Dordogne-Ram

opening the ticket office would be a start and selling Season Tickets again.
Lot`s of the Older generation just dont want the Faff of online ticketing on a MBM basis.
They like to have a Season Ticket or failing that, like to call into the ticket office and buy an actual ticket!
In my local in Ripley there are at least 5 DCFC fans over the age of 65 who simply will not go again until they can physically go to the ground and buy a ticket!

Do we set up to score goals or to not concede goals? The Euros saw Gareth Southgate pick 8 or 9 defensive players every game and it worked for a while but couldn't get him over the line, with an incredible array of attacking talent on his bench. Rooney has far fewer options but a very similar mindset.
Asked in today's Radio Derby interview why Louie Sibley doesn't start Rooney effectively said he doesn't trust him defensively. Sibbo is to Rooney what Jack Grealish is to Southgate. Rooney said he didn't play Sibbo specifically because his number one priority was not to fall behind in the match.
Here's the interview https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p09pv3hb with the best version of the interview at 46:30.
Derby's problem is not scoring goals. Louie Sibley is the biggest goal threat our team has. Aston Villa built their team around Grealish until selling him for £100m. If Derby are going to survive (and maybe thrive) this season we need to build our team around Sibbo, not give him a cameo in which to try to make the difference. How best to do this?
I have long argued that the 4-2-3-1 does not work for us and we should be playing 4-3-3 (set up as 4-1-2-3). With the players available at the moment we should have Shinnie shielding the defence and then we can have Morrison and Sibley as the two more forward midfielders, which gives a forward line of Kazim-Richards central and Jozwiak and Thomas wide. So much more threatening than what we have at the moment.
With a team desperate for goals, having your 5 most dangerous attacking players in the line-up seems a no brainer. Rooney needs to learn to trust Sibley, and I am certain that trust would be rewarded.

Kazim just needs to hold the ball up and distribute to the runners going past as some other player used to do for us ?......if we can get them to do that,we will start becoming more prolific I suspect ?
 

Summer always sees lower crowds - its peak holiday time and many will be away especially those like us ahead of both sets of exam results unusually next week, some will be committed to playing cricket for a couple of weeks yet (how dare half fans do something with their time) and surely this year the pingdemic/covid cases/caution will affect numbers a little or a lot. Also unfortunately some will just have got into the habit of doing something else they enjoy more on a Saturday.  Many also cant afford it each week especially if wanting to attend with kids. It is a very expensive day.
However, some of you please stop the superiority if you are lucky enough to be able to go each week. And yes I mean lucky. Many cant do that ever or at certain times of their lives. Doesnt mean "these plastic half fans" dont refresh their phone every 2 seconds waiting for news, get butterflies leading up to the game, feel jittery for every second of every game and be depressed/grumpy when we lose.  season tickets wont work for us this year but we will be there whenever we can home and away and we are not less fans because of it

Great post …. There’s going to be a reasonable crowd for the first time in a long while. We need to make the RIGHT type of noise .. forget the protests, forget the in fighting. We are all in this, every cheer counts.
We talk casually about “academy lads” .. Some of them have been playing 1st team football for a year now - in a echoing mausoleum - Meanwhile they have got stronger, growing, learning, they know what a fight is. Now; the first for many of them … they are going to have 20,000 fans on their side. Lets show them what we sound like and what it feels to have a stadium urging them Forward …. Let’s lift them to the ceiling, Let’s do this ! ????????????

Let me try this again, I was forwarded your post and just online replying to say thanks, and I appreciate the concern. Posted and the topic was merged and my post lost as I submitted it. Cheers mods.
I have an apology and what exactly has happened post which will follow the report from the meeting, I don't not can't want to go into detail now. 
What I would say is, this is not the clubs fault, anyone using it as a stick to beat the club with are doing so without the full facts, which is unfair and not helping myself personally as I try to fix the situation and get the information out to you.
I, David, has handled the situation poorly, been naive and been busy working my hardest to get back to you all with what you want.I would like to think that over the years we have built up some mutual respect, if you don't want to believe me that's fine, but please just stop until you have read what I put out.
You must also all understand that the club staff are ridiculously busy right now working long hours on other important issues, whilst I feel somewhat in limbo, I'm more happy that we have an extra 2 defenders in the squad than missing out as they need to read through my emails.
As for tomorrow, I am excited more than you will ever know, football is back, Derby are back, fans in the stadium, perfect.
I'm just gutted I can't be there, but I'm doing the next best thing, taking a flight out of here so I can watch on RamsTV with a. few beers that are chilling in the fridge.
Those that are going, regardless of your thoughts on the ownership, club, put all that to one side and get behind the team, we have a young team that doesn't deserve to play under a negative atmosphere. 
Drop any protests, Mel chants, anti EFL or anti and sarcastic Rooney chants, focus on positive support for the team, this is when they need us the most, the atmosphere is all on us nobody else, if we crush those lads with booing and all that baalocks, we will have to shoulder some of the responsibility.
I'm sorry for the lack of communication, I just didn't have anything to add and felt it would be best to stay offline. But please, regardless of what you think of me, the club, just read the above and take it from a fan that loves this club and wouldn't be saying any of this if I didn't mean it.
?
 

Tomorrow is day one of what is almost certainly going to be "An interesting season"!

I sincerely hope you are giving it the same excited attention as the rest of us Rams fans.

If the reasons for the delay in posting your report from the meeting is in any way stressing you out... walk away from it... NOW!
Forget your well meant intentions.  Forget any "promises" you may have made.  And most importantly, ignore any flak being thrown in your direction, whether that be full on abuse, or poorly delivered banter.
You are not representative of Derby County Football Club, hierarchy or boot room, and you should not be bearing any burdens relating to such.
You are just a bloke that runs an internet forum... for the benefit of others.  No better, no worse, and no more important than the countless factory floor workers, office workers, and street cleaners amongst us.
Crucially, you owe us nothing.  If anything, we owe you, for providing us with this excellent forum of yours... of ours... for which many on here are extremely grateful.
Do what is right for you.  No excuses.  No explanations.  No apologies.  Indeed, if it suits, then don't even make mention of it.  I repeat... you owe us nothing.
Get your arse back on here.  Concentrate on tomorrow's game.  Bring actual real live football back into your life, and sod all those that expect more from you.  Let your minions wield their banhammers if need be, to keep the great unwashed at bay.
This is your manor, and we are nothing more than your guests.  So head up, chest out, deep breath, and let's get this season started.
DO NOT MAKE YOURSELF ILL OVER WHAT HAS BEEN A POO FEW DAYS.
 
UTR  ?
 
 
 
*If the above is totally along the wrong lines, and your absence is in any way related to more personal family matters, then I can only offer my sincere best wishes to you and yours.  
 

As far as the club knew, Jim Wheeler was doing the press release. Nobody told David this, and if they had, he would of still done what he’s done. 
He was there to report back to you lot, not stand behind the Ramstrust.

I’ve spoken to David, he’s done his report, sent it to the club to check it’s ok with them.
The clubs not managed to get it signed off yet. One can only assume that they have other pressing matters, players contracts etc if you read what Mr Nixon has said.
I’m assured that there is some further detail to what’s already been released by the Punjabi Rams and Jim Wheeler on Radio Derby.
I was worried that everyone was waiting with baited breath only for the exact info to be in David’s report that was already out there anyway.
Please try and see it from his side, he’s piggy in the middle, and wants to make sure everything is ok with what’s in his report.
As far as I’m aware, due to David having to leave just before the end to catch the last train he missed an agreement to let Jim Wheeler do a piece to RD this morning.
But, that’s not what we go to the charter meetings for. We go to ask questions and to report to our members, not be a face to a joint statement. 

David never put our name to a recent open letter to the club, and will never do so.
So please be patient, the timescale is out his hands, and he’s getting grief left right and centre on Social Media. In my opinion non of the other groups who were there are.  But that comes with us being the biggest group of Derby County supporters on the internet.
He’s losing his hair, what he has got doesn’t want turning grey.
 

I’ll reserve judgement until seeing David’s update. 

Thanks for taking this on once again @mozza  - much appreciated as usual!

Prediction League point scorers for league games, and occasional league tables will be posted in here ..

Quick update: I have just left the meeting which is still ongoing otherwise I would miss the last train.
A decision was made not to release minutes for this meeting in the end, but I am free to get a write up out to you all as soon as I can. 
I do not have a laptop with me and would prefer to wait until tomorrow once I’m home and can go through all the notes.
I will aim to have it ready to post on the forum tomorrow.
Please do not bombard me with questions across the forum by mentioning me, PM, DM or text if you have my number.
I don’t want to be putting bits and pieces out there all over the place.

I would also like to address the talk of being gagged tonight as I have been contacted several times over the last 24hrs by text/Twitter DM and Forum pm’s.
Can I ask you to think why I would survey the forum for questions if we were gagged?
So then David, good meeting?
Yeah great!
Can you tell us what was said regarding the takeover and if Mel will fund the club going forward until a buyer is found?
Nope, I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.
Can I ask you to think why the meeting was announced through the local media if we was gagged from reporting back?
If this was a meeting where we was all gagged, for what reason would they announce it through the media?
Also, myself and reps other groups attending, what would be the point in giving us information if we was not allowed to share it with you?
Yes, there maybe lines which are requested not to be repeated outside this room, I don’t know, let’s say for example we’re talking revenue and I’m asked how the pandemic has affected my ad revenue, what the impact has been online, it would be requested that this doesn’t leave the room as I shared my personal numbers.
Now some might say I want to know that information, I would say, well you start sharing your pay slips and bank statements online then I’ll talk and share mine publicly.
This might be a poor example given that tonight will be dominated by financial questions, however I assure you we will not be sat on vital key information.
I should be used to this, as I said earlier I always expected criticism from these meetings, Twitter is littered with fans looking to discredit a meeting that hasn’t even happened yet, they don’t know what questions will be asked and what answers will be shared.
Could understand if criticism came after the minutes were shared and fully expect that, but at least give us all attending a chance.
Given the amount of private messages I’ve received and having to respond to I just wanted to address being gagged so I can quickly link back to this post.
Honestly I’m worried all the ads I will see now across other sites will be S&M and leather masks! Please stop!
Apologies for another frustration filled lengthy post, but the good news is I’ll be up and on my way in a few hours so you’ll all be safe unless someone starts and I have signal on the train.
All your frustrations have been noted and I have no doubts will be conveyed to the club tonight. 

I thought people were joking, but now I'm not sure. I loved Idiakez, but he was a liability from the penalty spot. The only player I've ever seen who is more likely to bang in a free kick from 30 yards than score a penalty.

I don’t see how the EFL can let us start the season without letting us registering anymore players. 
The profit and sustainability rules are there to protect clubs, but right now the EFL is actively working to make us not have a competitive team.
That’s not right. We have an embargo for not paying HMRC, to me this has nothing to do with the EFL, HMRC will take us to court when we’ve failed to meet enough deadlines. 
I can understand an embargo for failing to pay transfer instalments as this is a transaction between it’s member clubs, makes total sense but not HMRC.
Other clubs will be looking on and be concerned, I’m sure of it, they will be thinking this could be us next having to deal with the EFL making the rules up as they go along.
Say what you like about our wrongdoings, but that does not mean that the EFL doesn’t need a overhaul from top to bottom.

Best part of all this is not paying agents.
I can’t understand how football clubs let agent fees become a thing, the club is paying an agent to negotiate the most money for their client.
Where’s the sense in that, these players on thousands, some hundreds of thousand pounds a week, you want an agent, fine, you pay for one. 

Was born in reading … not a million miles away from the old elm park
Born in Matlock Dad was stalwart Derby and it was only a matter or time before he migrated us back up towards the midlands .. unfortunately for me we only stopped back in Derby for a couple of years due to a bad house move so ended up in Nottingham but that didn’t stop me following him around the country watching my now beloved rams 
sadly now it’s a journey I have to carry on alone 
still never forget those early years back in the late eighties standing on a milk crate in the popside then the ritual of waiting no matter the weather for the green paper 
happy days 

i was born in Reykjavík, i have never been to Derby, what am i doing here?
Brian Clough

Born in Mundubbera Queensland, dad was born in Derby but his mother abandoned him aged 2, and his brother while their father was fighting in WW2. They were put into a orphanage but when that was bombed they were sent to an orphanage outside of Melbourne. They were told they had no family in the UK. First heard of DCFC when they won the title in 75 and dad said that was where he was born. First went over to the UK in 2006 to start looking for relatives in Derby but as it was usually summer never got to a game. We moved over and worked out of London in 2014 and went to a Fulham  away game and got hooked with the atmosphere. Craziest time was flying over for 6 days for the Villa final.

Full time 0-2 & a really encouraging display.
Yes, Notts County are National League, yes they're earlier on in their pre-season & yes, they should have scored at least once in that 10 min spell after half time. Today though was more about seeing how the young lads could step up in the event of being needed next Saturday & thought Ebosele and Cashin made a really strong case for starting v Huddersfield come what may. Festy caused carnage running at their left side & was very good defensively but probably more excited about Cashin. We are particularly weak at CB given the current nonsense but his performance was so assured & authoritative, its cheered me up no end.
Enjoyed watching us play overall as well. Lots of pop passes around midfield & there were long spells when Notts couldn't get close to us. Not naive enough to think we'll be as comfortable playing like that against your average Championship cloggers but the only way these lads are going to improve is by being exposed to those situations. Trialists signed or not, I want to see plenty of Cashin, Williams, Hutchinson, Thompson, Stretton & of course Festy this season.
Last word for Craig Forsyth - two games in a row at CB, two clean sheets & been very accomplished in both games. He's got a massive role this season & has started well.

Your investment into our academy has been first class. Nothing gives me more pride supporting the club than seeing a local player become a first team regular. With the success of our academy, what is the long term extenal plan recruitment plan for the club? Can we have a similar long term vision for player recruitment?

Supporters are aware that the club is very much up for sale, but what is the plan for the next few years should a takeover not come to fruition?

The name of Derby County has been radically sullied in the press of late, some of it very unfair. Does the Club have a communications strategy to set the record straight over some of the issues eg how we cheated relegation? How we fixed our accounts? How we sold the ground to ourselves? What we value as a Club eg fairness, community spirited, ambitious. 

Only thing is dont run on cup games so sometimes get taxi there and then walked back while breathing I will be there for mighty Derby county I love so much.