VulcanRam

This is a great point, and perhaps why Saturday didn't feel nearly as exciting as the Championship play off games we've had in recent year, Leeds away especially. I expected us to get promoted so while I'm happy that we did and enjoyed the occasion on Saturday, the whole thing feels to me like we are righting a wrong more than achieving anything extraordinary.

I think youth and agility will be the way forward now we can afford it.

I'm not sure you've got a grasp of how this forum works 😉

Indeed, but you didn't mention any of those in your original post.

He was offered a contract at Derby and chose not to sign it. He could have stayed if he wanted to but wanted to try elsewhere, which is his right. Let's not rewrite history here or pretend he was doing it for the good of the club. Good goal yesterday and hopefully for him he does well at Bristol. He's been a good player for us but I'd agree with him that it's time to move on for a fresh challenge.

Yeah but that's most Saturdays isn't it?!

I had a lovely fullsome pot of grass from the BBG post Palace in 96. Then a couple of years later workmen came to replace the fence panels and inadvertently chucked it. Heartbroken.

Fair point, and I'm with you and @Mucker1884 on that. It was probably just to illustrate the point. I always felt when we were at the top of the Championship it was the best place to be - I always felt to win it and not go up (but get some cash) would be ideal. But I suppose that's a stupid point of view because it kind of defeats the objective.

Mate, so will I, and to be fair to @Carl Sagan I probably picked on the wrong post. But some of the "tear in my eye" and "spirit of 75" stuff is a tad over the top imo. I guess @Premier ram has me banged to rights. Bah humbug!

With respect I'll be saving all this for when, or if, we ever get promoted to the Premier League. Or win the FA Cup. Something that really signifies over-achievement or something truly special. I don't think this is it. Don't get me wrong, I'll be delighted come 5pm when we're out of this lousy league but we're only going back to where we should always have been except with a poorer squad and - from what I've seen this season of the Championship - a higher standard of football generally than when we were last in it. We should never have been docked 21 points imo, and never have been relegated. But we were, and massive well done to Paul Warne and the players for getting us out after two seasons. With the squad we have we should be challenging at the top of the table. I went to the end of season awards last night and it was great to have such a positive vibe in the room. But, in my humble opinion, it's not worth some of the overly emotive stuff I've read on this forum in the last few days.

Was surprised to hear it was his first ever visit to PPS. Which was the only bit of the HT interview I could understand.

And Ebou is in twice! Anyway: 1Wildsmith 7 35Nelson 7 5Bradley 8.5 6Cashin 8 2Wilson 8 12Smith 8 23Fornah 6 32Adams 8 10Waghorn 6 17Sibley 7 32Adams I know he's everywhere, even on here!! Thompson 80 - which he probably would have scored by now taking the number of posters 4Hourihane 6 9Collins 7 14Washington 6 11Méndez-Laing 7 7Barlhuizen 6

Win this and we'll be massive favourites for autos with two home games and Cambridge away left. It's a huge game. 0-1 NML

Lucky sods got to play on a much better pitch than Pride Park is.

Nelson and Cash for me. It's a bit depressing that Young Player of the Year has only 3 choices, one of whom has only started a couple of games.

I don't think at any stage they have claimed to support Derby? I've always assumed it's just someone from another club enjoying a bit of wummery.

From that angle if anything he looks onside via Nelson's left shoulder. Certainly nothing obvious and therefore I have no issue with no flag. Deffo handball though. He used his arm to control it and stop it going out of play.

He was great last night with the ball first half, but needs to do a lot more without it in this team, where at the very least everyone puts a shift in. Defensively very timid and half hearted at best. Even Smith was giving him a right talking to when he just stood off from getting involved at one point.

Win all four and it won't matter. Wycombe looks to me to be the banana skin we need to avoid. Horrible place, horrible team and the sort of place we struggle at. Win that and my confidence levels of autos will be through the roof.

It was an excellent first half, I thought we played really well and carried a greater attacking threat than Portsmouth, even though they had more of the ball. Smith, Adams, CBT and Ward all excellent. Second half imo was, in complete contrast, a dirge and such a missed opportunity. Decided from the very start of the second half to just sit in our defensive third and not even bother coming out and trying to attack. It's such a dangerous tactic and one that ultimately failed. Very negative, the pace slowed, the game became boring, and no-one on here will ever be able to complain about teams coming to PPS and parking the bus, time wasting or playing "anti-football" as some call it. Would I have taken a point before ko? Absolutely. But watching our first half performance, I thought Portsmouth were vulnerable at the back and we chose not to exploit that further. So ultimately, a decent point, but felt afterwards and still feels to me like two points dropped.

I was there today for an hour as it turns out, it was empty and raining, so I managed to park on the main road (that’s a first) outside a very nice cafe. I must go there more often when it’s cold and wet.

Was thinking about trying Mount Everest so I'm interested in what you're saying on that. Anoki is hugely overpriced for what you get imo. Lots of better Indian restaurants out there.

Has she been particularly naughty, because that's some punishment. Anyway, just on the off chance that she doesn't have a beard, a beer belly and open toed sandals (though its fine if she does), there are other non real ale pubs available which might add a bit of life or glamour to your stay. (The Neptune and Jorrocks are not among them, by the way, imho). Most of the restaurants around Derby are on Friar Gate, and the Distillery or Orange Tree (George St) are popular. Lorentes is a great tapas bar on Friar Gate but its tiny and gets very booked up. Pierre's is always decent. The shopping centre is ok for a wander around but its just like every other shopping centre, it has a cinema, a bowling alley and a crazy golf thing. Plenty of food choices from Wagamamas to Nandos. Other than that if you really want to walk through the town centre, which is much like any other town centre in that its a bit miserable and run down, as others have said the Cathedral area is the nicest bit. The Cathedral itself is lovely, and if the weather is ok a walk by the river is nice. Dolphin is a decent pub, the Museum of Making is ok if you're interested in that kind of thing. On Pride Park, as others have said, Niccos and Seven are the best pick, but a bit pricey in the evening. Harvester, Frankie and Benny's, Merlin are the others, food ok but only ok. You may wish to treat Mrs Blackpoolmad to a game of padel; there's a really good setup there on the old JJB complex next to the stadium. Enjoy your stay and enjoy the game!

I'll be renewing my two in the SS but as things stand won't be able to go to too many games next season due to another commitment. But I hope that sometime in the next 15 years we'll be decent so don't want to lost my seats for that one moment. Think of all those lifelong Newcastle fans who chucked in their ticket in protest at Mike Ashley and who now can't get anywhere near the stadium. Best to keep your hand in the game.

If it’s a choice between Ward or Wilson at RB, I choose Smith.