archram

I think that, provided we're promoted, we should turn the Carlisle game into a Truth & Reconciliation event where, after the game, any fan who booed the team, sang "Paul Warne, your football is s*it", phoned into RD for a good old moan or screamed into Conor Hourihane's face at Stevenage should have the opportunity to do a lap of dishonour on their knees while receiving the forgiveness of the players, management and their fellow supporters.
What do you guys think? 😉

Dear Derby County.
Could you please advise whether there is a planned lap of honour by the club's players, management, and staff following the final whistle of the game v Carlisle.
It's just that, if this isn't planned, I can shoot off straight away, and be home for tea, before you can say "Meh, well that was a pleasant enough afternoon, I guess".
However, should this be planned... and executed unhindered... I would be more than happy to stay behind, with I guess 99% of the fans, and applaud all those involved in giving us a wonderful season to remember, showering them all with gratitude and congratulations in equal measure, before partying later in the evening.
If you could get back to me it would be most appreciated, as I'll need to know what time Muckerette needs to put the half-baked baguettes in the oven.
Yours sincerely,
Nobody important.
 

So you’re not bothered about the majority of fans who choose not to (or aren’t able to) go on the pitch being able to show their appreciation one last time from the stands? You’re not bothered about the players showing their appreciation to the fans by parading around the pitch with their families? 
 
I don’t have a problem seeing other Derby fans celebrating but I’d quite like the opportunity to applaud the players, and receive their applause in return (yes, I’m convinced they’re aimed specifically at me 😀) one last time before I put my scarf away for the summer. Nothing sad about that. I fact I think it’s a bit sad that some folk don’t care about the majority of their fellow fans or what the players might want. 
 

And all the kids waiting in the stands to see their team to walk round the pitch, do they not count?

You give your game away, its just self-indulgent nonsense. As a supporter since since 1960 and having seen the best and worst of times  I have never felt the need or desire to go on the pitch. As has been said, allowing the players a lap of honour allows all fans to show their appreciation

Get the sense people just like to judge other fans, anyone who’s watched any football in the last ten years will know there will be a pitch invasion if we are promoted.
 
didn’t even occur to me that was a potential negative until I came on here!
I don’t really care what happens to be honest as long as we’re promoted!

Although I imagine that the club wouldn't admit this publicly, I strongly suspect that when citing Health and Safety, it's not "we" they are thinking about.  The safety of two lots of players, two lots of club officials, and a gang of match officials, on the other hand...
 
Not everyone on the pitch will behave like "an adult"!  Sadly!

B4 would have told you not to go, let her get on with it and join up with her sometime the week after. 

I know @angieram - I had that B4 conversation in my head as we were booking …”can’t you tell wife passport is forgotten on day you fly…” 🐼 

Cheering on the Rams from pitchside. 
I can't believe you let a birthday get in the way of our most exciting close to a season in years. B4 would be ashamed of you! 😂
Happy birthday for tomorrow. 🎉

Post of the week...
Have a massive Thumbs up...
 

 
 
 
 
 

This is another example of why my love for the game becomes a little more tarnished.
I’m proud of the fact that I have become an old-fashioned bitter football fan and I have no idea of what is happening in the first division, nor do I have any idea on who is still in Europe.  I don’t even know what the format of the European competitions are nowadays, and I really don’t care.  It’s all predicated on greed for the biggest clubs and every rule appears to be geared towards maintaining an “elite”.
I looked at the England squad not so long ago, and it had a number of players who I had never heard of.
I love Derby County and not much more, to be honest.
I love the fact that in the lower divisions, there are probably 16 or so teams at the start of the season who think that, if things go well, this could be their year.  However, that gap is becoming wider and wider each year due to the top echelons being governed by greed.
The fact that so many teams are going so close to the wire and getting points deductions is down to fear of slipping off the gravy train therefore eye watering amounts of money creates eye watering amounts of greed.
For me, a top level footballer should earn a maximum of what a CEO or a doctor would earn.  Why should they be earning that sort of money a week?  And why shouldn’t they get another job after they have retired?
Anyway, the FA Cup used to be a flagship event that everyone used to watch.  Everyone who is around my age will have seen Coventry Vs Tottenham and can probably list a good number of players from each side that day - they were very special occasions.  Now, the competition is dying a death of a thousand cuts, where it’s now just an irritant to the big teams, who will inevitably win it.  I don’t even know who is the current holder, but I think it is monopolised by of a tiny handful of teams.
Anyway, apologies for my rant.

"Player welfare" - drives me nuts. Notwithstanding the fact that we are talking about playing football here, the Premier League teams all have massive squads and already rotate like mad. Nevertheless, this comes down to the managers and coaches not managing their squads appropriately.  If you have to play 65 games a year, then you train and play like a team that plays 65 times a year. They should be able to manage that with their huge team of coaches, fitness gurus, health and nutritionists and all the technology at their disposal. Here is an idea too - play a style that doesn't need them to run 30 miles in a match. Adapt. Overcome. It really does p*** me off.
Why also not just be truthful? Its about a few big clubs making more money. If its all about 'player welfare' then ban all foreign trips and extra friendlies. But of course, that wouldn't benefit the Big 6.  Sickening.  Hope they have to do an embarrassing climb down.

I have the radio on, so I can shout at it. Then if we are losing badly the black dog descends and the radio is turned off. Then all the mental gymnastics kick in. If I leave it switched off the boys will surprise me, or alternatively I have to keep listening cos they need me, or If I keep listening I’ll jinx them. So I go and cut grass .. but then slip back to BBc sport on an iPad just to check of its “safe to come out” Away games for half fans is torture ! 

By the time I have negotiated three flights of stairs, countless doors and stewards to get on the pitch to celebrate it will be August! Sod it! I may try .....or I may not!

Why do they feel the need to shout at us? 
Of note - all parties "accepted" - doesn't mean they agreed! 
Also , where is the player welfare in flying out to Australia at the end of a busy season to play football while jetlagged? f****** nonsense! 

It’s what referees do all the time.🙄

Potentially, but those 'better' signings all come with drawbacks (usually age). Ultimately, all free agents are in that position for a reason. It's easy to look at past credentials and say ''these players are better because of their CVs so we should walk the league'' but the reality is that, to be really harsh, these are other clubs' castoffs... 
Given Warne has repeatedly emphasised the importance of athleticism and pace within his system, the pool of players we could sign does not really fit the 23-28 year old demographic that we ideally want, as players in this age range are usually under contract.
I just think these constraints hardly get mentioned, but getting promoted without being able to buy a single player justifies turning to efficient football. It just seems fairly entitled to sit here in 2nd place, with a fantastic chance to go up, and be moaning about style of play; especially when there are mitigating factors as to why we may have had to turn to pragmatism. ''Trying to play better football'' with the players we have at our disposal may have cost us a chance at promotion, would that have been worth it?

You can if you’re name’s River😉

I can't help with tickets, but I hope that: a) your Dad's progress continues; b) you manage to get him a ticket for the final day; but most importantly that he continues to progress his recovery.  You don't need to tell him a Pompey fan sends him best wishes, but I'm pretty sure if others from the 92 saw this note they'd all be saying the same thing.  Love to you and yours.

Good luck with offering ten bob!

I think you’re confused. That’s just the waiting list for Cambridge tickets. 😀

I'd say, from my POV, that the football has been dour, rather than dire, at times, but the difference in perception is probably just one of expectations. In all truth, I've been more frustrated with the team at times than the management, particularly when individuals have done something dumb, or when they haven't built on a 1 goal lead and allowed the opposition to score a soft equaliser. I've usually found Warne's post-match interviews refreshing and well balanced compared to most other managers.
But the team have usually restored my faith in them by bouncing back from poor results and poor performances. Their resilience has been truly impressive and even after the low points of Stevenage away and the only two consecutive defeats of the season against Reading and Charlton, they've dug in and produced a result that I feared would not be possible. It certainly hasn't been a comfortable, reassuring season, but it's generally been a positive one and, provided it ends in promotion, one that I'll treasure.
 

Football has been dire at times, but its a results business and fair play to Paul, he has got the results...I just hope we can finish the job now.
I thought we would finish 7th, I was wrong, I thought Paul would be sacked before the end of the season, I was wrong.  Its lovely being wrong at times!
Regardless of my personal feelings on the manager situation, what is deserving of so much credit is that we are in this position despite the huge amount of injuries we have sustained this season, to key players as well.
Paul has earnt his chance and I really hope we get to see him smiling talking to Owen after achieving what I never thought he was capable of doing.
Over to ariotofmyown to tell me why I am such an @rsehole 😆