archram

Carlisle have been relegated for about 3 weeks. They are bottom of the overall table, bottom of the home table, bottom of the away table. Their form over the last 6 games has them 22nd, so maybe a *slight* improvement.
They’ve conceded 5 more than any other side, although 4 sides have scored fewer than them so perhaps they can be considered sharp shooters.
Peterborough being level with Bolton on the final day would be preferred, although unless they win in midweek by 5 or 6 they’re not really going to have any chance so the impetus is on Bolton.
Away from home against the rest of the top 8 (teams that can still get promoted this season), they’ve scored 4.  They’ve only won one of those games, which against Lincoln before they signed Joe Taylor and hit form. Funnily enough, Carlisle have actually scored more away to promotion hopefuls than Bolton have.
A lot of things that haven’t happened all season are going to have to coincide for us to finish outside the top 2, and if that does happen it’ll be nothing short of the biggest capitulation we’ve ever been involved in.
Over the last 10 games, we’ve won 7 so have proven that we can get things done when we need to and I don’t see it being any different on Saturday, I just have more confidence in this Derby team to have the right mental strength than I have before.

This. I truly thought we were going in admin. Everyone always says it'll take a big club to go before anything changes and I thought we were it. Added to that the terrible stuff we were going through with my dad's dementia (his first awful episode was the night we went into admin) and it was really rock bottom.  Have felt quite emotional many times at PP since Christmas because of what going up represents and it hit me again yesterday at the game esp as Camb away was first match dad took me to. I cannot imagine what it feels like for David Clowes and his family.
 
I dont care if other teams mock us if we do go up and celebrate it as if we've won the champions league as its not just the promotion and until it happens to their team in the same way they will never understand.
COYR 🐏🐏

That’s the position I am in. I was ‘around’ for the promotion in 96 but too young to remember or appreciate it. And although I’ve technically been to the BBG, too young to appreciate it again.
For those who witnessed previous successes, I have nothing but jealousy. But for people like me, my entire experience of Derby County has been misery, disappointment and heartbreak. Where I grew up, it was all Premier League clubs, nobody even supported the ‘nearest’ professional team because Plymouth was still too far away. I’d go into school on sports days in my Derby County shirt, and get laughed at by those wearing United, Liverpool or Arsenal shirts.
To experience success, an outpouring of joy and probably relief,  at Pride Park, is going to be special.
I’m sure lots of people here have other interests outside of football and Derby County, I don’t really. I’m not really into other sports, for me football & this club is everything. Since Covid really, it’s been hard. From not being able to go to watch, to then being plunged into administration & feeling like we were kind of Death Row waiting for the inevitable was very, very hard.
We’re going to do the job on Saturday and I can’t even begin to imagine how good that’s going to feel. 

I'd think us oldies ought to appreciate it even more, we don't know how many more chances to celebrate life we've got! 
And not all the naysayers are old - that there @Millenniumram is a kid, but he's a right miserable bugger! 😉
Anyway, just wanted to say I'm loving it and know plenty more who know how to live in the moment and enjoy it.
COYR! 

Perfect and much needed post on this forum.
Whilst this isn’t up there with becoming Champions of England, for many at your age this will be as you say, the first taste of success as a Derby County supporter.
Our opportunities for success are limited due to the state of the game. This could be the only cause for celebration for the next decade, plus.
Think some of the older fans need to appreciate that and not spoil this moment with the constant doom.
I have 2 promotions under my belt, Jim Smith and Billy Davies, even your post even makes me feel like a veteran, yet I’ll still enjoy this one.
Just booked a table down the local in front of the screen, going down with a bunch of mates who I will fit out with Derby shirts from my collection for the day.
To quote Paul Warne, up them beautiful Rams! 🐏

Enjoy it my friend and for those who try to spoil it for you with the , it’s league 1 , it’s a worse league one than last year , our football is poo , our manager is poo , we will get battered next season ect ect ect ,,, tell them to do one ,,,,,,,
I’ve seen us be champions of England twice and every ap and down since ,,, this season is right up there for success and enjoyment , barring a crazy scenario we should be up automatically, two seasons from our darkest moments , that’s quality and to be savoured and remembered , a certain friend of ours couldn’t be with us in person for the end to this season and it’s worth those who can’t enjoy and praise what’s happening at derby taking stock of that ,
football is all about stories and mixed in with real life , these last few years are turning into a great story with everything in it ,
enjoy , but you don’t need me to tell you that , you were outside the ground without a ticket , been there , done that , respect 🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏🐏

As I woke up tired and hungover this morning, I had a thought. While it's always great hearing stories about the glory days of the 70s, the iconic 80s and the fun 90s, there's a whole generation of Derby fans who have only ever known disappointment. I myself had my first season ticket in the 2006/07 Billy Davies season, but I was too young to properly appreciate it.
Since then, it's been a mix of hope, heartbreak and 'nearly' moments. Our generation of supporters have witnessed other clubs' fans celebrating siuccess (sometimes at our expense), but we find it difficult to fathom what it would actually feel like for Derby to ever get over the line.
Yesterday, as I walked back back to the bus with my arm round my mate's shoulder, belting Derby songs at the top of our voices, I had the first taste of what it might feel like to experience success as a Derby fan. This morning, I started making preparations for post-game jaegerbombs and cigars next weekend. And thinking about how I'll be raising a glass to the lad that we all miss. 
We're not over the line yet. But I'm well into dreaming territory. And for us fans who aren't old enough to know glory, it's going to be oh so sweet.
Up the Rams.

B4 would be more adventurous than that. He’d want that Icelandic dust cloud to halt all air traffic in Europe again.

I’d love to go on the pitch to have a moment to celebrate. I think the draw to do so is to be part of the ‘we’ that is always referred to. No seats and stairs in the way of celebrating with everyone around and being able to stand on the turf where promotion was won. I sit up right at the top of the upper stand so there’s probably zero chance I would be even get near the pitch anyway 😂 But I can guarantee B4 will be there on the pitch 😉 

I can’t see any food pairing guidance on the website but I imagine this is would be the guidance for cider:
White lightening - serve warm with a couple of roll ups, alfresco park bench dining optional
Dark fruits - serve cool but slightly watered down in crowded establishments with soggy chips and a luke warm burger with one piece of lettuce 
Asquith - served in a glass filled with unnecessary ice. Accompanied by a scotch egg with a perfectly cooked yolk, or a warm sausage roll. 

Warne may not be a tactical genius, or have the wherewithal to train a team to play the technical possession game which is most desired these days. However, I do think he's a great coach when it comes to man management and creating a positive club culture and that cannot be disregarded. Obviously you want a coach who does both, but Klopp ain't gonna drop down to Derby's level, lads. Maybe I'll change my opinion in 6 months time, but (for now) I'm happy to have a man at the helm who is trying to create a happy working atmosphere around a club which nearly dissolved 18 months ago and wants to bring in players who have a good attitude. 

David Clowes rescued our club and appointed a manager who he believed would get us promoted back to the Championship.
It looks like that bit has been done barring a ridiculous turn of events.
 
What happens next? Lets leave it to David Clowes to continue to make good decisions, He's doing ok so far.
 
 

Of course the squad needs an overhaul, my concern is where the money is coming from.  DC is running a tight ship - and I approve of that, given the past few years, but if you recall the lean GSE years even they were pumping money into the club and getting nowhere.
You could argue that (assuming we finish the job next weekend) we've gone up too quickly - the squad needs a fair amount of surgery next season to compete and we're still a fair way from any youngsters coming through.  I don't envisage many signings as such, more freebies and loans again.
We we're warned at the fans forum a while back that if we do up we're looking at a couple of seasons of stability before we hopefully push on - to me that means avoid relegation/push for mid-table. Given that we've been in and around the top 6/top 2 for months and some people have still wanted to get rid of PW, unless we've got some 'god tier' scouting lined up next season is gonna be a tough and PW will come under pressure again from the usual suspects.  
Personally, unless we get some outside investment I'm okay with slow and financially prudent progression.

Funny you should mention Bielsa when Warne is criticised for running the players into the ground.
Anyway, you're comparing managers that have much longer CV's and been at clubs where the base level of player has been better than what Warne has had at Rotherham to work with.
By going up, we are entering new territory with Warne having a club of this size to manage, we are not Rotherham.
I just can't understand the eagerness to write him off as being this incapable fool, surely the bloke deserves a little respect and a chance to manage this club in the Championship and prove his inabilities?
You went from this team wouldn't stay up, well duh, shifting it to his inability to get the best out of players whilst we're 1 point away from achieving promotion.
Feels like you've just set out to moan and piss on peoples chips on a day where we have moved to within a point away from promotion, no matter how much you may dislike or not rate his abilities, the timing is just bizarre, why can't we just sit and enjoy the moment instead of playing Nostradamus.
Whilst it might not be promotion to the Premier League, it's still a promotion and a significant one at that, if you can't just sit back, crack open a beer and enjoy it, I don't know why you bother with the game. It's not often we will have moments like this where the club has achieved something.
FA Cup, League Cup? Not a chance, the only other things we have left are promotion to the Premier League and Premier League survival, now in a week where the FA and PL have colluded to F the football pyramid over, to think the only time we can celebrate will be when we join that lot is s sad state of affairs.
And that's coming from someone that's desperate to see us back in the Premier League as well. 

Not sure why this ever needs to be said. 
How many football clubs have been promoted and not made a single signing? 
We have players out of contract, Bird and other on loan players that will return to their clubs, what this exact team could do in the Championship is not worth even thinking about as it isn't going to happen.

Daniel will see us through. 
Guiding us supporters like Steve Bloomer guides our players.
 
 

They will probably dock points from us for putting them in that situation 😛 

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 👏

Well done Rams, looks like the top-of-the L1 table will be an inverted version of the D2 one from 86/87.  I'm sure most of us on either side would have gladly taken that at the start of the season.  Enjoy your evenings!

Collo is clearly not fully fit from his "season ending" injury, but what a performance he put in today defensively.
I can't imagine many of us had Sibs converting to a left wing back on our bingo cards for the season, but he's been immense to end the year.
Back three solid as ever, Bird showed a couple of glimpses of his usual class and Thommo ran himself into the ground once more.
Boxes ticked, now can this week hurry up already?!

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

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!

You will be if you get defibrillated mate.

Ugly, untidy, but better than nothing.
Coincidentally, my wife’s description of me.
 

F*** me, it feels like I've aged 20 years during that second half!
Huge result. Not necessarily for the opposition or the performance, but the situation being what it is it's all about the results now and a win, and a clean sheet, in this game, is huge. Well done lads! 😎