WestKentRam

Received this email from the club an hour after it went into administration.
TBH I don't think I'm that likely to recommend Derby County to my family and friends at present, as they don't have several 10s of £M to burn through.
There doesn't seem to be a -12 option on the scale they offer.

I wasn't impressed with Rooney last season.
This season I think he's one of the very bright lights at Derby.
He could easily walk away but he's committed to managing the club.
He's drawing or winning a number of games.
I'm glad he's managing the club

Loved that. Battling performance. Gave them a taste of how teams would set up against us in the past.
Didn't play it out from the back once and so no defensive errors or refereeing gifts meant we could keep a clean sheet.

Loved that. Battling performance. Gave them a taste of how teams would set up against us in the past.
Didn't play it out from the back once and so no defensive errors or refereeing gifts meant we could keep a clean sheet.

Loved that. Battling performance. Gave them a taste of how teams would set up against us in the past.
Didn't play it out from the back once and so no defensive errors or refereeing gifts meant we could keep a clean sheet.

Not an easy or enjoyable watch.

So the only free kick we get for ages was when Sibley was about to shoot.

We never learn. You'd think experience might change tactics.

We never learn. You'd think experience might change tactics.

Was it a set piece?

It doesn't have to be corruption or incompetence, but referees are prone to unconscious bias as is any human in a given situation. There is extensive literature on the existence of home bias, as well as some on successful teams getting more favourable decisions.
Referees will read the news and have access to the internet. They will know about certain players who dive, or the clubs that are in favour or not and the issues involved. They do not officiate a football match in a vacuum, knowing nothing of the clubs or players in front of them.
Mel Morris is on record as saying the EFL 'dislike' him, he is seen as an 'enemy of the EFL state', and the EFL have 'an axe to grind against him personally'.
It is perfectly reasonable for individual clubs to hold rivalries and grudges against each other. However I would argue that the EFL, as the governing body of the league, should hold a neutral position concerning any club. I'm not sure many would say this is the position that seems to come across that the EFL holds with Derby, with revisiting of previously agreed submissions relating to FFP/P&S, reinterpretation of rules and seeming pursuit of the club with appeals etc. Referees will know about the Derby v EFL debate.
In 2016 former Premier League referee Mark Halsey claimed he was told by the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) to say he had not seen incidents in matches. This is the same body that appoints referees to EFL matches now. They denied they had told him that, so that's the end of the matter.
Coincidentally, I am reading Brian Clough's autobiography 'Walking on Water' at present. In it he tells of his time at Boro as a striker when he scored 40 or more goals in 4 consecutive seasons. He became increasingly frustrated at the lack of success of Boro, as no matter how many goals he scored the leaky defence made up for it and the team failed to gain promotion from the Second Division. He had his suspicions that the defence were deliberately not clearing the ball, and he could take no more so went to the manager to tell him of his concerns. He was told he had it wrong, and even that one of the players who seemed to be performing poorly said that Clough should see a psychiatrist for being so paranoid. He then went to one of the club directors again to be brushed off, and eventually could take no more and left Boro in 1961. The Boro defenders who Clough complained about in vain were later both imprisoned for their parts in the 1964 British football match fixing scandal.
I am in no way saying the EFL is corrupt in such a way, just that it is an interesting historical aside with links to our club in Brian Clough, and that concerns about any aspect of football governance should not be dismissed out of hand. I think that it's fair to hypothesise that referees may have unconscious bias in their decision making. It may not change the result of the match after the final whistle is blown but is not unreasonable to consider, and is all part of the great tapestry of discussion of the interpretation of matches and results in our situation.

Here's a screenshot of my spreadsheet from last season if it can be read. Was merely a therapeutic exercise for my own benefit, trying to be as unbiased as a Derby supporter can possibly be, using match reports and consensus after the games. Just seemed to confirm my feeling that over the course of a season we don't get the rub of the green.
 

Here's a screenshot of my spreadsheet from last season if it can be read. Was merely a therapeutic exercise for my own benefit, trying to be as unbiased as a Derby supporter can possibly be, using match reports and consensus after the games. Just seemed to confirm my feeling that over the course of a season we don't get the rub of the green.
 

Here's a screenshot of my spreadsheet from last season if it can be read. Was merely a therapeutic exercise for my own benefit, trying to be as unbiased as a Derby supporter can possibly be, using match reports and consensus after the games. Just seemed to confirm my feeling that over the course of a season we don't get the rub of the green.
 

Here's a screenshot of my spreadsheet from last season if it can be read. Was merely a therapeutic exercise for my own benefit, trying to be as unbiased as a Derby supporter can possibly be, using match reports and consensus after the games. Just seemed to confirm my feeling that over the course of a season we don't get the rub of the green.
 

What annoys me about this most, is that if any Derby players see the headlines it just creates a negative vibe and divisions between players and fans that have been manufactured.
If I were one of the players who played last night then saw that I'd be cheesed off thinking well we scored a wonder goal, blooded youngsters who did well, won a penalty shoot out, but then our fans call us embarrassing, so stuff them.

I was sent a link to an article on the Derbyshire Live website after the Salford game yesterday by my brother who always tries to have a dig about me supporting Derby.
https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/embarrassing-Derby-county-fans-react-5769451.amp
Just looking at the headline ''Embarrassing' - Derby County fans react after nervy shootout win over Salford' it made no sense as I failed to see how anyone who understood our situation and watched the game would come away with that opinion, unless a very negative supporter.
Well surprise, surprise, they didn't. Using the search function on Twitter, the reported 'Derby fans [who] have reacted to the result on social media, Twitter.' in a negative way actually are not Derby fans, but those of Forest, Leeds, Boro, Sheff Wed and other clubs.
For example...
'One supporter said: "Imagine drawing to Salford, embarrassing!"'
Well, the Tweet was 'Imagine drawing to Salford embarrassing' posted by someone with 'lufc' in his Twitter handle. A Derby fan? Really?
Another quoted Tweet in the article:
'Celebrate sure, but that was embarrassing'
Actual Tweet, from a 'Season card holder at Nottm Forest' was 'Lol o. Celebrate sure but that was embarrassing. I think they celebrated more tonight than they did last game last season.'
To make matters worse, one Tweet appears to have been completely rewritten to make it sound like it came from a Derby supporter when it clearly did not:
'Another added: "Celebrating beating Salford on pens like we won the league. What has Derby County come to?"'
The actual Tweet being from a Huddersfield supporter 'Surely you’re not celebrating beating Salford on pens like you’ve just won the league , what has Derby county come to'.
Looking at the comments on the article on the Derbyshire Live website it looks like Derby fans are equally bemused by the quotes in the article, as they assume they are from fellow Rams supporters, leading them to question what has happened to those who supposedly support the club. Actually it just appears to be DL stirring it, passing off Tweets from our rivals as our own, seemingly trying to make an issue where there isn't one.

I was sent a link to an article on the Derbyshire Live website after the Salford game yesterday by my brother who always tries to have a dig about me supporting Derby.
https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/embarrassing-Derby-county-fans-react-5769451.amp
Just looking at the headline ''Embarrassing' - Derby County fans react after nervy shootout win over Salford' it made no sense as I failed to see how anyone who understood our situation and watched the game would come away with that opinion, unless a very negative supporter.
Well surprise, surprise, they didn't. Using the search function on Twitter, the reported 'Derby fans [who] have reacted to the result on social media, Twitter.' in a negative way actually are not Derby fans, but those of Forest, Leeds, Boro, Sheff Wed and other clubs.
For example...
'One supporter said: "Imagine drawing to Salford, embarrassing!"'
Well, the Tweet was 'Imagine drawing to Salford embarrassing' posted by someone with 'lufc' in his Twitter handle. A Derby fan? Really?
Another quoted Tweet in the article:
'Celebrate sure, but that was embarrassing'
Actual Tweet, from a 'Season card holder at Nottm Forest' was 'Lol o. Celebrate sure but that was embarrassing. I think they celebrated more tonight than they did last game last season.'
To make matters worse, one Tweet appears to have been completely rewritten to make it sound like it came from a Derby supporter when it clearly did not:
'Another added: "Celebrating beating Salford on pens like we won the league. What has Derby County come to?"'
The actual Tweet being from a Huddersfield supporter 'Surely you’re not celebrating beating Salford on pens like you’ve just won the league , what has Derby county come to'.
Looking at the comments on the article on the Derbyshire Live website it looks like Derby fans are equally bemused by the quotes in the article, as they assume they are from fellow Rams supporters, leading them to question what has happened to those who supposedly support the club. Actually it just appears to be DL stirring it, passing off Tweets from our rivals as our own, seemingly trying to make an issue where there isn't one.

I was sent a link to an article on the Derbyshire Live website after the Salford game yesterday by my brother who always tries to have a dig about me supporting Derby.
https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/embarrassing-Derby-county-fans-react-5769451.amp
Just looking at the headline ''Embarrassing' - Derby County fans react after nervy shootout win over Salford' it made no sense as I failed to see how anyone who understood our situation and watched the game would come away with that opinion, unless a very negative supporter.
Well surprise, surprise, they didn't. Using the search function on Twitter, the reported 'Derby fans [who] have reacted to the result on social media, Twitter.' in a negative way actually are not Derby fans, but those of Forest, Leeds, Boro, Sheff Wed and other clubs.
For example...
'One supporter said: "Imagine drawing to Salford, embarrassing!"'
Well, the Tweet was 'Imagine drawing to Salford embarrassing' posted by someone with 'lufc' in his Twitter handle. A Derby fan? Really?
Another quoted Tweet in the article:
'Celebrate sure, but that was embarrassing'
Actual Tweet, from a 'Season card holder at Nottm Forest' was 'Lol o. Celebrate sure but that was embarrassing. I think they celebrated more tonight than they did last game last season.'
To make matters worse, one Tweet appears to have been completely rewritten to make it sound like it came from a Derby supporter when it clearly did not:
'Another added: "Celebrating beating Salford on pens like we won the league. What has Derby County come to?"'
The actual Tweet being from a Huddersfield supporter 'Surely you’re not celebrating beating Salford on pens like you’ve just won the league , what has Derby county come to'.
Looking at the comments on the article on the Derbyshire Live website it looks like Derby fans are equally bemused by the quotes in the article, as they assume they are from fellow Rams supporters, leading them to question what has happened to those who supposedly support the club. Actually it just appears to be DL stirring it, passing off Tweets from our rivals as our own, seemingly trying to make an issue where there isn't one.

Sadly all it does is devalue the DET and proper journalists like Nicho, who inevitably gets accused of ‘writing’ these pieces. 

I was sent a link to an article on the Derbyshire Live website after the Salford game yesterday by my brother who always tries to have a dig about me supporting Derby.
https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/embarrassing-Derby-county-fans-react-5769451.amp
Just looking at the headline ''Embarrassing' - Derby County fans react after nervy shootout win over Salford' it made no sense as I failed to see how anyone who understood our situation and watched the game would come away with that opinion, unless a very negative supporter.
Well surprise, surprise, they didn't. Using the search function on Twitter, the reported 'Derby fans [who] have reacted to the result on social media, Twitter.' in a negative way actually are not Derby fans, but those of Forest, Leeds, Boro, Sheff Wed and other clubs.
For example...
'One supporter said: "Imagine drawing to Salford, embarrassing!"'
Well, the Tweet was 'Imagine drawing to Salford embarrassing' posted by someone with 'lufc' in his Twitter handle. A Derby fan? Really?
Another quoted Tweet in the article:
'Celebrate sure, but that was embarrassing'
Actual Tweet, from a 'Season card holder at Nottm Forest' was 'Lol o. Celebrate sure but that was embarrassing. I think they celebrated more tonight than they did last game last season.'
To make matters worse, one Tweet appears to have been completely rewritten to make it sound like it came from a Derby supporter when it clearly did not:
'Another added: "Celebrating beating Salford on pens like we won the league. What has Derby County come to?"'
The actual Tweet being from a Huddersfield supporter 'Surely you’re not celebrating beating Salford on pens like you’ve just won the league , what has Derby county come to'.
Looking at the comments on the article on the Derbyshire Live website it looks like Derby fans are equally bemused by the quotes in the article, as they assume they are from fellow Rams supporters, leading them to question what has happened to those who supposedly support the club. Actually it just appears to be DL stirring it, passing off Tweets from our rivals as our own, seemingly trying to make an issue where there isn't one.

I was sent a link to an article on the Derbyshire Live website after the Salford game yesterday by my brother who always tries to have a dig about me supporting Derby.
https://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/embarrassing-Derby-county-fans-react-5769451.amp
Just looking at the headline ''Embarrassing' - Derby County fans react after nervy shootout win over Salford' it made no sense as I failed to see how anyone who understood our situation and watched the game would come away with that opinion, unless a very negative supporter.
Well surprise, surprise, they didn't. Using the search function on Twitter, the reported 'Derby fans [who] have reacted to the result on social media, Twitter.' in a negative way actually are not Derby fans, but those of Forest, Leeds, Boro, Sheff Wed and other clubs.
For example...
'One supporter said: "Imagine drawing to Salford, embarrassing!"'
Well, the Tweet was 'Imagine drawing to Salford embarrassing' posted by someone with 'lufc' in his Twitter handle. A Derby fan? Really?
Another quoted Tweet in the article:
'Celebrate sure, but that was embarrassing'
Actual Tweet, from a 'Season card holder at Nottm Forest' was 'Lol o. Celebrate sure but that was embarrassing. I think they celebrated more tonight than they did last game last season.'
To make matters worse, one Tweet appears to have been completely rewritten to make it sound like it came from a Derby supporter when it clearly did not:
'Another added: "Celebrating beating Salford on pens like we won the league. What has Derby County come to?"'
The actual Tweet being from a Huddersfield supporter 'Surely you’re not celebrating beating Salford on pens like you’ve just won the league , what has Derby county come to'.
Looking at the comments on the article on the Derbyshire Live website it looks like Derby fans are equally bemused by the quotes in the article, as they assume they are from fellow Rams supporters, leading them to question what has happened to those who supposedly support the club. Actually it just appears to be DL stirring it, passing off Tweets from our rivals as our own, seemingly trying to make an issue where there isn't one.

We’ve all seen @David’s apology, in my humble opinion do not take it on your shoulders. I have put my own thoughts in that topic but just wanted to show the appreciation for him by dedicating a topic to him. 

Top bloke who I believe always acts in the best interest of the forum  keep your chest pushed out and your head held high. With no David there would be no forum and for that alone I am grateful.
This should probably be in another thread but I’m guessing this is the most popular and where it will get the most views. 
 
Thanks for all you have done and continue to do. ??
Olly