archram

We don't have to be geniuses to work out that the club is in dire financial straights. Yet again the club cannot afford to pay its players and Mel has to dip into his own pocket. This is a situation that has been going on for well over a year. 
We have flirted with Gabay, with Dell, with BZI, with Alonso. Refinancing, loans, stadium sold etc. 
What would be gained by Mel saying anything right now? The only thing he can say is we're in the poo. And I think we already know that. How can he give assurances about the club's future? How can he say it'll all be alright if the takeover fails because quite obviously it won't be, although what that won't be looks like we don't know.
As for Stephen Pearce, he deserves a medal for keeping the club above water over the last 2 years, not being told to resign. 

Important post, thank you Ken for bringing it to the forefront of people's minds.
Agree that it is an exceptional, tough time in the world right now and this could be an additional stressor to those. To anyone who needs support, to get things off their chest extra - there is help out there, please seek it if you need it.
Lastly, I have seen some cry/laugh emojis on some of these posts that I think are completely inappropriate - I think you should reconsider the impact of these before you post ?

I agree with what's been said, almost word-for-word, but what can the fans realistically do? 
Morris wants to leave so badly that he's willing to sell to literally anyone. We've got no one really running the club. I mean, it's the end of the season and we can't even buy tickets for next season yet? We support a football club where the football has been a secondary issue for the past 12 months. It's so difficult to enjoy at the moment. The NFL season was a happy distraction for a small period before the new year, but since that's finished and I've only had Derby to focus on I've become so bitter towards the club and the whole sport in general.
I wish I could take a break from everything Derby County until the club starts taking itself seriously again. It's not that easy. 

His family are wealthy wine producers with vineyards in the Rioja region (ie “old” money).
Also Simon Jordan cited EA as a “man of considerable means”. Whilst we might not embrace his pugnacious style, he is a relatively young man from a boxing culture. 
 
Who would like the Daily Mail poking their nose into private financial dealings and in a cynical way? Is there a public interest motive? Not really. It’s tabloid journalism really. 
 
Just re-dressing the balance ...jury still out. EA will look a proper Charlie if he can’t back up his words indeed but still too soon to call him out. 
 

I can't imagine the money brings him much comfort for his ill health but presumably as he has plenty left we shouldn't be happy that he put all that money in? 
Derby weren't exactly in a great state when he took over, and while I'm sure he could have done things differently if he had run the club as you suggest no doubt all those that claim he should 'put his hands in his pocket' and buy us players would have been even more out in force.
Did he hire the wrong managers, with hindsight yes, but at the time they all seemed like worthy appointments perhaps with the exception of Rooney although it very nearly worked to perfection with Lampard so why not think lightning might strike twice?
It's funny how time makes so many forget and look back with hindsight claiming that they knew this was coming.... 
Most fans were happy when we were throwing money around, now he should have been more prudent, you can't have it both ways 
Mel gambled, rightly or wrongly that we would get to the prem, it failed and now we are paying the price, but you know what, we've been relegated before, as have much bigger clubs than us that are now back on the prem, so while I wouldn't welcome it, and while it would obviously be financially impactful..... If it happens I will still support my club, my team.
 

It's very humbling reading everyone's stories that are obviously very painful and difficult to both live and tell. I've certainly not had these kinds of painful experiences and want to wish everyone well who is struggling now and hope in the future things do get better for those not in a great place. My own small difficulty is looking for a job post PhD (September) in post pandemic world where the things I'd like to be doing don't seem to not be available so I'm scrambling around trying to find something to do once my funding runs out. This however is very small beer compared to some of the events and difficulties that others have expressed very bravely on this thread. 

Hopefully, tomorrow Derby can put a big smile on all our faces and in August we can go watch championship football once again at Pride Park. 

I am sorry that the thread intruded upon the football section of the forum.
It was prompted by reading posts on the football section (!), where members seemed to be trying to soften the blow should relegation happen. 
And then I worried about fans who are isolated, and don't have the forum as an outlet.
And I thought that if there was some consensus from forum members - which there seemed to be - then I thought that the forum administrators might pass on the idea to the club's communication team, about finding a way to reach out to the most vulnerable fans should we be relegated.

I think that you both made good points. I didn't dare "like" either point in case it looked like I was taking sides on such a sensitive topic.
In my opinion, both posts came from a good place.
And both posts touch upon how both readers and posters may be in a place of need - whether or not it is visible to others.

Agreed.
In the example shown in this thread the guy didn't just question why radio Derby hadn't got this interview, I'm sure the reply would've been far more civil if he did, but specifically called out Dawes and his colleagues for "poor journalism". I don't care who you are, if you choose to frame a question in this aggressive manner you'll likely receive a reply in kind.

I wrote my comment because I think posters need to recognise that not everyone has the same capacity as them. 
I think that the general tone of the Forum recently is greatly influenced by a few posters who are not only aware of their effect on others but take a certain delight in doing so. If I had my way, I would have removed them long ago but we have to tolerate all opinions. I have made a lousy moderator for this reason.
Now if you disagree with my assessment,  that's fine, but I find the forum a depressing place to be in recent months not because of the football but because of certain posters piling in with rhetoric that is not considered or balanced. I know from the circle of people that I speak to face to face, that they are discouraged from posting because of this. Me too. Now some would say that's no great loss and I would agree! 
What I am saying is that if the Forum makes me feel like this, then it must make others likewise. I have spoken privately with people who think the club is going into administration because they have read it on here and that this will be the end of their club for ever. 
They read and are affected by hysteria. That's what I think it is. I don't think it's healthy and I am trying to point that out. Maybe the problem is mine.

It is interesting that this thread has crossed over into the main football forum because of where we are as a club at the moment. (There has been a similar thread in the pub for a long while.) 
What I would like to say is that while some posters may find it therapeutic  (or even amusing) to whip themselves and others up into a frenzy on here with their collective bed-wetting, that these posts are being read by those same vulnerable people. People who may not be able to interpret the facetious nature of some of those posts and are taking them literally.
It might make some think twice about the effect of their actions.
 

If you ever even come close to feeling that way again, even for a second just send me a message, I will give you my phone number and will pick up the phone anytime day or night. 
 
On the miscarriage and no one talking about It we had one when I was working at Toyota in Burnaston, I called in sick the night It happened to be met with statements like “It will go on your record” and “I spoke to HR about It and they don’t have a policy regarding miscarriage so you have to come in”....

A very considered and timely post @Ken Tram In the bubble of lockdown it's sometimes easy to lose a bit of perspective. These kinds of thread are therefore a very welcome 'balancing of the scales', from my perspective at least. 

I'm so very very sorry to hear about your baby. People do not talk about miscarriage. We had four. And yet before then, I had not known anyone who had experienced one. There are so many things that we face alone, and which are still fairly taboo.
(I always light a candle for all four of my lost children when I visit a church.)
And I have a lovely son - although I often forget how lucky I am!
The suicide of your bother-in-law is terrible. I was close to doing so last summer.* It is quite extraordinary how the mind can work. And I am sorry for him and everyone affected.
* And I've never told anyone else that - only you, and the forum!

I thought 2020 was a tough year, 2021 has been absolutely mental so far.
5 weeks ago my brother-in-law committed suicide and then last week my wife lost our baby whilst 4 months pregnant and we spent a rough couple of days in hospital having to still give birth. Tough times.
I was at least hopeful Wayne Rooneys Rams would cheer me up slightly on the Saturday, but it wasnt to be.
My escapism has always been the Rams, but at the minute it's like going on holiday to Normanton to get away from it all.
 
 

I don't mean to be pious but some football fans see Administration as the 'short term pain for long term gain' approach to seeing a their club become a better football team. Sorry, but advocating administration is morally corrupt.
Any business that goes into administration has a knock-on effect for other businesses that don't get paid what they are rightly owed; quite often leading to a few people losing their own livelihoods for no fault of their own. At the very least it deprives entities like HMRC of revenue.
To suggest that pathway is right because it will wipe out debt - and by obvious inference, allow a football club to spend on players again - is wrong on every level.

So it looks like Alonso hasn’t been completely open with his intentions and this would be a leveraged buy out as opposed to a cash deal. Doesn’t mean he can’t complete the deal but it is isn’t ideal and could expose us to further risk down the line. Gut feeling says we probably don’t want him.
Where I’m struggling to join the dots is then some people have taken this to mean Mel is going to plunge the club into administration because he won’t fund us anymore. That is some leap!! This has not been mentioned anywhere, the same people were saying oh we’re not going to pay players wages through to the end of the season!! Players had one month without pay as funds weren’t in place due to the first takeover expecting to go through - there has not been one single problem since. It’s this blind baseless negativity that does my head in.
Takeover could be off (we probably want it to be off) but I’m not going to jump to make accusations that Mel is going put us into administration as they would have no foundation. And as for the club losing money - because Mel is trying to sell the club, because we have Wayne Rooney we are attracting the negative publicity - many more clubs in this division are losing money hand over fist during the pandemic.
We desperately need enough vaccinated to remove all social distancing restrictions to ensure the stadium is open for business again as one of our main sources of revenues both ticket sales and corporate hospitality.

 

Once again a Black player is subjected to racial abuse for simply doing his job.
Why should he be abused for scoring against Derby? It's what he is paid for
Hopefully his abuser will be found, charged, and if he/she is a Derby supporter banned from our games for life.
If he subscribes to this forum banned from it also.
?

Not exactly Henry V at Agincourt

Are you the 4th man? ?
 

For those not clicking the link, the headline is about Morgan Whittaker receiving online racial abuse following the game on Saturday. What is wrong with people? In the unlikely event the lad reads this forum, I hope he knows there are thousands of Rams fans wishing him well having come through the ranks at Derby, and only a handful of morons who are sad keyboard warriors and think it's somehow OK to send racial hate off into the ether. 

We clearly don’t know exactly what’s gone on/going off at old Trafford today. Fair play to the protestation, I for one thank them fir their efforts. The greed of the “Big 6” has been taken by the scruff of the neck and rightly so. 

However the actions of the few idiots have completely undermined the stance and the raw feelings of the many. 
I get the impression there is another issue inside the ground, how can the security staff be certain that all invaders have actually left the premises, safety of players and staff is paramount!
IMHO the demonstration has been completely derailed by the morons seeking to cause havoc ???

Just a reminder that the following are prohibited on here: 
Personal insults/profanity towards other members, players, staff, media or anyone connected to Derby County Football Club.
 

Says a lot about the last few years at Derby that I have no idea if you are joking or not!!!!

Not the case bud. The deadline for any points deduction this season has long since elapsed, so were a points deduction even a possible outcome, it'd have to be next season and not this one.
Furthermore, the crux of the EFL case seems to be that we failed inform them of our amortisation processes, not that there was an issue with them (our methodology has already been confirmed to be both fair and legal) and in so much, a points deduction wouldn't really be an option for either season anyway.
I really think this has been done to absolute death over recent weeks, so maybe we should just move on now? We've currently got bigger fish to fry.