an owner of the season, we would win that one