DesertRam

After the torture of last season I felt an enormous connection to the club and when DC bought us I knew right away he was going to be the right owner for us. I therefore bought my first season ticket in 28 years, renewed my away membership and even bought a subscription to the programme. 
I’ve been to away matches in places I’d never heard of, sang my heart out with people half my age and had an absolute blast. I’ve felt emotional looking across the stands at the numbers of Rams fans who have packed in home and away to watch the likes of Morecambe or Forest Green, and I’ve gone back to talking about teams selection or the form of certain players rather than worrying about whether we would still have a club.
Despite my personal reservations about PW I think we’ve had an amazing season considering where we were last summer and can’t wait for next season, regardless of what division we’re in. Whatever happens I’ll be renewing my ST and away membership and doing it all over again in 23/24. 
 
COYR!!
 
 

I've loved this season. Up and downs for sure, but in context, it's been a belter and it's not over yet despite every other club being 'desperate to get us in the play-offs' 🙄 
The ship has been bought and paid for, steadied, even given a lick of paint here and there and whatever the outcome, it feels like we have the right custodian at the helm.
Looking forwards, we're still firmly in the promotion hunt, we're re-finding some of the form that saw us go 16 unbeaten and we've only one more season left to play under Rick & Trev's sanctions before the shackles come off and we are 100% free of EFL interference forever. Honestly, what's not to like? 
On to my not terribly imaginative top 3 moments...
1. Clowes announces purchase of stadium. There were some weird suggestions on here that it did not necessarily follow that he'd then buy the club, but for me, that was the moment I knew the Club was safe from Fat Mike's sweaty little hands, or worse still, the liquidator.
2. The first transfer window; it made my head spin! One minute, we've only 5 contracted senior players then we've got McGoldrick, Collins, Barks, NML, Chester, Roberts et al. After what had gone before it felt like Christmas morning as a kid and the resurgence of belief and pride in the club was tangible.
3. Didzy; 25 goals and 7 assists in 43 games played for the club. There's a poster on here who needs to imagine this season without him, rather than trying to mug him off as a flat track bully to people who watch him play every week. 

Largely agree with all of the above, but would add a special mention for the high quality of opposition time wasting we’ve seen this season.  Can’t recall it ever being at the current s-housing levels before now, it’s insane.

For me the highlight has been the stability of the football club. Perhaps not as exciting as some of the excellent goals scored, but it's something of value that has been absent at DCFC for some time, prior to the arrival of Mr Clowes. 

Does last summer count as this season? If so, for me it’s;
1) the flurry of signings announced with excellent effort by the club’s social media. How exciting was it seeing a squad being pieced together after standing on the edge of oblivion?!
2) the sheer volume of supporters in attendance home and away. Not only has it shown dedication to the cause and how big we are to be pulling such crowds in league one, but it will also have played its part in the continued financial recovery of the club 👏 🐏
3) the overall effort of the squad so far this season. Yes there have been poor performances, and there have also been some very good ones. Overall the season up to this point has exceeded my own personal expectations. Seeing the club competing and pushing towards the top end of the table despite seemingly how close we were to extinction has been so good.
 

I think its been an emotional season but I am soppy generally!
1. The first league game back at PP - very emotional as at times really didnt think it would happen
2 Didzy's penalty last week to put us back in sixth - felt really significant and the singing just me think of it at Wembley. Again welled up
3. Hope still to come

Just watched PW’s pre-match Pompey. Highly verbally intelligent as always and a lovely tribute to the fans and Pride Park at the end which moistened the eyes. It’s not over yet I know …but regardless of whether we get play-offs or not, what are the 3 stand-outs which will stick in the memory for you for League One 2022/23; they don’t have to be positive, just stand-out and season-defining. Mine:
1. David McGoldrick - sublime. I used to watch Charlie George like a hawk and still marvel at the memories. Didzy is up there with Charlie for me. Wonderful feet and vision and contribution which will stick in my memory bank. 
 
2. Standard of Refereeing: All I’ll say is that it has on the whole been like one long episode of the League of Gentlemen & Inside Number 9 rolled into one. Port Vale at home!?! What did we do to deserve these refs? They are caricatures of themselves. 
 
3. Max Bird away at Cheltenham - 2nd goal - “he must have a foot like a trac-shun-En-gin!” …What a goal. 
 
If the season ends on Sunday 7th so be it. I’ve really enjoyed it and we have next season. 🐏

I'd hope for an unchanged formation. Perhaps experiment with Smith in the middle instead of Hourihane and either push him further up as part of the three, dropping sibbo into left mid at the expense of roberts or leave him on the bench entirely. I think we really need to win this one, as i don't fancy our odds against Sheffield Wednesday if they have anything to play for on the final day. 

Looks like it'll be a full house with Portsmouth bringing a full allocation as well so should make for a cracking atmosphere. Ironic this is our final home game of the league 1 season, doesn't seem so long ago this was the first game of our ill-fated season back in the big time. 

It’s a fine line I suppose, I just like to see a bit of balance and rationale applied. That’s what I try to do with my own posts anyway, though I’m aware I can be more optimistic than pessimistic as a general rule. 
Some posters only seem to comment on the negative aspects of a performance or single the same individual players out repeatedly without applying much sense or logic to back up their reasoning.
I just think some people’s views are extreme at times when it comes to pointing out perceived deficiencies and they very rarely see positives, others then are blindly optimistic. All entitled to our own opinions I know, and I appreciate everyone wants to see us do well in their own ways. ? 

Neither, apparently he headbutted Warne in the dressing room after the Plymouth game and has been suspended for at least a week (along with Jason Knight who kicked Hammy in the nuts).

Don’t agree. If you can protect your box against aerial attack in this league - he does - you cut your goals-against in half, esp if you have a keeper like W’smith. Curtis doesn’t have to be so mobile if we use him right. Curtis, Fozzy and Cash at FB (Cash with licence to roam) gives us the solidity we need at the back

Annnnnnnnnd breathe.

We just needed the win. So job done ✔️ 

I think I’m a curse.
only been to 3 games this season.
Plymouth - we were 2-0 up then lost 2-3
Port Vale - 1-0 up then lost 1-2
and then yesterday.
if I come again I promise to leave at half time.

Win and they're 12 points behind with 12 games left, so it puts them out of contention. Lose and the gap is only 6 and this period of form becomes a proper wobble, with teams beginning to mass behind us. Every game is so important now.
I like the look of @Ghost of Clough's team, but I'll be amazed if Warne rests Hourihane. 

There is no let up to this titanic struggle for promotion. Based on points per game, Barnsley are the 4th best in the league, with us 5th. Win, and we overtake them; lose and the spectre of Wycombe looms large in the rear-view mirror. What a season this is, with 7 teams in incredible form, seeking 6 places. Barnsley top the (traditional 6-game) form table with us only 5th. We couldn't ask for a tougher game.
These are the matches that help define a season. If we are seriously hoping to challenge, now is the time to prove it and step up to the mark. Presuming everyone is fit, the starting 11 will surely be unchanged. We'll have 5,000 Rams cheering the team on (well done every one of you). Warney will give a speech before kickoff about how he wishes he were playing, because if you don't want to be part of a game like this, why are you in football? I really think this game is the litmus test for where we now stand and what we can hope to achieve this season. I'm desperate for a win. To be looking up towards the top 2 rather than down and risking dropping out of the playoffs. Come on you Rams!
 
 

Never change a winning team, don’t think any of the subs yesterday did enough to push into the starting 11.

Will I need a shirt?  

?

I particularly loved his intervention after our second goal.  Assuming he was standing back waiting for a red to transpire.  

Thought this'd amuse you
https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/23307390.high-wycombe-named-one-worst-places-live-england/
There's some lovely places around Wycombe, but they're not Wycombe which is pretty skanky IMO. 

The ghost of Burt Bacharach is strong 

Why isn't that his song? Instead of the dirge "one of your own":
[Louie] Sibley's the best
Better than all the rest
Better than anyone
Anyone who ever played
 

I'm not much of follower of music, but I'm fairly certain it isn't "Simply the better" ?

Are you saying, out the two, Sibley's the best? Sounds like there's a song in there somewhere.?

Wycombe   0 - 3   Derby,
NML