angieram

@Ram@Lincoln My recollection is that at Liverpool last season the safe-standing in the away end was exactly the same as this - traditional seats with rails installed behind. @Mucker1884 it has long been made clear to people purchasing seats in the South Stand that the intention is to install safe standing. I would imagine the option to move/swap will be offered to anyone who doesn't wish to stand. As a regular away supporter I've always supported safe-standing for purely selfish reasons! Once we get designated standing areas we can also have seating areas (which we don't currently get, because technically all away supporters should be seated.) Haha!

It's an eternal debate - the McClaren approach versus the Clough Jr approach. I'm McClaren through and through, but I think Warne might be more Cloughie!

It depends on the viewpoint. I think £20 is plenty for away fans. We have a good stadium, attract decent crowds and probably sell quite a lot in the concourses, too. I like that we are "doing the right thing".

They waved me and my other half through, too, as I'd been giving them grief about the state of the away end underfoot with me on crutches!

Far be it for me to judge, but if unsure Google might be your friend. 😉

I've got a really "out there" idea. How about we use the matchday thread to discuss the match and take the other tedious debates over to other threads? Don't suppose it will ever catch on!

If they have a heart, they do!

1Wildsmith 6 24Nyambe 6 7Barkhuizen 6.5 35Nelson 7.5 6Cashin 8 3Forsyth 6.5 4Hourihane 6.5 17Sibley 6 2Wilson 8 22Fornah 7.5 8Bird 7 11Méndez-Laing 7.5 5Bradley 6 9Collins 7 19John-Jules 7.5 ATG

I'm just put of shot, bottom right hand corner.

Thanks, I thought I recognised the name. I don't take a lot of notice of goalkeepers usually but they do all seem to do well against us!

Very nice. Have stayed in Corralejo a couple of times, at the Barcelo.

It will be interesting to see what the lineup is on Tuesday against Fleetwood.

Just a comment on this midfield controlling games ideal. I thought the Port Vale midfield last night were neat and tidy passers, retaining the ball well but they created little as by the time they released the ball forward our defence was well set. We all know players like Bird, Smith and Hourihane could play like that if instructed to, but they aren't. They are asked to move the ball forward quicker, which carries a greater risk. I think Bird has given the ball away more times this season than in his career, but his creative work has also gone up a notch as a result. The risks are greater, yes, but so are the rewards of playing like this. Has our current midfield got the legs to quite carry this style off? Probably not in the long term, but I think they are growing into their task. And we have Fornah gaining more experience, Tommo when he gets back from injury to add to the mix. I think they are the future, but they need the help of the experienced hands in the meantime.

I was at Port Vale last night and the last word I'd use to describe it is boring! There was a great atmosphere among the Derby fans from kick off. We were brought together by the shared endurance of traffic jams, crap facilities (again), lack of organisation and over-officious stewarding pre-match. I thought we played well and always felt confident of the win. Yes, they had some possession in midfield with neat and tidy play that contributed to a good game but they created very little, whereas we looked dangerous every time we attacked - direct and strong. Their goalkeeper was clearly man of the match (didn't he have a stormer against us at our place last season, too?) Another night, one of those early chances goes in and the scoreline would have looked more comfortable. As it was, I felt sure we would score eventually as they tired. Wilson is rapidly becoming one of my favourite footballers. You can tell he's revelling in being fit and playing in front of the biggest set of fans of his career. But everyone played their part; I don't get the hate for Collins as he worked his socks off again and could have had two on another night. What a dollop that Ikpeazu is! Referee should have booked him early for his wrestling/diving, would have cut it out. Instead it just gave Cashin an opportunity to make him look clumsy, which he did with aplomb. Hourihane needs to let someone else onto set pieces occasionally as the lack of delivery is noticeable. He worked hard across the rest of the pitch though against their busy midfield and closed down well. What a classy goal to decide the game. Barkhuizen's harrying won the ball back, a peach of a low cross from Mendez-Laing and JJ finished with aplomb. Anyone else would have took a touch and the defender cleared it. But that young man has quality and he showed it just when needed. In his celebration right in front of us he looked quite emotional, another player hoping to put his injury demons behind him. I hope he does, because if he can keep fit he could help fire us to promotion this season. Come on you Rams! ⚽️

Port Vale 1 - 3 Rams FRGS Mendez-Laing

Cheap as chips! Get down to support the lads - a trip to Wemberley on the horizon. ⚽️🤍🖤

They gave us the whole of their social club at the ground last year, and provided extensive external catering outlets. There was plenty of food on sale up to 30 m8nutes before the game. I presume they ran out for later arrivals? We are at the opposite end of the ground tomorrow as they have switched their away end. I presume that we won't get into the social club this year as it will be the home end.

Me, too, especially Thomson because he is more experienced. I think he'll get his chance when he's fit again. Could be really important for us next season with Hourihane and Smith gone.

And Sibley, and Cashin. Yet we're calling for Weston to be rushed through on the basis of one good game. Yep, throw him to the slaughter!

Except he was doing this week in, week out for our academy for a long while. He came into the first team and because he wasn't immediately doing it for us there, a section of the fan base were straight on his back. Morgan is a lovely, quiet guy - he did a lot of voluntary work with DCCT for example. He was hurt by the boo boys and it took him a while to recover his confidence. I hope he's a lesson learned for some of our brain dead fans, but I doubt it.