Dordogne-Ram

QPR - tragedy we never saw how good the Bryson Martin Hughes Thorne et al team could be. 
 
Fozzy still in today’s lot though so the heartbeat still pumps! ?

One of the reasons I detest Man Utd - they were one of the main clubs behind the change (could it possibly have been because they had the largest ground?!!) - completely broke the competitive nature of the game by lettting the bigger clubs get bigger while the smaller clubs floundered.....

Me as well Derby county and England if it a real match and not a friendly 

It's become an ugly caricature of itself for me, a Spitting Image puppet version of the game. When a player earning over £300k a week downs tools because his employer neglected to buy him a birthday cake, that's when I start edging towards the door. I sometimes wonder whether I'm even that fussed about Derby getting promoted. In some ways, I think the Championship is one of, if not the best league on the planet. The run up to and the play-offs themselves offer far more drama and excitement than anything the Premier League can offer, least to my eyes.

With respect Andy I don’t think many of our fans truly get it. Our current predicament, indeed our point deductions, are nothing to do with stadium revaluations or amortisation policies. Yes they have been bumps in the road, that the EFL (and Boro) have tried to make a lot higher than was needed. But neither have had any great affect on where we now find ourselves. Whichever amortisation policy we had used we would still have probably been overspending against P&S rules in 3 of the last 4 seasons. We would have still lost the same significant amount of cash over the same period of Morris’s tenure, despite him realising £40m of profit from a stadium revaluation. We would still be owing £60m plus to Creditors. We lost 9 points for excessive overspending, and another 12 points when our owner decided enough was enough. 
Note: This is not to say I support the EFL/Boro, especially so in respect of the vindictive way these spurious football claims have been handled in in the last few months. But imo we cannot argue too loudly that our -21 point deductions is unfair. We should rightly however be arguing that points deduction should be the end of the matter, and the EFL should be doing everything it can to ensure that an historic member club is allowed to rehabilitate and flourish, on a sentence served basis. The fact they haven’t will see the end of them hopefully.
 

Funny indeed...

You must be new around here ?
 
Odd isn't it? I'll always follow my beloved Rams but I don't even watch the Premier League games anymore. I don't much bother with the CL either save for the final stages and even then, only if there's domestic interest. I remember religiously watching MOTD as a kid, even when Derby weren't involved. Not watched it years, though I do, I confess have other 'hobbies' these days. TBH, if this is the end of Derby County, and FWIW, I'm certain it's not, I'd walk away from the game and never give it a moment's thought.

Oh Gibson is a Bamford, but even the MFC  statement refers to the claims also being against the Directors.
 
(Failed) action against other directors has been taken by EFL itself  against Chansiri of Sheff Wed . If that is the case , and Boro has tried the same then I don't see why Mel cannot simply take them on himself.. I certainly hope he can, and get these chancers off our back. .     

Exactly same here 

Who knows if he's even pulled out? To be honest, given where we're coming from right now, I'd have Attila the Hun own the club and in Ashley's defence, he was good for Newcastle, despite the complaints of their whiny, entitled fanbase. I'm not opposed to him in an way really, especially having thought Morris was going to be the dog's nads. Seems I'm not the best judge of an owner after all. I just want to see an end to men of vast wealth horse-trading the club's future. The club and its fanbase are worth more than that.

What ruined football was the marketing machine. 
I think owners have always been the same. But now thanks to the commercial titan that is the Premier League/Champions League the game attracts all kinds of snake oil salesman and billionaire hipsters. As well as naive businessman who think on pitch results can be controlled by practices they implemented in their other ventures
With the Internet and streaming services etc etc football is able to draw in an audience like never before. And in England the Premier League has been packaged and sold to the mainstream audience. To the casual fan. 
It's like Boxing. 2 YouTubers fight and the viewing figures are insane. 2 top super lightweights fight for a UK record breaking undisputed title fight and its not even televised in the UK.
The way the Premier League works isn't for the purists. It casts its net over a wider audience and knows the real money doesn't come from match tickets. But it comes from subscriptions, from advertising, from getting bums on seats in living rooms as much as stadiums. It's packaged for TV audiences as an experience. 
But it was the Premier League and Sky that forged that path. The rest of football has been playing catch up ever since. 
Clubs like Derby are irrelevant. They're an undercard on a boxing show. They're not part of the marketing machine. 
Derby can die because they are "protected" by the EFL. A pathetic organisation that can't stand on its own 2 feet, can't protect its clubs and can't offer them a way to compete with the top clubs. 
Leicester can't die. They're protected by the Premier League. An organisation that draws money and interest from all the globe. A League that offers clubs everything possible to bounce back even if relegated. A league that will tell the world that Leicester are far far more exciting and interesting than Derby, Forest, Ipswich, Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United etc. 
And people drink it in. Bournemouth v Fulham or Burnley v Leicester? What's going to sell? Which one is packaged with those legendary pundits, theatrical music and whatever bells and whistles attached.
If you think "I've been going to Derby for 50 years" matters then you're deluded. 
You matter if you press the red button on your remote, if you subscribe to watch Gilette offer the closest shave ever, if you're 1m Chinese kids who's views attract 1bn pounds worth of advertising from Chinese companies.
The Premier League setting itself apart was a death and rebirth of football. And we see to a lesser extent the Champions League. 
The greed almost reached a new level when the PPV clubs decided they could go off and do it all again without minor inconveniences such as relegation and being kicked by Burnley

Someone will always pick up on a tiny detail that has little bearing to your point, eventually grinding down your position to that tiny detail just so they can have their argument. Think it’s an unfortunate add on to everybody living within this thread minute by minute!
Best to make your point, ignore them and get on with your day 

I think @Kathcairns is simply stating a fact. The game was better for us fans in this country before the flood of Sky cash and the oligarchs it attracted. Yes, we have a stronger Premiership as a consequence, but we also have an ever-growing chasm between the haves and the have-nots.
I too think it's a shame that so many clubs ae now foreign owned, but it's based on romantic notions not racial ones. The relentless pursuit of money has damaged the sport and the connection with fans withers by the year. I'm sure many of us feel less connected now than we did when it was the 'English game' in days of yore. 

Ashley has run an English team sustainably for well over a decade. Rush was in post during our spell of frivolous spending (at best) that caused our current problems. I would say that makes Ashley far better qualified. Don’t want to speak for Kathcairns but I think being English provides a better understanding of the history and culture of the club and area. Not sure why people seem to want to read more info it than that 

No, but i just class myself as english, because i was born in england,same as my father in law was born in scotland and he always classed himself as scottish not british. Seems a funny thing to pick me up on when weve got more serious things to worry about.

Of course he didn’t. Of course in his own head everything else has caused this. A big chunk of the statement was Mel grandstanding, it doesn’t wash with anyone certainly not me anyway. I don’t think anyone is defending Mel, we know he’s caused the mess, he’s the only person to blame for Derby being in administration. However if we liquidate, that wont be solely on him.
The problems should not be insurmountable but that requires Boro, Wycombe and the EFL to make moves also. What we’ve seen so far instead is bullying plain and simple. Without Boro and Wycombe situation this whole thing will be resolved and we’ll probably get further points deductions which should make the EFL member clubs happy we’ve been sufficiently penalised.
If this move leads to a resolution on the claims then maybe he can come back to Derby in the future and not be lynched, I think that’s about the best he can hope for if that’s his intention. At the moment it is PR but it’s the right move to make and no other party has made a move yet in this saga. So i disagree with the Red Dog journalist that it’s empty PR, i think he’s trying to help resolve some of his mess but he’ll probably need to do more and whether or not he will remains up for debate.

It is a terrible and desperate state of affairs when my preferred bidder is Mike Ashley so, if he is dropping out, I hope it is a bargaining ploy. Him buying the club is ultimately the least complicated option with a wealthy Brit who has run a Premier League (or Championship-winning) club before and will pass the proof of funds and fit and proper person test. The lack of complications for him means it is more likely for any deal to go through more quickly, and we desperately need a speedy deal before our entire playing staff is asset-stripped, knowing they are almost all out of contact this summer so allowed to negotiate deals.
Also, we need a savvy bruiser to fight our corner against the EFL, Boro and Wycombe etc.  Next, there is clear motivation for why he would want to buy us and the reason ties in to making us successful, even if that's a vanity project. That's what owning a football club is. I do not understand why the American groups are interested when the costs are so high. It's all very well saying Ashley's bid is lower than the Binnie's, but at least we do know Ashley has the money and can move quickly. And the administrators should be able to factor that in, in terms of getting the best deal for the creditors. Any money is better than no money...

A Man Utd fan told me he would be good. In this case it has necessarily been about the team choices he hasn’t got much to choose from but even the academy players are coming in and looking ready for the fight. They are match prepared. It is his togetherness and how he has pulled everyone in the same direction even the doubters have moved. I liked him as a player because he had raw talent but I like him more as manager of Derby.

Exactly. Yes, you see it as a case no one would blame him for the things falling apart at Derby and they'd be right. That's not what has been impressive, the fact that in the face of all this he has instilled a belief in this team and has them fighting to the end not going through the motions is something a lesser man could not achieve and no matter what happens, is recognised. He's dead right, Colin would walk out, many a manger would walk out, Rooney would be well within his rights to walk out, but he's decided he's staying.
Rooney's the officer who goes over the top with his men, Colin is probably one who left a rear gaurd and made his tactical withdrawl...

Made me laugh

I think Mel knows full well that the current claim is against the club, so it can’t be transferred into one against him.
What he has done is a huge PR exercise to force our opponent’s hand. He has fetched all of the EFL’s and Middlesbrough’s washing out of the laundry basket and hung it on the washing line so that everybody can see just how dirty and disgusting it is.
They now have to respond, and whatever they decide, their behaviour has been brought into the open. His offer has exposed performance, motive, collusion and corruption.
The only decent response would be for Middlesbrough to drop their claim against the club and raise a new one against Mel.
Whatever their response there now needs to be a massive PR excercise getting all their skullduggery exposed in the media so everyone is able to see what has really been going on, instead of just knowing what they have been told had happened. This includes mailing all the supporter’s associations so that they are brought up to speed as well.

Could it now be any clearer? In the space of 48 hours the EFL have stated BOTH that the club has the offer of EITHER 'impartial' arbitration OR the High Courts as a means to satisfy claims AND that they now acknowledges MFC/WWFC as football creditors, which would leave arbitration as the sole route forward. Wholly contradictory statements and yet another example of their contemptuous abuse of power. There has been no discussion, no arbitration and no independent input to this decision, rather it is a call made arbitrarily and unilaterally by the EFL board with no outside consultation and in contravention of their own directives. Do these clowns even read what they regurgitate into the public domain? Do they not even cross-reference the claims made in one with the other? The inconsistencies (read: huge ducking porkies) are glaring and have been for two years now. Likewise Gibson who appears to have the attention span of a hungry toddler and the linguistic skills of one too.
Heads must now roll at the EFL. There is NO ROOM FOR DOUBT anymore. In their poorly conceived and executed PR campaign seeking to shift the onus to Morris, the admins and even the 'highest bidder', they have absolutely tied themselves in knots and in doing so, have threatened both the stability and integrity of the League they are meant to govern and serve. 
At this point, the 72 member clubs simply must act. There can be no remaining doubt that the EFL prioritises its own interests over those of its member clubs. Ladies and gentlemen, the tail is clearly wagging the dog. This is, of course, a wholly unacceptable state of affairs and will inevitably lead to chaos should the precedent they seek to set be entertained. Every subsequent season will start with multiple different fixture lists as the governing body and civil courts wade through dozens of spurious football related claims, clubs will be forced into admin and /or liquidation and the league system as we know it, will fail. A vote of no confidence and the immediate resignations of Rick Parry and Trevor Birch are now mandatory requirements on the long road back to credible and impartial governance of the League. For any governing body, as custodians of football, to bring bring the English game into such hopeless disrepute is simply unforgiveable and action must be taken sooner rather than later, irrespective of the situation at Derby County.
As for Messrs Gibson and Couhig, your bluff has now been called. If you truly believe in the veracity of your claims and are not simply looking to leverage the threat of liquidation to extort funds from a club who has already accepted its punishment (in keeping with the EFL's own directives), it's time for you to accept Mr Morris's offer of your day in court. Any other course of action will merely confirm suspicions of the very unsavoury motivations that have led to what appears to have been a merit-less witch-hunt borne solely out of greed and petty personal grievances. I'm looking at you specifically Gibson. You chose to prioritise continuing your spat with Mel Morris over the future of the club, the welfare of it's employees, the sustainability of local businesses and the mental health of the wider community. This will NEVER be forgotten, nor forgiven. I speak only for myself when I say that having been a chairman whom I once held in high regard, I have now come to despise everything for which you stand. 
I trust also that those on this forum who openly mocked posters who for two years have openly expressed the view that the EFL's treatment of Derby County Football Club has been less than impartial, will now take time to think about whether said posts were fair, warranted or helpful. Hindsight, it is true, is a wonderful thing, but so too is an open mind.
A last thought in regards to Mel Morris; Mel, I was one of your staunchest supporters. I was wrong. It broke my heart when you placed the club into administration. Perhaps there are mitigating circumstances as yet unknown, but we are where we are and you sir, were the custodian of this club we all love. Inevitably, the buck stops with you. All of this notwithstanding, thank you for the steps you have now taken to break the impasse. What's done can't be changed, but I do hope that this will at least give harsher critics some small pause for thought. 

BAWT didn't actually post the screenshot themselves, had they had done I would have trusted it 100%.
And whilst I thought they would have verified before tweeting, I just wanted that added confirmation to add and hopefully allow you all to enjoy your evenings.
There is a lot of discussion even this morning on if it's even possible, worth noting that Rick Parry hasn't instantly ruled it out unlike some fans.
That would suggest to me it's not that clear cut and could be possible.
The initial reaction appears to be the EFL are on board with this, if Gibson and Couhig refuse then it will be interesting to see how it develops.
They have called for pragmatic solutions, yet according to Mel's statement Wycombe have yet to even file a claim and all Boro have done is call for talks and reportedly lowered their asking price whilst also, according to Mel's statement, unavailable for arbitration until May.
This could be the turning point, the EFL have an easy escape route if they wish to take it, and so far, it's looking positive.

With the accusations towards myself and now this, I have to ask why are you so concerned by the mental health of the EFL and not the club, Derby County, that faces liquidation?
Even the Birmingham game, the fans worked hard, donating tickets to those in need to put money into the club and get behind the lads, we sold out the stadium and your response was something along the lines of....well this will scare the young lads playing in front of a full stadium...WHAT???
We could lose our club and whilst they didn't put us in this situation, they are making it as difficult as possible for us to leave this situation and your idea of a tea party and gifts for the EFL just isn't going to wash.
If the EFL have been rattled by the statement made by Mel last night then great, this is fantastic news, we need to show that we're not going to take this lying down without a fight.
The EFL picked this battle by ignoring not only their own regulations but insolvency laws.
If you want to go and give Rick Parry and Trevor Birch a cuddle and kiss, tell them everything will be alright, go for it, just don't expect a queue of fans behind you looking to pucker up to them.
If Derby get taken over, the battle doesn't stop their either, we need to be at the front of the push for an independent regulator and that's not going to see us on their Christmas card list this year, but who cares?
They don't care about us, we're the ones being affected by all this, so it's time to stop showing so much compassion for an organisation that actively pushing us into extinction.
/rant.

Absolutely spot on. That’s the real heart of it and illustrates very clearly the sheer hypocrisy of an EFL which acts sanctimoniously whilst clearly sat on Gibson’s lap whilst he tells them what to say. The whole FFP is riddled with problems and has proven itself to be completely ineffective in preventing what it was designed to prevent. Like Var was supposed to right errors it merely introduced more errors.
Gibson and Couhig will turn down Mel’s offer. It will make them look even more seedy but I don’t think it will solve the issue. The EFL will again insist on arbitration.
 
The overall effect though is to shine further light into the murky World of the EFL and how their incompetence and chicanery has led us to this point. The end of the EFL is nigh but we need it to not take Derby County with it.