RamDotFi

Got B4’s ashes with me (and a can of dark fruits). Husband is getting worried about the potential clean up 😂 There’s no way B4 would be missing this match 

Scrappy 1-0 win, Nelson, Cashin and Bradley all very solid, we didn’t get bullied in the way we can normally. Adams did well too. Well done to Warne for making the changes to the side that swung momentum in our favour.
Clean sheet at home for the first time this year, 3 points in the bag, no more injuries (🤞) not been fun and felt pretty lonely on here in terms of optimism but I’m happy with that. 

I think he did well enough yesterday, as he has done most of the games he’s been involved in the last few months. One heart in mouth moment as the ball deflected off his heel just wide of our goal, I thought I’d jinxed him by asking pre match when his last gaff was.
My only criticism is he either gets unnecessarily involved in wrestling during attacking set pieces (or is genuinely being fouled but not getting the decision 🤔).
Does make for pretty epic pics though! 

Hm, Barks scored and also got an assist but apparently he was no good and has been bad for quite a while. From december he's played 90 mins only once (today, his second 90 mins in the league this season), average being less than 60 minutes a game and yet in those last 8 league games he's scored four and assisted three. That's better than NML for example in that same time. I thought he was doing ok though.

Hm, Barks scored and also got an assist but apparently he was no good and has been bad for quite a while. From december he's played 90 mins only once (today, his second 90 mins in the league this season), average being less than 60 minutes a game and yet in those last 8 league games he's scored four and assisted three. That's better than NML for example in that same time. I thought he was doing ok though.

Hm, Barks scored and also got an assist but apparently he was no good and has been bad for quite a while. From december he's played 90 mins only once (today, his second 90 mins in the league this season), average being less than 60 minutes a game and yet in those last 8 league games he's scored four and assisted three. That's better than NML for example in that same time. I thought he was doing ok though.

Hm, Barks scored and also got an assist but apparently he was no good and has been bad for quite a while. From december he's played 90 mins only once (today, his second 90 mins in the league this season), average being less than 60 minutes a game and yet in those last 8 league games he's scored four and assisted three. That's better than NML for example in that same time. I thought he was doing ok though.

Hm, Barks scored and also got an assist but apparently he was no good and has been bad for quite a while. From december he's played 90 mins only once (today, his second 90 mins in the league this season), average being less than 60 minutes a game and yet in those last 8 league games he's scored four and assisted three. That's better than NML for example in that same time. I thought he was doing ok though.

I’m 58. I love watching Derby County. I think we should try and win it. It’s disappointing to me that fans are not supporting it. It’s football. 

It looks like I struck a chord with the opening post and I'm very pleasantly surprised that it kicked of a bit of an 'Arguers Anonymous' therapy session, with several posters being honest and contrite enough to hold their hands up and admit to getting drawn into personal spats.
On the evidence of this thread, most of the members of Arguers Anonymous are not your archetypal keyboard warrior but seem like Rams-mad, articulate, intelligent people who on occasions let themselves go a bit too far. It gives me hope it can become largely self-regulating.
I don't want to leave the forum and I'm reluctant to use 'ignore' as many of the things that irk me are good points made in a poor way - but I'd like it to be a bit more footy focused and a bit more civil and I sort of get the impression that several self-confessed arguers would like the same - without losing the core element of the forum........opinions, debate, humour and camaraderie.
I don't understand computer coding so no idea if I'm asking for a 2 minute fix or 2 years of hard work but could we add something like B4's panda profile pick to the emoji list so that anyone can, very politely, give a bit of a 'could you have made your (often completely valid) point in a less provocative way' nudge?.......i.e. be a bit more B4

I'm a reasonably diplomatic, boring, steady middle aged bloke.
I'm reasonably well educated and can write reasonably well so try to choose words on this forum that express an opinion that may be different to others, without deliberately causing offence. I certainly don't have 'poor writing' or 'poor vocabulary' as anything like an excuse if I were to cause offence.........but, without being patronising, I do understand not all so-called offensive posts are intended to be offensive.
However, it's apparent that I'm not alone in finding it tiresome that almost every single thread deteriorates into a game of point scoring, oneupmanship and, increasingly, forum archeology, in order to be unpleasant to one another.
There seems to be, in equal measure, deliberate attempts to cause offence and seek offence and it's just not great reading. I'm not in the slightest bit supportive of closing down debates or censoring differences of opinion but the number of personal spats with unpleasant language is getting beyond a joke.
I can't blame the mods because, individually, most of these posts fall below the threshold of complaint but, collectively, they make this forum so much worse than it could be.
I came to this forum for camaraderie when we nearly went under as a club - and it was a source of great comfort, information and humour.
It's got to the point where I'm considering signing off and and using the Telegraph and Radio Derby as my main non-matchday links - they have limitations but they are civil.
Any ideas what we can do?

@B4’s Sister

Listen up everyone! We need the all the positivity you can muster on Saturday. We need a sea of black and white and strong voices. If it ain’t going our way, get behind the lads and build them back up! Bring all the B4 energy. Wave the scraves and flanges. Sing your hearts out and clap until your hands sting in the 38th minute.
COME ON YOU RAMS!!!!!!  WE ARE DERBY, SUPER DERBY, SUPER RAMS!!!!!
YOU ARE OUR B4 OUR ONLY B4!!!!!! 

Oh my goodness, what a response!
Hello everyone, I’m Claire, Daniel’s (B4) sister. I am overwhelmed by your kind words, support, and the memories you have shared.  Thank you so much for the kindness and love you have all shown to Daniel over the years. My parents are working their way through all of the posts and will offer their own thanks in due course.
I wish I knew about the scraves, flanges and ballions before now. I wouldn’t have let Daniel live that down at home. This made my husband and I laugh this morning.
I will be wearing Daniel’s shirt and keeping his seat warm at the Bristol match. Really looking forward to hearing a big cheer and round of applause in the 38th minute, a goal at the time would be perfect!  Do please continue to share the picture with details of the applause. Let’s raise the roof for Daniel!!!
Thank you all again ❤️
#BeMoreB4 

A stranger we had yet to meet.
Our paths had never crossed.
And yet, it seems, we knew him well,
A dear friend we have lost.
A heart of gold, a Kindly soul,
A friendly word to each.
A clumsy gaff may oft appear,
But ne’er offence be reached.
A call to arms, a plea for fight,
A positive embrace.
Defiant stance, a pumping fist,
A smile on his face.
Hatred of pink, and all things red,
More strangers for him to meet.
“A sea of black and white” he’d call,
“Let’s all stand at our seat”!
A disregard for marriage,
for relationships of two,
“Never, ever” he would wail,
“That would never do”!
Yet he loved all, and we loved him.
His quirks always forgiven,
His stubbornness frustrated,
But missed, now he’s in Heaven.
The truest Ram, amongst us all,
Now gone for evermore.
For Daniel, for DCFC
Let’s all be more B4
xxx
🐏🤍

I have some very sad news this evening.  Daniel (B4) died earlier this week. He was just 38.
As you know, he has been battling numerous health conditions for a long time, but always remained cheerful  and was the most loyal supporter of his beloved Rams, home and away.
He was at the match at Crewe and gave his full support as always. 
Daniel leaves behind a grieving dad, mum and sister. Our thoughts go out to them and we only hope they get a little comfort from knowing how well loved Daniel is by all who know him. 
Here are a couple of photos that his dad agreed could be shared. I'm sure many of you have others, as Daniel loved a selfie at the game.
David is hoping to arrange a more fitting tribute in time, but for now please raise a glass in his memory and a good Derby win today. I am sure that's what Daniel would have been doing tonight.
 

Maybe because there are eight first team players needing minutes..?

Maybe because there are eight first team players needing minutes..?

When? Sat 2nd Sept
Where? Toughsheet Community Stadium, Burnden Way, Horwich BL6 6JW (Located in the Middlebrook Retail & Leisure Park).
Last Season Bolton finished 5th in League 1 last season before losing to Barnsley in the Playoff Semi-Final.
Opening 5 Matches The Trotters started the season with three straight L1 victories, scoring three goals in each game. They have since gone two without a win as Saturday's draw at Burton followed a heavy 0-4 defeat at home to Wigan.
BWFC Dangermen On paper it would appear to be their two top scorers, former Burton man Adeboyejo (four goals) and NI international Dion Charles (three goals). They have lost two fine loanees from last season though as keeper Trafford and the Liverpool RB Conor Bradley have moved on.
History This fixture will be the 136th time these two Founder Members of the Football League have met in a competitive match. In the Cup competitions it is Bolton who have had the upper hand with five wins to the Rams' two. 
In League encounters though it is Derby who have had the better of it. Of 128 League meetings DCFC have won exactly half. The overall League record is as follows:
P 128  W 64  D 23  L 41
In recent meetings between the sides Wanderers have won just once in the past dozen matches compared to the Rams' seven wins with four draws. 
Although this is an away match for us, our home record against Bolton is fantastic, with Derby unbeaten since a 0-2 loss at the Baseball Ground way back in Sept 1981. Since then the Rams have won 10 and drawn four on Derby soil. That run includes wins in the last five at Pride Park, scoring 17 and conceding three in those five games.
Connections Players who have represented both clubs include Frannie Lee, John McGovern, Jeff Chandler, Nicky Hunt and currently at Bolton is Cameron Jerome. There is also a connection through our ex-gaffer and their former player Phil Brown whilst ex-Rams player Ian Evatt is seemingly doing a fine job at Bolton as manager.
Pair of Titbits Firstly, Bolton's 73 seasons in the top division is the most of any English club without winning the title.
And secondly, and I like this one tbh, the first ever Football League goal came in this very fixture on 8th Sept 1888 on the original opening day of the season. It was scored at 3:47pm (3:45pm kick offs all round then) by Bolton's Kenny Davenport although Derby went on to win the game 6-3.
Rams Expected Line Up I'm not aware of any injuries picked up against Peterborough so we could see another unchanged starting XI as Derby seek a third straight win. 

Date: Saturday 26th August, 3PM
Venue: Weston Homes Stadium
Form Guide: Peterborough have started the season well as they aim to put their playoff nightmare from last season behind them. Their 1-0 defeat at Northampton ended the 100% record they opened up with in their first three matches. Impressive wins at Reading (1-0) and Barnsley (3-1) came either side of a 1-0 success over Charlton in their only home match to date. Nine points out of twelve sees them handily placed in third position albeit just three points ahead of ourselves.
Danger Men: Mason-Clark, Poku and Clarke-Harris are perhaps the trio most likely to get on the scoresheet. Often the most free-scoring (and conceding) of teams at this level, it is perhaps a surprise that their four matches thus far have only yielded seven goals in total (scored five, conceded two). Their current top scorer this season is midfielder Kyprianou with two.
Rams vs Posh History: The two clubs didn't meet competitively until 1963 and it was another decade until the second clash between the sides. Both those matches were FA Cup games and were both won by Derby.
The clubs first met in a league fixture on the opening day of the 1992/93 season when heavily fancied Derby lost 1-0 at London Road. Posh completed the double over us that season with a 3-2 success at the Baseball Ground, a victory which remains their only win on Derby soil.
This is a fixture in which the home side has largely dominated. Only 14 league games have been played with near-identical records for the teams.
Rams Record vs Posh
Home:  P 7   W 5   D 1   L 1    F 13  A 7
Away:   P 7   W 1   D 1   L 5    F 8  A 13
Six wins for each team then with a couple of draws thrown in. Derby are looking to avoid a fifth straight defeat away to Peterborough, with the Rams conceding ten goals in those last four visits. 
Derby's only victory on Peterborough territory came courtesy of a 3-0 win in January 2010 with the goals being a Steve Davies penalty followed by a brace from DJ Campbell. 
Derby Team News: It would be a tough call predicting the XI Paul Warne selects as - to the best of my knowledge - there are injury doubts about Joe Ward, Kane Wilson, Max Bird and Tom Barkhuizen. There is also the possibility of transfers this week. Whatever the personnel available, most Derby fans will be expecting Liam Thompson and Jake Rooney to be given the chance to further showcase their abilities after both added plenty to the overall Derby performance against Fleetwood. The feelgood factor watching the younger Rams play well was the biggest boost I left the ground with today and hopefully next to get league minutes will be Dajaune Brown. To that end, a spot on the bench for him at Posh would be lovely please Mr Warne.
Summary: This is a tough match and if I'm still rolling for the trip to Bolton which follows then I'll be pleasantly surprised. We shouldn't fear anyone in this division but I think it's fair to acknowledge that Peterborough are a more settled team than us right now and that a draw - and especially another improved performance - would represent a decent return as well as ending that four-match run of defeats in this particular fixture.
 
 

If we lose today, I think we are looking at 6 or 7 consecutive relegations. A draw, maybe 4?

Disagree. This is of course just my opinion, but there are stats to back this up so it’s somewhat based on fact.
NML, Hourihane, Barkhuizen, Sibley, Collins, Washington, Bird, Ward have all shown themselves capable of scoring goals at this level.
Ward, Wilson, Elder, Hourihane, NML, Barkhuizen, Sibley, Bird have all shown themselves capable of assisting goals at this level.
We’re carrying a better threat from set pieces, be that corners or indirect/direct freekicks. So if a goal from open play isn’t likely due to teams sitting in we can lump corners in towards Nelson and Bradley.

The squad has options in terms of how we could play, yes Warne has shown a preference for a back 3, but we have the options (especially if we do add a couple more) to play 3-5-2, 3-4-3, 3-4-2-1, 4-3-3, 4-4-2, 4-4-1-1 etc etc. 
I know it’s all opinions but I really don’t get how some fans are so down on the season before it’s started. We’ve got a better balance, which has helped provide better depth, there’s some viable options in the u21s which should help with rest and rotation at times, the peak age of the squad as been improved. Yes a couple of very talented individuals have moved on, but we’ve got a squad of committed players all working towards a shared goal….plenty to be optimistic about for me 

Yeah, I think we have so much better balance already than last season that I have no doubt we will do well. If we get another CF and AMC as targeted and maybe a backup LWB I believe we are fine and then we can do fine tuning in January if necessary.

You genuinely think he sat there and told a bare faced lie in an interview? I just can’t see that. This is what he said;
"Paul has been given a budget, I think a good budget for League One that is good enough to get us out of the league. But it's football and nothing is guaranteed."
Where is the lie? Paul Warne has been set a budget, one that Clowes thinks is a good budget good enough for promotion (that’s his opinion), it doesn’t say “we have x amount”, it doesn’t say “we will reinvest all funds raised from player sales”, it doesn’t even specify “transfer budget”….just that a budget has been set. People need to recognise their own interpretation and expectations don’t always equate to the facts. 

It was 2-0 at half time then they put a lot of younger players on. Only what I was told by someone who went. 
 
Typical first pre season game. A win is good in any game. I must say at times I do wonder about some of our fan base. Stood behind the goal next to a bloke and must have been his mum, scooped straight off Skeggy market, absolutely slating every one, hurling abuse at Collins while we were defending a corner, and digging out Warne. Luckily baby pig went and got himself and mummy pig a chip cob and it seemed to quieten them down while they were troughing. Apart when his bottle of Carling fell over, the sheer confusion on his amply round face as he didn’t know whether to sacrifice his beer of stop eating. Luckily Dominoes must have had an offer on at 16:00 as they disappeared at half time. 
 
Decent day out though.