Addingham Ram

1 minute ago, Rammy03 said:

No doubt but the scenario you were originally talking about doesn't exist. The earliest we can be relegated is Monday.

Great. Let's enjoy the weekend then.

Remember the good old days where season ticket holders got Cup vouchers?

It might not be a bad idea to offer all season ticket holders next year the chance to see one of, or all of, the first home matches in any cup competition(s) for free?

It is also worth noting that we won't have much baggage going down into League One.

I imagine fans of most relegated clubs debate how to offload unwanted overpaid players. Do we actually have any of them?

We are more likely to offer a good chance of first team football as well, as we are so short on players.

I would however try and build as much around what we already have, at least for the first year, especially if we do have another points penalty.

I don't expect us to bounce back in the first year, but expect us to have developed a style of play that, with the right additions the following year, would see us go up and be able to hold our own in the Championship.

45 minutes ago, eccles the ram said:

Reading are away at Sheff. Utd earlier in the day so we should know what we need to do against Fulham. Reading and Barnsley lose then it could get interesting. Keep Mitrovic quiet then we have a chance, albeit slim. I will be there with my son friday evening. PP under the lights, Fulham going for promotion, a good attendance - come on lads, forget about watching on tv come on down, we've only 3 home games left now. And it is Good Friday. I wonder if it will live up to its name??

Unfortunately, depending on results earlier in the day, Fulham will also know if they are in a position to clinch promotion with a win. Do we hope for Forest to win, such that Fulham can't clinch promotion against us, or that Forest lose in which case Fulham might be able to clinch promotion. A horrible dilemma.

56 minutes ago, Mckram said:

Mike Ashley usually runs a break even model. So the level of his wealth above that is irrelevant. 

Don't you think that's how we should be run moving forward?

The days of relying on an owner's personal wealth should be put firmly behind us.

Let's grow sustainably.

With our fan base, and potential sponsorship, we should have funds to put together a reasonable squad, without CK getting his wallet out. If not, and we do rely on CK's wealth, we'd simply be going down the same old route again. Is that really what we want?

1 hour ago, RamBeauIV said:

Assuming Q put CK forward as PB to the EFL for tomorrow's board meeting, and Q's plans are approved (bearing in mind the goalposts for the EFL's Fit & Proper Persons test are pretty wide (corner flag to corner flag) having been ratified by the likes of Ridsdale), what do people think about the other leaked elements of CK's bid/demands?

(1) Take -15 now; start with clean slate next season (which breaks EFL rules on at least 3 fronts, i.e. deductions need to be before 4th Thursday in March; additional deductions applied following season if team would be relegated regardless; -15 is only applied at the end of the administration process, i.e. summer). Will CK back down on this demand or walk away again??

(2) Creditors won't be getting their 25% (hence the acceptance of the -15).  Not sure if HMRC is included in this, but if they don't get what they want, then the deal collapses.

(3) The stadium. If CK came back in following the Council's murmurings on buying and then renting out PP, then everyone knows that the Council do not move at speed, especially when it comes to public money. This could take a long time, and another excuse to walk?

Surely if Preston were well down the track with CK taking over, their chairman, a certain Mr Ridsdale, would have expected him to pass the Fit and Proper Person test?

So why should Mr Ridsdale's view be any different now CK is looking like taking over Derby, not Preston?

Or have I answered my own question ?!

2 hours ago, Chester40 said:

I think it's an idea that on paper kinda makes sense. 

But in reality, maybe the last 20-30mins it could work....not all game.

We are away from home,  probably under pressure and needing to get a foothold in the game. Davies has no pace, not much idea about the role, won't stretch the game etc..so the ball will just keep coming back.

When players are more tired, the game has settled down and we know we haven't got long.. then rolling the dice and just launching it into the box may be an option. The opposition know there isn't long left so will try and hang on and start getting sucked back defensively and pressure will build. You can't replicate that drama, atmosphere and one dimensional football all game imo.

Read the stats from the last 3 away games. We've actually dominated possession. We've just not got any end product.

And we never stretch the game these days. We're getting very ponderous.

If, as you suggest we throw Curtis up towards the end, when players are tired, don't you think Curtis would be one of the tiredest on the pitch? Seems daft when you think about it?

And finally, why wait until 60 minutes to try something. Nearly every team we play are able to change the game with substitutions. We have such a paper thin squad, we aren't able to make such changes. In our situation, we should be thinking a bit outside the box.

So why not throw Curtis up front for the first 20 - 30 minutes rather than the last, and try and take charge of an away game for a change.

15 minutes ago, 24Charlie said:

There is only one thing holding up the sale. Folk are getting all twisted up trying to understand conflicting stories from different sources.

It's survival or relegation. That's what the buyers are waiting for. They won't tell us because it doesn't look good for a saviour waiting to be lauded by Derby County supporters to really have been holding on to get us on the cheap resulting in the cause of some serious mental anguish amongst the faithful.

I fear you are right.

Who'd put a bid in now based on being in the Championship next year?

I'm with you on this Jimbo.

We just don't seem to be much of a threat away from home.

Take the last 3 away games. According to the BBC Sport stats, we had the majority of the possession in all 3 games, yet came away with nothing.

So we aren't a team that relies on counter attacking football, even though we sometimes consider ourselves to be. We still try to build slowly from the back. So we don't necessarily need pace up front. What we need is a target man.

Someone suggested the young lad who was on the bench recently. This is not the time for yet another debut. We need somebody who will make a nuisance of himself, and who won't be intimidated by the opposition's centre half's.

I think throwing Curtis up front from the off as a wild card at Swansea could be a masterstroke. It would confuse the hell out of them.

We're also not brilliant at closing down from the front, so I'd tell Curtis not to run around too much, just occupy their central defenders, and stay as high up the pitch as he can.

I'd also put Fozzy in as well, still the best crosser of the ball that we have. Get Fozzy and Byrne to put crosses in from deep, don't try too hard to get to the byline. Give Curtis more of a chance to win any ariel battles. Get Lawrence and Kight / Ebiowei running off Curtis, and I dare say there would be some good scraps to feed off!

We only have 3 home games left. That's potentially 9 points. I can't see that being enough. We need something from Swansea, and possibly QPR and Blackpool as well.

I say go for it!

Crikey.

Strongest bench I can remember for a long time, BUT, that's a very young team.

7 academy graduates if I am not mistaken.

If the youngsters are indeed the future of the club, then today could be a further glimpse of what the future holds.

COYR ?

It's fingers crossed time now that we're on the home stretch.

So if Fulham win their next 3 matches, they will probably have mathematically clinched promotion by the time we play them at home.

That would certainly put a slightly different perspective on what on paper looks a pretty tough game.

12 hours ago, OohMartWright said:

Bielik played the full ninety minutes as Poland beat Sweden 2-0 to book their place in Qatar. Should boost his confidence.

So on the one hand, he's starting to get back to the pkayer he was, and should he still be with us next season that can only be good news, but on the other hand, if we drop to League One and he is still with us, we lose him for the duration of the world Cup, whilst our matches would probably still be played.

If Wales qualify, and if Lawrence is still with us next year (big IFs I know), same scenario.

It's almost like the football gods conspire against us ?.

2 hours ago, SirBrian said:

Jags who's loss for the club proved immense have we kept a clean sheet without him, wonder what the points stats with him in the team and since he has gone.

Curtis without doubt so far into the season

Exactly what I thought.

If we'd been able to retain Jags, I honestly think we would be out if, or very close to being out of the bottom three.

Before he left, player of the season would have been a tough choice between the two, since Jags left, only one winner for me.

Step up Curtis Davies. A club legend in these hard times.

If we do get new owners in, and we are in Division One next season, should the new owners drop matchday ticket prices?

Everyone is going to be feeling the pinch next year, and in the future Derby should be run on a more sensible financial footing, minimal transfer fees and sensible wages.

So if all matchday tickets were set at say £20, how would that make people feel. Would it encourage more fans to go?

Plus as somebody else said, if we are in Division One next year, how many times would we actually be on Sky?

16 hours ago, RedSox said:

This is where my head is at now (not heart). I’ve been there in the dark times of the old third division and sadly, that is effectively where I think we are heading now. Third tier. Been going since 1966, but I don’t remember feeling this disconsolate about a team’s demise. Partly due to the tricks that time plays with your mind - and partly due to the sense of camaraderie there seems to be between players/coaches and the fans. They did their best and I for one feel proud to have witnessed this, but it was always going to be a miracle fir us to pull off - and that was before the EFL stepped in to keep us behind the 8 ball. Empty now and just so sad for everyone connected with the club. Thanks for everything, Mel.  I was well and truly kippered…..

I can understand that, having started support the Rams during the late 60s and early 70s, the third division days in the 80s would have seemed very dark, but to many of those who only started following the Rams after the late 70s, like me, the third division days weren't too bad at all.

In fact, they were a bit like this season.

After crowds had been dwindling, and performances getting steadily worse, the third division days were a turning point. Yes the first year wasn't great, but the seeds were sown then for a great second year, one that I I'll always remember fondly. Some of the away trips were awesome, like Lincoln, Gillingham and Rotherham. Filling every away end and winning matches. It was great being the opponents' Cup Final every away match.

Looking around the Derby fans at Ewood Park the other night, I was struck by how many young fans there were. I wonder how many of those wouldn't give anything for those 2 years we had in the old third division.

Most teams go down with a whimper, and a disillusioned fan base. They tend to be the ones that struggle. If we go down, if we get a new owner, and if, and it's a BIG if, we avoid a 15 point penalty, I think our fan base will see that as a positive, and will be up for it next season.

Wand whether it's Rooney or somebody else on charge next season, football has changed, and players will be available at lower prices and lower wages. The kind of players we would need to put a squad together (young hungry ambitious lower league players) would still see Derby as a great club to join. We would be a very big fish in Division One.

So whilst I don't want to go down, it certainly won't be the worst thing ever.

4 minutes ago, Bris Vegas said:

We gave it a cracking effort. But ultimately, we’ve ran out of steam.

We’ve been on relegation form for the past two months, picking up 11 points from 13 games. Only Posh have picked up less in that time.

 

Would that by any chance happen to coincide with the departures of Jagielka and Shinnie?

Totally screwed over by the efl.

Rams 3 Coventry 1

FRGS Captain Tom 

5 hours ago, Ghost of Clough said:

Sorry, I should have said. It's per 90.

 

@Addingham Ram was seemingly portraying him as a very poor player.

Addingham Ram was actually wondering what exactly he brought to the team.

He doesn't create much (as you have stated, indred Forsyth finds his man more often), and is poor at stopping crosses (again as you have stated).

Surely in the modern game, these are 2 fundamentals of a full back.

With so many youngsters in the team last night, we need the established pro's to step up. I don't see him stepping that much.

My opinion I know, and I know we have lots of problems all over the pitch, not least scoring goals, but an experienced full back that carries a threat (of goals or assists) as well as one that can defend has got to be one of our priorities for next year.

Sorry to be slightly controversial here, but I just don't get the Nathan Byrne love in.

Was at the game last night, and the whole team looked flat second half, but I thought Byrne, for all his experience and apparent quality was particularly poor.

He constantly flatters to deceive. How many times does he take a man on? How many times does he whip a decent cross in? How many actual tackles does he make or crosses does he stop?

I lost count of the number of times he had space to run into last night, but after setting off, ran out of steam / ran out of ideas / got caught by the chasing defender, then cut back and played the ball back.

If that was one of the youngsters I would have some sympathy, but Byrne is supposed to be one of the established pro's at the club.

I know we are all down after last night, but I think we seriously need better full backs next year, whatever division we are in. I for one wouldn't be sorry to see him go.

Blackburn failed to score at home to Bristol City on Saturday, and have failed to score in 10 of their last 14 matches.

Keep it tight at the back, and there's every chance we could grab something on the break.

Have a feeling one goal either way will win this one. I'd keep it tight for 60 minutes, get the home fans nervous, then send on Festy and CKR to cause them problems.

Cherries ? 1 Rams ? 2

FRGS Captain Tom

12 hours ago, Shipley Ram said:

Cheers lads you nudged me to buy a ticket.

Good on you Shipley Ram. Definitely the right decision.

I've just ordered mine (left until the last minute as usual).

Like you, this is much closer for me and easier than trips to Pride Park, especially on an evening.

If results go our way tomorrow, Blackburn away could be very interesting indeed! 

Wish I was still in the late 80s / early 90s, great days being a student (even if it was in Leeds ?).

Is that why they don't have many fans, because they're all stuck in a time warp?

4 hours ago, angieram said:

1. Matchday thread must be started by the person who started the previous one - if we haven't lost. If we have, then anyone can do it. 

2. I predict early because if I leave it until I'm in the ground, I often can't get a signal.

3. No, but you can change it if they're not playing.

Thanks Angieram.

1 & 3, I knew about.

2 seems fair enough when you put it like that

4 hours ago, mozza said:

You sound like the ideal candidate to run this next season.. 

 

I know you're only joking.

Seriously wasn't meant as criticism in any way, just curiosity.

The time and effort you put into the league must be commended.