1967Ram

As always guys thanks for all of the positive messages, it is such a shame that he couldn’t have been presented it by his captain at the time on the pitch at the first game of the season as planned but something litigious got in the way and spoiled it but just seeing Jim’s face when I handed it to him was well worth it.
he still works tirelessly now trying to put together a legal case for footballers who have been diagnosed with dementia, he has been working on it for 13 years and studied for a PhD to assist him in his research.
a top top man !
it was Jim who gave me the battered old ball from the 1968 league cup 3rd round replay versus Chelsea which in turn had been presented to him by his then captain Dave Mackay for being the man of the match, it was that game that started the Clough journey real, the night the Baseball Ground shook !
so a favour for a favour !

Brilliant news. Thanks for sharing loweman2

Jim Walker the forgotten man
As many of you know I have been for the last 18 months meeting up with the old brigade, the proper DCFC legends, the ones that put us on the map in footballing terms, the ones that made us the best team in England and got us to the European Cup semi finals, the teams of 71/72 and 74/75.
It started off as way to spend time with my Dad who was a bit lost after the loss of my mum, he is a season ticket holder now and was back in the day so I started off out on a journey that has lead us to meet most of them, one of them remains elusive and one didn’t wish to participate.
All of them have been fantastic, eager to tell stories of the great Brian Clough and the amazing fortunes of Derby County who in those bleak years of three day weeks, power blackouts, strikes and Rolls Royce nearly going under taking thousands of local jobs with it gave the people of Derby something to be proud of.
Upon meeting one of those legends, Jim Walker I was particularly struck by how at peace he was with the world, very relaxed, very friendly and by far the best story teller of them all.
Jim had not long ago lost his wife to illness so immediately him and my dad had something in common other than the love of football, he made us very welcome and gave us an open invite to go round when ever to continue with the tales.
Now most people may remember Jim as the guy who was signed by Clough & Taylor from non league football to play for Derby County and was a major part of the team that won promotion from division two in 1968/69.
He lost his place in the team to John Mcgovern but captained the reserves and stepped in when required to cover injuries of suspensions, this meant that he played only a few games in the 1971/72 season but it was his goal in a 1-0 win against Crystal Palace in late march that gave Derby both points and if you remember we won the league and finished first above dirty Leeds who were just one point behind and had a greater goal difference, so in effect Jim scored the goal that won us the First Division Championship.
Aswell as a footballer Jim is probably better known as the Aston Villa physio, he was there for around twenty years and served under many managers including Graham Taylor, Ron Atkinson, Brian Little and John Gregory, he was also the man charged with looking after Paul McGrath for many years both on and off the pitch and is spoken of in very high regard in Pauls autobiography.
He had a private practice at the Belfry for the golfers and was also the go to man at the NEC when any pop stars suffered an injury or needed attention from a physio, he worked with George Michael, Elton John, Neil Diamond, Michael Hutchence and Kylie to name a few hence him having so many fantastic stories.
Jim has also had illnesses this however does not dampen his spirit or take a smile from his face.
One thing that I was amazed to hear that Jim did not receive a medal for winning the league title despite being only one of sixteen players in that 71/72 season to have donned the shirt and scoring such a valuable goal.
When ever you see the pictures of the team celebrating and holding up their medals jim does not have one.
I approached Andy Ellis the club historian and the writer of many Derby County books and the fount of all knowledge and he confirmed it.
So we the approached the club and asked if they would support an application to Gordon Taylor of the PFA to ask if he would inturn support an application to the football league to present Jim with the medal that he should have received 46 years ago.
The club agreed and they sent the letter to Gordon Taylor who gave it his blessing and the approach was then made to the football league, this was back in February this year after the ball was started rolling in June of 2017 so it took a while.
I am delighted to say that the agreement was given and Derby County approached the very same jewellers who had made the original ones to make one for Jim, to the exact specifications of the original medals and in the same box and made from 9ct gold with all of the hall marks.
For some reason the club at this time can not be seen to publicly present Jim with the medal which is a great sadness as I thought that he was going to be able to step out on the pitch at Pride Park on the opening home game against Leeds (quite fitting as he stopped them winning the league with his goal), it is a litigious matter so I will comment no further other than to say that they did everything that they could.
So to wrap up the story I had the great honour of going to Jims house today with my dad and my son and presenting him with his long overdue medal, he had no idea that it was coming and to say that he was over whelmed is an understatement.
It was great to see his face and to have the privilege to do something like that, I had the medal at my house for a while but obviously didn’t want to post any pictures until now as it was a secret.
Not very often that you get to present a league championship winning medal on behalf of Derby County and to one of the few from those great days and can be called the legends.
We are hoping that Jim will still be able to have amore public presentation at sometime in the season at Pride Park when what ever issues are resolved.
Up the Rams !!
 

Somebody needs to email rjjoinery and tell ‘em to get an eye put on that ram’s head sharpish.

Nicked this off Twitter...
 

For some reason the Forest supporting inspector at work thinks I'm taking the piss.

@DE6RAM

Fair point... Two shandy’s and I’m all over the place. 
Even Mrs Angry can look good.

I’ve known the difference between the eye and the horn ever since we changed the badge. Whenever that beautiful ram gives me the eye, it still gives me the horn ?

There hasn't always been an eye.

That's not the eye, I thought it was TBF, but it isn't ......................whole different thread.

Is it me or is the head wrong?

There's another one here.
 

Very small flags! 
 

@DE6RAM @angieramThe photo above is beautiful, but this one is prettier!

Look, now you’ve made me give you another like ?

This is the one that started, when I found out that it didn’t matter how big a name they were they are all just normal guys, even this man, invited me and my old man into his home, and made us laugh, also had a very serious side to him.
he was the one that got the whole thing going, put a team together and took on the footballing world, outspoken, a maverick but a great footballing brain, a genius, his like will never be seen again in football.
we were lucky enough to have him as our manager and to many he is still the face of Derby County as synonymous with the club as the snorting Ram or the BBG !
the one and only Mr Clough !

It’s just great to know that there is at least one person out there who shares the passion for the old days, yes it may be called living in the past by some but without that past our club would be nothing, those old lads as they are now put us on the World footballing map along with their gaffer !
thanks for the supportive words as always @richinspain ?
pits a fine line between keeping the dream alive and being an obsessive anorak type !
the great thing is that I have built a good relationship with most of the players (except Willie Carlin ?? @Boycie) and they have all been great.
its a journey that I set out on for my dad but it has bought me immense pleasure and my lad will have a fantastic set of pictures of his days spent with the real Derby County heroes long after we have all left this place !
As for the Forest stuff !! They can keep it ! Living in the past !! ??
up the Raaaams

@loweman2, I have given nearly every single one of your posts a like. I am getting sick of you now. Has everyone seen his bloody likes to posts ratio? Have you ever thought of collecting Forest memorabilia?

I couldn't believe it when Andy Todds son played in my lads team a few years back and Colin came to watch. It was like Royalty was there.

Old White boots, more accurate than David Beckham they say, could land the ball on a sixpence, full of stories, he has had his health problems but is living life to the max, a proper U S citizen now days but loves his Derby ! Mr Hinton !