Ilkestonian

Thank you for the gracious comments.  I'm a bit *ahem* tired and emotional - it's been a relatively long wait for us to get back in to the second tier.  I'm rooting for you to get over the line and other results this evening appear to have been in your favour.  Good luck and raising a glass to B4.

First promotion for 17 years. First automatic promotion for nearly 30 years. Let’s counter your argument and say you think that finishing 3rd, playing good football but failing where it really matters is an achievement?
The arrogant attitude that anything less than running away with the title with triple figure points is a failure is why big clubs like Sunderland, Ipswich, Notts Forest etc got stuck down here for longer.
Less than two years ago we had about 6 players, no academy, no manager and had to play pre-season in temporary shirts because we didn’t even have kits. We were also put under restrictions, which still haven’t run out yet. So yes, I think getting automatic promotion in this timeframe is an achievement. A very good one, actually.

Its utterly ridiculous. 
We've been crying out for stability for years, the moment we start actually doing well and potentially finishing in the automatic promotion positions for the first time in god knows how long, some fans are wanting PW sacked and are happy to take a punt on whoever - could be better, could be worse - may come in next.
If it was them lot up the road, I'd be falling over laughing.

In place of who though? To finish in the top 2 we’d have needed 22 more points at least, that’s a big, big swing for another manager to achieve. And it was with a squad assembled by somebody else. You’ve said before “I hate this team”, so clearly the players didn’t have what it took any way?
I’m not Warne’s number 1 fan, I’m not sold that he is the right long term option for us and I’d have been very happy to see him sacked after Stevenage away. But he’s gone on to make us dogged, resilient and efficient.
I can accept people may dislike his playing style or his personality, whatever, but I can’t see how anybody could argue that he’s not done an excellent job - providing we finish the job - given the circumstances.
He’s taken a side who was pieced together under restrictions by a different manager, straight out of administration, and built an ethos and an atmosphere that a lot have clearly bought into. I really don’t think it matters how big a side we are or how many fans we have, to be in this position 20 months after nearly ceasing to exist is a wonderful achievement.
Whether he finishes next season as our manager or not will remain to be seen, but he absolutely deserves the opportunity to take us into the Championship.

We also won a Division 1 title with one of the lowest ever points total (2 points for win), and did you moan that season that the league was dreadful?

if the records were set in the champ,i'd be with you all the way,but they havent,they have been set in a dreadful quality league

Perhaps he means club record points and record equaling away wins? We certainly don't want any more of that 🐏

But you think the gamble of paying off Warne and his backroom staff (with w years left on their contract) rather than using them funds to let Warne strengthen our squad is a good idea?
By Warne Ball do you mean lots of goals scored and not many conceded?

I think they like the novelty - and the fact it churns things up to have discussions about.  We could have Klopp, lose a game, and the same remarks would be made.  Or:
 
"he's only here for the money"
"he might understand Premier League tactics but he doesn't get the Championship"
"his standards are too high - and they don't want to play for him"
"he is a high budget manager that got 'lucky' with the players".  Without Salah he is a busted flush"
"I don't like his sense of humour".
"he is signing players the top top clubs don't want.  He should go after world class players, pay them peanuts and offer no transfer fee because we are Derby - don't they realise how lucky they are?"
 

Incredible really, here we are on the cusp of bagging promotion with club record points and still there are "Fans" who are more interested in agitating for a change in manager. I think Lionel had the right idea some years ago telling such people what they could do. Take a trip down the A52 if I recall. Top chap Lionel and we all owe a debt to him. I remember when he appointed Jim Smith and many also moaned.
Fingers crossed for crossing the line and I'm hoping Warne will do a good job developing the squad and establishing us as a middle third upwardly looking championship team next season, which is what he has been given the target to do by the board.
I'm very thankful we have an astute owner, who is putting the club on a stable footing, and not sacking managers all the time.

How on earth do you score more than you should have?

The opposite has been the case and by a long way, Wycombe was the 8th game we've scored less than we should have and we've scored more in 19(!)
Creativity is the area we've lacked compared to others -maybe down to conservative tactics not quality- rather than taking the chances.

I’m sick of this debate so once again, I’ll bow out, safe in the knowledge that I’m personally enjoying the team being second in the league, potentially two games away from promotion, record points total for a season, equalled our record away wins and could still beat it, best goal difference in the league as it stands, equal highest number of wins in the league as it stands, loads of set piece goals….theres plenty I’m enjoying and will continue to do so.
You do you friend. 

Ok, will do  

Yeah, three of us will be there tickets or not, on the waiting list at Derby and for hospitality at Cambridge - sadly not expecting to hear from either so think we'll be in a pub watching it on an iPad as no luck getting tickets in with the Cambridge fans either 🙁

There’s nothing to be fearful about in the Championship and I can’t believe this narrative is already being pushed.
The jump in quality really isn’t that significant, outside of the usual teams we see every year that are leaning on parachute payments to keep their squads together. Even then these teams are nothing close to infallible, especially in one off games.
A third of promoted teams from League 1 in the past five years have not only gone up and consolidated their position but they have competed at the right end of the Championship table, in some cases getting promoted or mightily close.
The teams that usually go up and find their way back to League 1 are the ones without the resources or infrastructure to hold their own.
We are only going to end up like Rotherham, Wycombe, Barnsley, Blackpool, Peterborough and others if we show a serious lack of ambition financially or there is a lack of synergy and effective strategy behind the scenes.
If Clowes, Pearce, Thomas, Hale and Warne are all working well and pulling in the same direction, why is it beyond us to build a competitive squad for the Championship, one that could finish 15-18th in year one, for instance?
No-one stands still and neither will we. Everyone resets. Teams get better. Teams get worse. Managers change. Managers improve. Managers decline.
There are so many variables at play, why would we be fearful now when we can work towards a stronger position over the summer? Such needless negativity when nothing is set in stone.
 

Unfortunately some people are too entrenched in their own opinions to worry about the bigger picture. 
Think they would have preferred Bradley scoring an own goal today rather than the 2 goals he scored.

Pompey fan here, back for a brief visit.. Well done today, a convincing win for you. 
Hopefully our draw at Bolton did you a massive favour. 
Good luck lads, see you all at fratton next season 

Well done on your win and putting things back in your own hands.  I thought we were fortunate at times today, for some reason our early goal seemed to send us in to our shell; Bolton have some decent footballers, who exploited that for the rest of the first half and we were lucky not to go in behind.  Second half a bit more even.
All the best for the run in - as I've said elsewhere I'm hoping we'll both end up in the automatic slots now; but I do think you're probably at the stage where you can't afford any slip ups in the last couple of games.
I've just poured a large glass of red. Enjoy your evenings, Rams.

I’m looking forward to all the  tactical geniuses who called this a sackable formation and no chance of any goals, coming on here and admitting that they got it wrong. 

What precisely, dear fellow, is it that you are dothing to your cap?
I sir, am intrigued.  🤓
 
 
 

Another tactical masterclass from warne today with the prefect set up to tear orient a new one.
You don't get manager of the month twice in a season without having some knowhow.
Nice one gaffer.
.

Think Portsmouth and Derby going up is the best result judging the season as a whole. Both too big for this league anymore. Hopefully the draw we gave Bolton today (tbh they could be right to feel bad not to take all three points) will be enough to get you guys over the line. 
 
Good result for you guys. Hopefully see you in the championship next season. 

Forest v Wolverhampton Wanderers attendance 29.604
Derby v Leyton Orient attendance 30,247
……………………….. no further comment required