HorsforthRam

Definitely need more. Living in Leeds, I see quite a bit of street art with regards to their football team. A lot of the telephone exchange boxes are painted by someone. I think they call him/her the Kirkstall Banksy. 

Love this; underpass is part of my route to Pride Park. Hope it doesn’t get vandalised. We need more of this sort of street art. 

If they wanted to keep the pitch for football, then we'd not have hired Paul Warne.
 
jokingdonthatemepleaseimasexcitedastherestofyouthanks

I don't hate Paul Warne, he is a very likeable person and I enjoy watching his interviews.
My problems have always been with his recruitment and tactics.
Quite comical I know given we are 2nd and a point away from promotion, but this really is a very poor division and we have made things more difficult than they needed to be, just my opinion.
In terms of recruitment, to be fair to Paul, who knows how he will be free of restrictions, he may well have had 10 top players lined up this season and the club weren't able to do the business.
And tactics, we have had so many injuries (partly down to poor recruitment), but Paul has had to adjust given the situations he was finding himself in.
I've been his top critic, but if he wins promotion Saturday he has earnt his chance and more...I'd be happy to see how we recruit in the summer and see where we are come October type.
 

It'll be bittersweet for me come Saturday.
My lads decided to make a new life for himself, literally on the other side of the earth.
So we'll hopefully be celebrating, but in my mind I'll be thinking it may be the last time we ever stand together at Pride Park, at least for the foreseeable. 
Still, we've had a good run, what better way to sign off than a promotion?

Lets secure our place in the Championship first, eh, then we can have this discussion

I must be easily pleased, as I'll be celebrating like a mad thing if we clinch promotion on Saturday and right now I couldn't care less about Premier League football.

Good news for yer... should all be done & dusted by 14:30!  👍
 
#Don't be late

Just so you know, it ain't cool to bear grudges.  It ain't mature to swear in public.  It ain't uplifting to dwell on previous negatives.  It is not sagacious to disrespect the hierarchy.  
 
But come Saturday, from 90:00 and throughout the additional minutes... with the resuscitated Rams on the verge of a new life... throw all that in the bin, and let's give 'em the rousiest, passionest, Black & Whitest, most heartfeltest rendition of "They docked us 21 points..." British football has ever... EVER... witnessed.
 
To hell with dignity!  🐏

At the time of the signing - a much greater chance of Championship football next season.

I understand your frustration at wanting to see exciting, flowing football through all areas of the team with midfield dominating and passing through the lines. But I would argue we just haven’t had the players to do this the way you want.
The first point I would make is that you are assuming that at every stage of every game, the players are doing exactly what is asked of them by the management team. I don’t believe this. They don’t encourage players not to pass to each other - they don’t encourage them not to attack the opposition. I have lost count of the number of times in his interviews after the game where he has “criticised” his players for not being braver on the ball and in games. The matches at the end of the season are slightly different as all that matters is gaining 3 points (e.g. Cambridge).
the fact is that our midfield (until Adams arrived) was weak - physically, aggressively and pace wise too. We were bullied off the ball too much, waltzed around by younger, quicker players (Peterborough). We just did not have the right players in there to compete. Before Adams arrival we didn’t have anyone in there who could be aggressive, have any pace or could tackle. Fornah was tried for a while but ran out of steam and made mistakes. At least playing 3 at the back, gives you more potential bodies in midfield with the wingbacks available to help out, but even them, unless it was Forsyth or Nayambe, they we’re not tacklers. Added to this was poor movement off the ball and poor passing. Unfortunately, Hourihane is no longer mobile enough to dominate midfield and we have looked better since he has not been in the side.
Our midfield needs a complete overhaul in the summer. Hopefully we can get Adams in permanently but we need others of similar ilk and also a good playmaker. I think Warne was trying very hard to get the right midfielders in, but it just didn’t happen until Adams arrived.
Finally, I would add that with all the injuries we have had this season (Ward, Elder, Forsyth, Rooney, Bird, Waghorn, Washington, Nyambe, JJ,Embleton,Thompson,Gayle,Barkhuizen), Warne has done a remarkable job in patching us up but still managing to pick up points. Admittedly, not in the exiting way we would all want to see, but there have been some good footballing performances too. Plenty of goals have been scored too (9 more than last year despite losing our talisman McGoldrick). 
All in all, I think we have done pretty well, but I think you are wrong to lay all the Blame on Paul Warne for our less exciting displays - much is down to the players too. I am sure we will recruit well during the summer.

I think this is only a small portion of people, Eddie. I’d say most of those who have been in the Warne Out camp have accepted that he’s turned it around and are very happy about it. Some may now be completely convinced, while others still have doubts but are happy to support him and give him a fair crack in the Championship.
There’s still a minority who don’t believe in him at all, some blindly and others after giving it thought. But it’s a minority IMO.

Think back to last season when Paul insisted on 3/5 at the back which didn't work, and we limped from one poor result to another for a while. But then injuries meant that we had to go to 4 at the back, and then went on the good run for several matches. But as soon he could, we reverted to 3 at the back, and the run ended. 
We have had similar this season, and as you intimate a certain group of matches acted as a watershed, with some sections, especially at away matches, turning against the manager. But this was  followed a change in style, with crosses into the box being lower down, even at foot or knee level at times, and a degree of playing though the midfield, and yet again we went on a run of good results. This was aided by the arrival of Ebou Adams, which enabled us to go to Warne's preferred wing-back system. But once again we started reverting back to by-passing the midfield, noticeably against Northampton and Wycombe, and once again our results faltered. Especially when it became clear that teams had sussed that if they double up on our wide men, we have no answer, because to us midfield didn't exist. These were points thrown away. We could argue that maybe even if we did play through the middle we may have had the same results, because football is full of imponderables and opinions, but after finding that 3 in midfield benefits the team, I am baffled why we moved away from it again. 
I understand the concept of adapting to counter or exploit the opposition's strengths and weaknesses, the Leyton Orient game being a good example, but several times the "adapting" has been inexplicable. Cheltenham away, where they had been outplayed in midfield all season, let goals in for fun and were metaphorically stood in front of a barn door with a banjo in their hand, and no idea what it was for, but we decided to vacate midfield. They were there for the taking, but instead of imposing ourselves on them we retreated into our shell. There are a number of matches like this one which were crying out for us to impose ourselves, but which we let slip through our fingers, and represent points which would have made a huge difference. We really could have been secure in second place, and we really could have had an eye on top place. 
But in these last few matches I have been happy for us to grab points however we can to make sure - I am not confident of us surviving the play-offs successfully - and am also happy for Paul to do his stuff next season, although I hope he doesn't pull another "Cambridge second half" on Saturday. Although the defence was outstanding at the weekend, it was an  awful demonstration of non-football. We are better than that. However, we have got the results we needed, for which Warne should be congratulated, but we have been helped to a degree by there being a load of worse teams, but again, we are better than that.
We are blessed as a club because of the phenomenal commitment and loyalty of the fans, because the numbers are there despite what keeps getting served up year on year, because it clearly goes beyond entertainment. And indeed if all I wanted was entertainment, if all I wanted was free-flowing football, I would have given up my season ticket ages ago. But apart from a short period post-Newman, I have been around "since I was a lad", and have renewed for next season.
So here's to next season, the great unknown because we have no idea who will be playing for us, or how they will be playing. And here's to Paul Warne for actually doing what David Clowes employed him to do.

An early goal please!! (For us obviously!!)

Warne possibly/probably won’t change it. However for me Bird is the better footballer than Thompson and I would play him in the midfield alongside Smith and Adams. He has more guile and creates goalscoring opportunities, that’s why I would like to see him play, that’s my opinion, you don’t agree fair enough. 

Saturday? 
But yeah, I think we’ll see many changes to the side and squad over the summer. Really don’t get the sentiment of those who don’t want Bird to play because he’s moving on, he’s one of our best players and can help seal promotion, would rather use his ability on Saturday than not. 

Because he’s a good player, who has contributed well to the cause over the last few years and could still play one final part in getting us promoted…
For reference, as it stands Adams, Hourihane, Sibley, Smith, Thompson and Bird are all “going” so we should maybe just play Fornah in midfield on Saturday 😉 

Two of David Clowes’ aims when he took over the Club were to bring integrity and also establish ourselves in the Championship within 5 years. We didn’t get promotion last year, much to many fans angst. On reflection, it was probably a good job we didn’t. We would still have been working to a strict business plan which would have tied our hands in the transfer market to some degree and made the season very difficult.
We have recruited quite a few players this year who will be able to play in the Championship next year. Some recruits haven’t been quite so successful. We will have a reasonable pot for transfers this year we have been told. Probably, Wildsmith, Nyambe, Cashin,Nelson,Elder,Ward,Wilson,Mendis-Laing,Blackett-Taylor,Sibley,Forsyth,Rooney should be ok in the Championship - I personally have more concerns about Smith, Collins, Barkhaizen, Thompson, Fornah, Gayle, Washington, Vickers.  We will lose Bird and Adams (for now?)
I think, with some shrewd business, we should be able to put together a competitive squad.
in terms of integrity, I think our progression has been amazing. There has been hardly any, if at all, negative news regarding our club in the media. The Management team all absolutely appear to be working together to a common goal. We have recruited (not to everyone’s like) good people, who want to play for the shirt, not just here for the money, as in the past. The Academy has made good progress in its rebuild and the are a few players who look to have good futures, hopefully as Derby players.
At our best and most confident, we do play some exciting football, score goals and don’t concede many. Yes, we would like to see more of the exciting times but our main aim has been to get out of this difficult league this year. Too often in the past we have had a soft underbelly and have struggled against strong, aggressive teams. We currently have a side, which mainly, doesn’t buckle against this type of side.
So I am happy with the progress of Derby County this last two years and look forward to what will happen next. David Clowes is a quietly shrewd business man and I think Paul Warne is an intelligent manager, who is a lot shrewder and football wise than many give him credit for. Not only this but he is a fantastic man-manager and team spirit builder.
Can’t wait to see what happens next.
 

I am not sure I agree with this angle. We certainly have better players than many; but the best ? I think that is debatable. Look at the midfield. The arrival of Adams has made a huge difference but prior to that I reckon or midfield was average. Bird is wonderfully talented but in this league often got out muscled and his skill wasn’t always enough for him to win those battles … so better or just good  ? Hourihan 6 years ago, yes a better player, but our Hourihan ? The one who gets caught napping against athletic sides ? A good player but “better” than the rest ?
The only areas where I think we had demonstrably better players was defence and out wide. We Haven’t got the better strikers and we hadn’t (until Adams) got the best midfield. 
 
Warne had “better” wide players and made best use of them to support our  lack, for much of the season, of a dynamic striker. This leads to a form of football that by necessity involves getting the ball in to danger areas via the wings and making good use of set pieces. All to create the greater number of chances to address those areas where we didn’t have “the best” players.
 
Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to see one touch midfield interchanges crafting chances with slick passing ; but too many of our players didn’t demonstrate enough of those skills either due to ability, age, or the type of opponent / type of football played in this league. 

This made me 🤣  Sorry about the swear word 🤐
 

Pride Park Stadium
KO - 12.30
Ticket Update: Forgeddaboutit
Match is  also live on Sky Sports
What it is to be a Derby fan. After Northampton, even yours truly was feeling a tad deflated. With Blackpool, Pompey and Wycombe next up, my mood was more pensive and hopeful, than upbeat, as many others seemed to feel that we'd blown another golden opportunity. In fairness, that was understandable, if only to a point. Happily though, it appears that Warne and the chaps did not get the memo informing them of their impending capitulation and decided to go on an 5 game unbeaten run instead. That effort not only cemented us in the top 2, as others buckled under pressure, but now sees us teetering right on the edge of promotion glory; agonisingly poised, we have one foot in the sunlit uplands of the Championship (*shudder), the other remaining firmly planted in the nightmarish possibility of yet more play-off induced football terrors. But need we really be worried? 
After recent history and the near demise of our great club, I think it's understandable that some Derby fans might adopt a mildly cautious outlook and demeanour. In recent years, whatever may go wrong, typically has done and in so much, it's fair to say that a robust constitution is a mandatory requirement for a group of fans who've had more than their fair share share of emotional kickings over the last decade. Most Rams will confess that in some ways, it's hard not to expect the worst, based on recent history, but then isn't the dream what it's all about? After all, if you strip away the hopes and dreams, what do you really have left? It's been a season to test our nerves, that much is clear, but despite a lot of infighting, we've hung it all together in the end and here we are, fate firmly in our own hands. Remember too, that for some of our young 'uns, Saturday is a potentially momentous day. Automatic promotions don't come around every year and many won't have experienced one in their lives to date and for our elder statesmen and women, this could be an emotional roller coaster too. 
Outside the club itself, expectations are sky high. The bookmakers have all but closed the book on our promotion chances and after all, a single point is all we require against a Carlisle side who remain 10 points adrift at the very foot of the table and with seemingly nothing other than professional pride at stake. The oddsmakers are undoubtedly right from a statistical standpoint, but playing devil's advocate for a moment, Carlisle will view this as a free hit and will play without pressure (think Wycombe) and for some, the game provides an ideal opportunity to showcase their talents in a high-profile game with the Sky cameras watching on. Summer moves may beckon, for any player who shines.
Worthy favourites then, IMHO, but doubtless a good few will still be anxiously awaiting Saturday's outcome.
Not me mind. I’ll be drunk from @noon on Wednesday.
The Permutations:
Quite simple now, on paper at least; a win or a draw and we say, 'hasta la visa, baby' and kiss this league goodbye, hopefully forever. A loss, by a single goal would leave Bolton needing to beat Posh 3-0 in order to break the hearts of the Rams faithful, snatching 2nd place by virtue of having scored more goals. Not quite the proverbial slam-dunk then, but we're strong favourites, all the same and rightly so IMO.
Elsewhere, we, along with Bolton, will be hoping Posh slip up midweek; Posh will be hoping they don't and Barnsley and Lincoln will be nervously looking over their shoulders with both Oxford and Blackpool snapping at their heels. I'd dearly love to see Blackpool snatch the last playoff slot! 
 


The key fixtures for the final rounds, with promotion hopefuls underlined, are as below:
Tuesday 23/04-2024
Cheltenham vs Peterborough - 19.45
Saturday 27/04/2024
Barnsley vs Northampton - 12.30
Exeter vs Oxford - 12.30
Lincoln Vs Portsmouth - 12.30
Peterborough vs Bolton - 12.30
Reading Vs Blackpool - 12.30
My guesses are Posh to beat Cheltenham and draw with Bolton. Barnsley to beat Northampton, Oxford to turn over Exeter, Lincoln and Pompey to draw and Blackpool to beat Reading. Make of that what you will! 
Our Opponents – A Brief History:
Founded in 1896 as Shaddongate United, Carlisle United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Cumbria, who have played their home games at Brunton Park since 1909. The club's traditional kit is blue with white and red detail, whilst the badge takes elements from the city's coat of arms by including two Wyverns. They are nicknamed the "Blues", due to their kit, as well as the "Cumbrians". The club is the northernmost English professional football club seated close to the Anglo-Scottish border. Crowned Lancashire Combination, Division Two champions in 1906–07, they entered the North Eastern League in 1910 and went on to win the league title in 1921–22, before being elected into the Football League in 1928. 
Head to Head:
Sadly, Carlisle have a pretty decent record against our beloved Rams. Twenty-three competitive fixtures have seen Derby win 9, draw 6 and lose 8. Our first fixture, in the old Division 3 North back in 1955, saw Derby win 3-0. More recently, the two teams have met three time in the last decade with Derby bookending the decade with 2-0 wins, with a 1-1 between them.
Games Played: 23
Games Won:9
Games Drawn:6
Games Lost:8
Our last Meeting:
The corresponding fixture at Brunton Park was way back in September with a James Collins brace giving the game a rather more comforting veneer than was perhaps warranted. Carlisle looked tidy and Gibson and Moxon in particular, gave Derby plenty to think about. On that performance, you might have been forgiven for thinking Carlisle would do ok this season, but it’s fair to say that things have not gone well for the Cumbrian outfit and their relegation was a formality from some way out.
Carlisle United - Recent Form:
Carlisle's recent form has been distinctly patchy, with their last 5 games comprising a 3-1 home loss to that awful club near Henley, another home loss by the odd goal to Blackpool, a hard-earned away win at Cheltenham, before consecutive losses to Northampton and Lincoln. 
Saturday 20th April
Carlisle United 1 Wycombe Wanderers 3
Saturday 13th April
Carlisle United 0 Blackpool 1
Tuesday 9th April
Cheltenham Town 0 Carlisle United 1
Saturday 6th April
Northampton Town 2 Carlisle United 0
Monday 1st April
Carlisle United 1 Lincoln City 3
Carlisle United - Key Players:
Quite a relief that we won’t be facing Owen Moxon, snapped up by Pompey in the January window. Most of what was good about Carlisle seemed to start with him, but in Jordan Gibson, they still retain some meaningful threat. He's tricky with ball at feet, looks to attack and has a shot on him. He tops the scorer’s chart with 7 goals and 3 assists whilst Sam Lavelle with 4 assists is a goal provider to note. Mellish with 5 goals and Butterworth and Garner with 4 a piece, round out the principal Carlisle goal threats. it would be remiss not to mention also that their current manager, is none other than the much respected, Paul Simpson. Nudge, nudge, wink wink, Paul! The other ex-Rams fun fact would be that Luke Plange had a brief and unremarkable spell with the Cumbrians this season, before seeking warmer weather with HJK Helsinki.
Rams Team News:
Some will be itching for change after a stuttering performance at Cambridge. My own thoughts on that game are that Cambridge fought ridiculously hard and we had to try and match that extreme intensity before we could even think about playing our game. The pitch looked both short and narrow to me had clearly been subject to a hosepipe ban and I think all of these factors led to a feisty and extremely combative game, from which we did well to emerge with maximum points. Back on home soil, a larger pitch and a (marginally) better surface, I’d expect us to look rather more fluid.
Sadly, this will be the last time we get to watch young Max Bird play for the club. There’s been some really silly stuff written about our most technically gifted footballer and I have to confess that seeing him leave for Brizzle will be like a kick to the gut. That said, the fee garnered enabled some key signings and it could be argued that in hindsight, this was smart business. Nah, I'm not convinced either, but needs must? Quite possibly. Irrespective, I’d love to see him among the starting 11 for his swansong. I’m sure the Derby faithful will give him the send-off he deserves, in what may be a somewhat bittersweet celebration, for both us as fans and Max himself, lest we forget.
With that in mind, here’s my team selection, which will of course in no way resemble the gaffer’s:
 

 

The defence really needs to remain unchanged. A more determined and obdurate back 3 you’d struggle to find. Wildsmith retains the #1 jersey, despite some idiosyncratic ball distribution. To my way of thinking, he makes saves that matter and that outweighs his wayward passing.
I’ve drafted in Bird to replace Korey Smith, who would perhaps be hard done by should Warne follow suit. Max would partner the irrepressible Ebou Adams, a pairing that ought to give us a solid foundation in midfield. Working hard on the flanks, I’d have Wilson and Sibley, two players I absolutely love. The latter especially, has really matured over the course of the season, proving yours truly and others wrong in the process and he has oodles of ability if this progress and work ethic can be maintained.
Thommo is also retained and will hopefully sit a little higher and rat like his life depends on it. He and Collo put in Herculean shifts against Cambridge, doing the work that seldom attracts the plaudits, but is often key to our success. He can also interchange with a front two of Collo and Nate, who should give Carlisle plenty to think about. Barks, Gayle and Smith appear the obvious change-ups, with Hourihane, Vickers and Elder in reserve, but much will depend on who is truly healthy on the day.
And that, ladies and gentlemen is me done for the season. I’m fancying us for a decent performance, with a little style on show after an early goal to settle the nerves. 3-0 is the call with Collo, Nate and Sibs my fancies as the scorers. After some 55 games across the season, this one has definitely felt like something of a marathon, but in spite of the divided fan base, I’ve enjoyed seeing us tough it out. The football has been mildly bipolar, great one week, not so much the next, but I think all sides at this lowly level are inconsistent, only us and Pompey slightly less so than the others. Should we progress, of course we will face different challenges, but we will also have a very different playing roster. Doubts about the style of football will persist, but personally, I don't think Clowes will even contemplate letting Warne go and as such, Warne will retain my support until such time as he doesn't! 
Here’s hoping then,  for a resounding win, a respectful but joyous celebration of an important and healing day for all connected with the club and one that the majority can safely enjoy. Also, calm and stress-free journeys for any fans travelling significant distances and a bright and shiny, new future for Derby County Football club.
COYR
BE MORE B4
 

I'm thinking about contacting them in the summer to see if they want a hand with their content. I think a group like this is massively needed since @TomBustler1884's lot packed it in a few years back.
I just hope they're not self-important barstewards like Black and White Together. Am I right in remembering them making a formal statement calling for Warne to go? The arrogance!

I've no idea, saw the ones waving flags yesterday and didn't recognise any of them. Believe they are all South Standers, though, and hang out in The White Horse with Joey Greener pre-match. 
They are fairly organised, have a website and all. 
I think they're doing a great job so far.
https://www.popsiderams.com/menu/events

I do think that Paul Warne will fall in to the category of you don’t know what you’ve got til it’s gone. 
 
Fair enough tactically there’s a question mark and in the transfer market there’s a smaller question mark (Adam’s and Gayle) have bought him back some credit. But his interviews are interesting in my opinion. Much rather listen to Warne waffle than the usual media trained cliches.
Warne has also clearly changed the culture in the club. We were suffering an admin hangover when he came in. Now we’re 1 point from promotion with admin far in the wing mirror. The players seem to love him as well. 
 
Assuming the nightmare scenario doesn’t occur next week I suggest everyone enjoys the promotion, sips or chugs a beverage of their choice and enjoy the summer.