Dordogne-Ram

We're still in for Messi,  aren't we?

Will Hughes

Got this today from  the only man to have played every game in both of the first division championship season ! Goalkeepers were certainly braver back in the day ! (In my opinion ?)

I bet that one didn’t even need to be laundered. He never seemed to do anything that warranted breaking out in a sweat!

I suspect that goes back to the final game at home in the 1971/72 season. Steve did precisely that to him, and a scouser next to us on the Popside turned to his mate and said "did you see that, he's left Smithy on the floor". We took just a little pleasure in telling him that Steve was still at school - I'm not sure even now if he believed us!
Of course, we did not know it at the time, but that was the 1-0 victory courtesy of John McGovern's remarkable goal that gave us the first Championship title, although we had to wait a few more days for others to drop points meaning our points total could not be overhauled.
Seem to remember that Wolves held Leeds to a draw the following Wednesday evening, preventing the Dirties from snatching the title from us!
Steve Powell - "The Rock".

I suspect that goes back to the final game at home in the 1971/72 season. Steve did precisely that to him, and a scouser next to us on the Popside turned to his mate and said "did you see that, he's left Smithy on the floor". We took just a little pleasure in telling him that Steve was still at school - I'm not sure even now if he believed us!
Of course, we did not know it at the time, but that was the 1-0 victory courtesy of John McGovern's remarkable goal that gave us the first Championship title, although we had to wait a few more days for others to drop points meaning our points total could not be overhauled.
Seem to remember that Wolves held Leeds to a draw the following Wednesday evening, preventing the Dirties from snatching the title from us!
Steve Powell - "The Rock".

I suspect that goes back to the final game at home in the 1971/72 season. Steve did precisely that to him, and a scouser next to us on the Popside turned to his mate and said "did you see that, he's left Smithy on the floor". We took just a little pleasure in telling him that Steve was still at school - I'm not sure even now if he believed us!
Of course, we did not know it at the time, but that was the 1-0 victory courtesy of John McGovern's remarkable goal that gave us the first Championship title, although we had to wait a few more days for others to drop points meaning our points total could not be overhauled.
Seem to remember that Wolves held Leeds to a draw the following Wednesday evening, preventing the Dirties from snatching the title from us!
Steve Powell - "The Rock".

When Steve was 16, there was a bit of a tussle between school (Bemrose) and DCFC (ie Sir Brian).
Bemrose headmaster -  Dr WRC Chapman, one of the wartime code breakers at Bletchley Park, although we didn't know it the time - was keen for Steve to stay on into the Sixth form, as he had a bright future, but BC wanted him to play football.
After some dialogue in which the Doc obviously sensed that he was losing the battle, he ventured that if Steve stayed on he was good enough to go to Oxford (University), to which BC retorted " if Steve signs for me he will be able to BUY Oxford"! 
One of BC's lesser known quotes, and as they say, the rest is history.

When Steve was 16, there was a bit of a tussle between school (Bemrose) and DCFC (ie Sir Brian).
Bemrose headmaster -  Dr WRC Chapman, one of the wartime code breakers at Bletchley Park, although we didn't know it the time - was keen for Steve to stay on into the Sixth form, as he had a bright future, but BC wanted him to play football.
After some dialogue in which the Doc obviously sensed that he was losing the battle, he ventured that if Steve stayed on he was good enough to go to Oxford (University), to which BC retorted " if Steve signs for me he will be able to BUY Oxford"! 
One of BC's lesser known quotes, and as they say, the rest is history.

When Steve was 16, there was a bit of a tussle between school (Bemrose) and DCFC (ie Sir Brian).
Bemrose headmaster -  Dr WRC Chapman, one of the wartime code breakers at Bletchley Park, although we didn't know it the time - was keen for Steve to stay on into the Sixth form, as he had a bright future, but BC wanted him to play football.
After some dialogue in which the Doc obviously sensed that he was losing the battle, he ventured that if Steve stayed on he was good enough to go to Oxford (University), to which BC retorted " if Steve signs for me he will be able to BUY Oxford"! 
One of BC's lesser known quotes, and as they say, the rest is history.

Met Roy Mac a couple of times. Amiable easy going, throroughly nice guy. Mrs Jono was bantering with a stall holder in the market hall a few years back and said that when she was a gal she snogged Roy Mac .. the stall holders wife said .. so did everyone else ???

Here's the guy with his flag if you want to know more, @RebelScum. 
 

Right that takes us up to the turn of the last century, the third batch bringing us bang up to date will be ready when I can find the inclination to get the final third of the collection photographed.

The one and only 'King Kev'.  I was fortunate enough to have witnessed his home debut in Sept
1966 against Huddersfield. A 4-3 win. The best debut I have ever seen. I still get a shiver down my back
recalling that match. He absolutely glided over the BBG pitch never had I seen such a player.
He soon had 3 or 4 Huddersfield players trying to mark him which allowed Alan Durban to score a hat-trick
with Hector getting the fourth.  
Sadly did not Hector fall out with the Club after he was transferred. For many years he had nothing to do with
DCFC and it has only been in recent years that we have seen the great man return in public on the odd occasion.
Wished we could see more of him.

Thanks for the great comments @ilkleyram, it’s hard to put into print without causing issues, I don’t think it’s so much a mel thing, I think it started with the Americans and hasn’t yet been put right, but hopefully it will.
also there is obviously not room for everybody to do a job and some people lose out to others.
all that I know is that they are all a great set of men who have been brilliant to meet.

Nothing to say except “Brilliant Player”. Some players achieve “synonym” status in my mind where the name of the Club can be replaced by the name of a player which defines the Club: so great were Derby County in the ‘70s that they have 2:
Roy McFarland is one; Hec-tor...{said in Hugh Johns’ voice is the other}. 
 

The journey is nearing its end now so it was time to catch up with the big one, the man who was brought to derby in September 1966 to score goals, to get Derby in the big time ! That was by the then manager Tim ward, He played for the Rams for a total of 12 years, during which time they won the Football League First Division championship twice, the Football League Second Division championship and promotion to the First Division in 1969, and reached the semi-finals of the European Cup, FA Cup and the League Cup.
He left Derby for Vancouver Whitecaps and scored 15 goals for the Canadian outfit as they won the 1979 NASL title.
After his time in North America he rejoined Derby in the early 1980s.
He made a record 589 appearances for Derby in his two spells, 486 of which came in league games.
he scored 201 goals, second only to Steve Bloomer and missed only four league matches in seven seasons between 67 & 74, not a coincidence that these were our most successful years.
he didn’t say much but when he did everybody listened !
it is of course the king 
Kevin Hector was quality, I spent an hour and a half with him and we discussed all things Derby County, another really pleasant guy, funny and razor sharp with his memory ! 
More great stories, he didn’t really see eye to eye with Mr Clough but he didn’t need to, Cloughie couldn’t play his mind games with his top scorer.
still looks fit and well and enjoys his football, he is often to be found in the south stand, but he says it’s nothing to what the BBG was but we all know that.
another one sadly disgruntled with the way that the club view them, that has been the common core running through this journey, none of them feel valued by the club, yesterday’s men who no longer generate money for the club so left out to graze.
as I have said many times before they could surely be put to use by the club !
what a legend !
a king of kings !
king Kev !

This is far from usual. In this day and age, someone taking the time. Effort and endeavour to selflessly make someone’s life more enriched. Is unusual in the extreme 

Andy Ellis has also asked me to mention Ian Ross of Shieldfield, Newcastle who apparently way back in 1997 had done some research into players who had not received medals who should have so good luck to him and we hope that he has many successes.

I only read the first post of the thread, I'm sure the next few pages of comments will rightfully be glowing but I wanted to add my two pennetjh worth.
 
What a wonderful and beautiful thing you've done, to see it through to the end and actually get him his medal is superb and somerhing you should be very proud of doing.
Fair play to the decision makers as well.
Lovely story. 

A truly memorable and heroic effort on your part, @loweman2.  In awe of what you did for Jim.
It'd be nice to think the other players from his generation would drop him a note to congratulate him after so long without what was rightfully his.  He earned his medal and you earned my total respect for doing this selfless act.  Well done.  Hope your son is proud of what his Dad and Grandad managed to achieve.  Great for him to rub shoulders (well, his shoulder to their hip) with such legends of our club.
Cheers!⛹️‍♂️ 

Excellent @Duracell, that’s just the reason I post this stuff, I admit that I do it for my dad, they are his heroes not mine the same as your grandad, when they were going through tough times personally their little old team from the town of Derby was the best team in the land and gave them something to feel great about, they had duck all money in their pockets but they shared their love and support of Derby County who had done nothing since 1946 ! 
These guys have become my footballing heroes since meeting them all, Roy McFarland said that aswell as teaching them how to play football he taught them to respect others and none more so than your own family, he made them take flowers home to their mums and he taught them how to act like gentlemen both on and off the pitch and to a man  that has stayed with them all ! 
We cant forget these men, we look at them now and see a collective of seventy something year olds but go back fifty years and they were about to become the cream of British football !
ive met hundreds of Derby players and I have got to say with every passing generation the passion for Derby County becomes a little less evident, nowadays it’s just a fantastic job open to the very few and all about money, in the seventies it was all about being the best, getting called up for your country and just daring to believe that you could be a champion ! Nothing about money or cars or big houses or the fittest girl friend, just being a winner within a band of brothers that stayed together and did it not once but twice for eight of them !
 

Wow. This is what football Is all about. Words can't describe how amazed I am by this story @loweman2