IslandExile

It just seems like yesterday when Leighton James signed for us. I thought he did well, but the Doc wanted him out. Leighton went on to have a very long career and I think it was a big mistake letting him go. I can remember listening to him on some kind of Desert Island Discs type show on Radio Derby around 1976 and thinking he was quite an old fashioned type of young man. He was a big Jim Reeves fan. There’s nothing wrong with that but it was unusual for someone his age. I followed his career when he left Derby and I was happy to see him do so well at Swansea, Sunderland and Burnley.
Leighton’s replacement on the wing, Gerry Ryan, also died not long ago. I have many plans for the future and I would feel cheated if I didn’t make it to at least 85 and so it feels strange to see footballers, who were once much fitter than me, passing away – especially when they are younger than me. It is possible that Leighton and Gerry didn’t keep fit after football. I don’t know. It could be that they were just unlucky.  Some people get off the train and some stay on. Eventually we will all get off, but some people have will have had very long journeys. Cliff Jones, who was another winger and who is a generation older than the above two, was giving keep fit lessons online during the lockdown.

I think there should be something akin to the "umpire's call" in cricket. If the margin by which they are offside is so small that no human could possibly tell the difference by the naked eye, then the decision goes the way the linesman called it. If that means making the lines a bit thicker or something else, then so be it.  Other elements of VAR are there to (apparently) correct clear and obvious errors.  While offside is factual, the decision today was not a clear and obvious error; he wasn't standing a foot offside and the linesman was asleep, it was millimetres.  Allow for a small margin of error.  
As someone on Twitter said "I am VAR, destroyer of dreams!".  Not how it should be.

That’s true. And I accept that wherever you draw the line, there will be millimetre decisions. 
My point was that this isn’t what the offside rule was for. It was to prevent persistent goal hanging with a defending team just hoofing the ball up to a player who was dawdling near the goal. 
This seems to be against the spirit of that. 

It should be… if any part of the attacker is onside, they are  onside. Would feel a lot more acceptable getting rulers out for this than the current situation. 

I really hope that we get promoted on Saturday but I’m not sure that I want to ever go back to the premier league. Never being able to properly celebrate a goal until all checks are complete is not what football is about (for me, anyway). 

The problem with offering opponents the opportunity to take a draw is that football is full of cheats, and nobody can be trusted. 
No disrespect to Carlisle specifically, or indeed their much respected manager, but they'd probably nick a winner in the dying moments, then point and laugh at us!
Kill em off early I say.  Win, win, and thrice win!

I think they'll both have to go for the win. Anything can happen in football and, especially in this league. 
Bolton and Posh would kick themselves if they rested players for the play-offs, lost their game, only to then hear that Carlisle had turned us over.

I remember reading in 'The Ram' about a new born baby being christened Leighton James Jones or something like that.

Carlisle's results against the better sides are far better than those nearer the arse end where they've been bobbins. Won at Bolton, drew twice with Stevenage, win and draw against Peterborough, only lost by one at Portsmouth home and away.  Need to play better than we did second half as they'll be loving a trip to Pride Park before they head to Hades in August.  I feel we really need to push for a win.  Only the best sides can want a draw and play for it.  It takes a level of calculated ball retention we do not have.

Never thought we would have a topic on those on this forum, but here we are, we are here because you know what, with Joey Barton wildly posting misogynist content over on X, it's about time they had some praise rather than criticism.
And they deserve it.
https://news.sky.com/story/invincible-all-girl-football-team-goes-whole-season-unbeaten-in-boys-league-13119242
That is some achievement, fair play to them 👏

We’re an inclusive community on here, feel free 😊 

Is it over yet? Can I come out now?

Thank you @dcfc the 1 4me! I hope you get well soon too. Just bumping this up for everyone in case they missed it...

Thanks everyone for your kind messages - I've shown them to him, including from our guest from the coast, and even the smallest well-wishes from strangers can give a boost to people in his situation that I didn't appreciate until this happened.
Events like this makes you realise that it's the fans that make the club what it is. Thank you!

Love it, thanks for posting.
I saw Colin going into the ground last Saturday, was aware he's been around a bit more this season but didn't realise he was living in Derby again. 
That's going to be handy next season for the 74-75 celebrations. 🍾

FULL TIME!
1-0 Derby

The referee, Mr B. Olton, from Lancashire.

Look at you all stressing out.... I'm fine. 

Look at you all stressing out.... I'm fine. 

Look at you all stressing out.... I'm fine. 

Look at you all stressing out.... I'm fine. 

Look at you all stressing out.... I'm fine. 

Look at you all stressing out.... I'm fine. 

Tributes paid to former Wales, Burnley and Swansea winger Leighton JamesPopular winger has died at the age of 71James scored 10 goals in 54 appearances for Wales.