ariotofmyown

All this crap with the lines. I don't even think they drew the lines in the right place. They seemed to be measuring from the sleeve of Watkin's shirt, which he can't score with. Then twatting about for ages. Bloody hell. Go with the onfield decision.
The thing is, had the linesman put his flag up, I wouldn't have objected to it being disallowed. 
Again, it all comes down to not trusting the referee and assistants. And bellyaching about them. We reap what we sow.

Is there any one in the world who thinks goals like that Watkins one should be ruled out?
Assuming crowds are allowed back in, this is surely the sort of thing that is gonna put people off. A last minute Villa equaliser won't cause too much grief, but what about when that sort of rubbish happens in the world cup final. Or a relegation battle on the final day. Or in the playoff final. Farce.

First time we’ve started this season with a proper number 9 and we’ve actually had 4 good chances that I can remember off the top of my head. 
 
Football is not a complicated game... 

It obviously meant more to @Rev than it did to you!

Love that mate, hope you enjoy it! As a friend pointed out to me today, we've not won a game since it came out. But I refuse to take the blame for that, as we didn't win many before it either.

Come on that's always been part of Trek, going right back to the 60s series there was a social commentary on racial segregation, communism, and an overriding anti war perspective. All at a time of MLK, the McCarthy witch hunts and the Vietnam war. Call it value signalling if you like. But like it or not, It's a core part of the show. 
Series 1 was classic Star Trek in that respect.

My friend wanted me to ask you if they spend much time showing details of the sex cult?......

Basically, we’re normally crap away and good at home. This season we’re just crap everywhere. Excellent.

Prefer Neighbours ?

Away matches this season:
Luton...unlucky to lose
Norwich...lucky to win but good 3 points
Huddersfield...maybe unlucky to lose
Forest...just about deserved a win
Bournemouth...almost a great 3 points
Bristol City...deserved a draw
 
Home matches this season:
Reading...poor
Blackburn...dire
Watford..ok, bit unlucky to lose
Cardiff..ok, draw was fair
QPR...bad
Barnsley...shocking
Now up to the lockdown last season, we had a good home record and were dire away from home.
I think the away performances have been much better this season. We seemed to collapse so many times last season against an away crowd, and it feels like we are better off now in an empty ground. We definitely seemed to buckle last year when the pressure was on, but we've showed some resolve this season, especially vs Norwich and Bournemouth.
Now our home record is usually amongst the best in the league. I know we all think our home supporters just moan all the time and don't sing enough and that everything was better back in day blah blah blah. But just perhaps our relitavley large ground and support is actually a big advantage to our players? Especially if they are currently not the most confident bunch of lads? 
Our home form, usually so reliable, has been dire this season. Before the season started, you'd think perhaps Watford was the only game you would not consider us favourites. We've managed 1 point in 6 games.
When you are used to picking up points at home, you rely on that and know it's only your away form that prevents automatic promotion.
When you are used to picking up points at home, then you suddenly can't, you come under more pressure, confidence evaporates and your world collapses.
There are fairly fine margins between a good team and a bad team, especially in the highly competitive Championship. We've seen most of these players do well in the past, but we are without our natural home advantage this season.
Mistakes have been made of course, but maybe we need to realise that sometimes, things just don't go your way. We don't always have to find a flaming gallah to blame.
 

Away matches this season:
Luton...unlucky to lose
Norwich...lucky to win but good 3 points
Huddersfield...maybe unlucky to lose
Forest...just about deserved a win
Bournemouth...almost a great 3 points
Bristol City...deserved a draw
 
Home matches this season:
Reading...poor
Blackburn...dire
Watford..ok, bit unlucky to lose
Cardiff..ok, draw was fair
QPR...bad
Barnsley...shocking
Now up to the lockdown last season, we had a good home record and were dire away from home.
I think the away performances have been much better this season. We seemed to collapse so many times last season against an away crowd, and it feels like we are better off now in an empty ground. We definitely seemed to buckle last year when the pressure was on, but we've showed some resolve this season, especially vs Norwich and Bournemouth.
Now our home record is usually amongst the best in the league. I know we all think our home supporters just moan all the time and don't sing enough and that everything was better back in day blah blah blah. But just perhaps our relitavley large ground and support is actually a big advantage to our players? Especially if they are currently not the most confident bunch of lads? 
Our home form, usually so reliable, has been dire this season. Before the season started, you'd think perhaps Watford was the only game you would not consider us favourites. We've managed 1 point in 6 games.
When you are used to picking up points at home, you rely on that and know it's only your away form that prevents automatic promotion.
When you are used to picking up points at home, then you suddenly can't, you come under more pressure, confidence evaporates and your world collapses.
There are fairly fine margins between a good team and a bad team, especially in the highly competitive Championship. We've seen most of these players do well in the past, but we are without our natural home advantage this season.
Mistakes have been made of course, but maybe we need to realise that sometimes, things just don't go your way. We don't always have to find a flaming gallah to blame.
 

Maybe she bought it for her partner as they are in the book? Jeremy Keith perhaps? He's in the loft now looking for your old train set.

Can’t wait for Christmas, Son.

You need to edit that last sentence before someone proclaims to be your mums new partner. I'm far too mature to enter into any such childish behaviour. 

If you can get Warren Barton, Claude Davis, Eddie Lewis and Stern John to sign it then I’m in. 

A great read, really enjoyed it.  Don't think there's another book out there that gives such an insightful look into our more recent past.  Never a dull moment being a Derby fan and it looks like the next few years could be just as colourful!  Thanks  @HuddersRam.

Haha completely understandable! Glad you enjoyed it buddy. Yeah the Clough ones seem to have really gone down well, which is mad because honestly, they were the ones without any controversy compared to the rest!
I've got a few ideas, although I'm not sure what else I can say about Derby at the minute. There are a couple of bits in the pipeline, but I'm just trying to work whether I've got the capacity to dedicate all time outside of work to another one at the minute!
If anyone has read the book (I know a few of you have, don't be shy), please feel free to leave a review from wherever you grabbed it from. It really helps to know what you all thought of it and whether it would be worth looking into a potential follow up one day!

Just finished the book...had a little pause before Rowett onwards as I was a bit fed up how bad we were playing!
Thanks for writing this book though, a brilliant read from start to finish. Difficult to pick my favourite part. The Clough chapters were fascinating. The (only) promotion season was illuminating.
Do you think you will write another book soon? You obviously knew a lot about Derby already...is it tough to think of something else that you aren't as already as invested in?
Hope to read more from you in the future.

Thanks Ilkley! I'd like to think we could never go through a period like that again but who knows with Derby County to be honest. Looking back, if it wasn't for the fanbase, things would have got very dark.
Yeah George was a bit of a spiky character. In the end I only got around 20 minutes with him and he was pretty quick to shut down any chat on Murdo and the situation there unfortunately. I pursued again with a text but he made it pretty clear there was no chance I'd get anything from him on it. But to be quite honest, there were lots of people from over the years who didn't want to drag over old things. Burley, Gregory, Jeremy Keith. None of them wanted to go over much and of the three, it was only Burley who was happy to pick up the phone.
Don't think there were legal restrictions, just don't think he fancied going over unhappy memories. I think for the most part, the people who couldn't speak because of legal restrictions were quite open in saying it.

Both me and young Ilkley have our own copies and I'm up to page 100 after a couple of days. It's an excellent read in the main
The bit that I've just gone through is the Lionel/3 amigos changeover and the John Gregory/George Burley period.  I had put most of it happily to the back of my mind.  Hope to God that we're not embarking on a similar period in our history, though learning that Mel has been in negotiation since May you do wonder whether Cocu was promised money and players which haven't been delivered.
One question @HuddersRam - George Burley was apparently not willing to talk about the relationship with Murdo Mackay as Director of Football and also about the allegations that were made about him around the time he left yet he appears still to be angry/upset about them. It seems odd to me that 15 years later he wouldn't discuss those things unless there were legal restrictions preventing him doing so or whether he didn't just want to rake up the past. Without breaking any confidences can you tell us why that was?  

I know it was more of a passion project, but I hope it's been a nice little earner for you, @HuddersRam?

I get that Southgate has made some questionable decisions of late, but it's ludicrous to call for him to be sacked IMO.
Manager shouldn't be judged on Nations League performances; they should be judged on major tournaments. In our last major tournament, we got to a World Cup Semi Final (yes, we were set piece merchants, and yes we lost when we came up against top opposition, but it was still a relatively successful tournament).
He deserves a crack at the Euros, at least.

I've been watching a long running series called News. It's almost like a documentary style. The latest season is a bit boring, all about this world wide virus, dragging on a bit now, needs a new storyline. Hopefully that angry orange man won't be in the next series too.

You mean apart from HMRC investigating us?

If we signed him it'd be one thing lester worry about.