FlyBritishMidland

Oh I dunno….. Mike Ashley: Steve, Big Mike here. Top job you’re doing at Derby. How do you fancy joining the Toon Army? How many of my massive Sports Direct mugs do you think they’ll need as compo? Steve Mac: Hold your horses Big Mike. That Candy Crush fella is about to takeover, reckon I’ll be out the door as soon as the last balls kicked. Sit tight and keep hold of those mugs, I’ll be up as soon as I’ve had my holidays. MA: That’s my kinda thinking Steve. We need that up here, tell you what I’ll make you a Director too. SM: Done, see you in June.

Why laugh? Simmo even mentioned in an old Rams TV or Radio Derby interview that Mac had been called to a meeting not long after the takeover and told him he thought was going to get the sack. And I suppose MM sacking him 2nd time around is why he came back again as Technical Advisor or whatever it was.

An alternative view could be he stayed as he knew the writing was on the wall and once MM’s takeover was confirmed he’d be sacked anyway. That way, he guarantees himself a payoff rather than leaving for nothing. Not saying that’s how it was, just a different perspective.

Like others have said, put in as much as you can afford. Also, make the most of your employers contribution too. I’m lucky that my company puts in a decent percentage, doubling my contribution up to a maximum percentage. I make sure I get the full amount from them. Is it salary sacrifice? If so, you won’t pay tax on your contributions and that’s an added benefit.

Me too. I remember having a couple of pints on the Friday night - OK, a bit more than a couple. On the Saturday morning I listened back to the Sportscene show while doing my morning dog walk. When Ed broke, I broke. I was walking round the village with tears running down my cheeks. It was the same when I listened to the interview with David Clowes 1 year on. The thing is, it’s more than the football. I’ve made new friends through Derby County with the people I sit with. During COVID, in some ways I missed a couple of beers and the banter as much as I missed the match. If wasn’t for The Rams we would probably never have met, yet here we are 20+ years later. Sadly, we lost one of our little group earlier this year. So come on Derby, let’s get this done for those who are here, and our absent friends!!

Let’s forget about this game - I know that’s hard given our track record. We can’t control what team Peterborough put out and we can’t control the outcome. We can’t even control what Derby do. But let’s put our energy and focus on Derby v Carlisle. We do our job, we go up. Let’s focus on a positive outcome. No more what if this or that happens, if Bolton win by 2 or 3. Focus on The Rams getting the job done. It would be great if we could just focus on positive posts between now and Saturday. Get us all in the right frame of mind and our positive energy can rub off on the team.

Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher and now Alan Shearer are well known Derby fans.

Brilliant. I don’t remember hearing it but it will now be my ear worm for the rest of the week.

I think it was Brailsford Ram who used to say MM wasn’t really a football man. I think he went to school with him or something. Brailsford Ram doesn’t post any more. Shame, I used to like reading them.

I actually think this could be a tight game. Ferguson has already hinted at resting a few in midweek. He can rest players on Tuesday, bring them back on Saturday after a weeks rest and still have nigh on a week until the first leg. Neither team will want to go into playoffs on the back of a hammering.

Good point. I think we remember the Reading game because of the way the season collapsed in the last 10-12 games, well I do anyway. T going into that game we were on a shocking run of form. Plus, it’s a typically British trait to look on the dark side and imagine the worst. This season is totally different. We’re in good form, we’re playing bottom of the league at home and we don’t need to rely on anyone else. When it’s come down to clinching automatic promotion we can get over the line. We did in 86, 87 and 96.

That’s pretty much me too. I’ve always been a fan of having stability. Too often in the last 7/8 years we changed manager, sometimes needlessly others through necessity. I wobbled around October time, I was never Warne out but thought he needed a big improvement by the end of the year, and it came. I should have had more faith. Regardless of what happens in the next few weeks I’d keep him for next season. Whether that’s go up automatically, via the play-offs or, heaven forbid, not at all. Record points and record away wins, he’s earned it. He’s clearly done a lot of work to change the culture of the club, and I think the players would walk through brick walls for him.

I missed the late 70’s glory years and starting supporting The Rams in the 70s so the mid to late 80s and late 90s are my glory years. But if we get over the line next week it feels like this one would mean more. I put that down partly to being a little bit older (not necessarily wiser!!) and the amazing turn round in 2 years. 2 years ago, we were a week away from going bust. Now we’re a week away from a potential return to the championship 🤞. If it happens @DarkFruitsRam7, enjoy and saviour every moment.

So pleased we got the win yesterday. Really good first half and probably should have been more than 1 goal up. Great moment of quality forum Sibley and NML. Superb pass and a calm finish from someone who hasn’t scored for a while. The 2nd half was nervous, but on reflection, Wildsmith didn’t have a save to make. The defence was superb and we didn’t give away my silly free-kicks. Their main threat came from the long throws. Wildsmith seem to have forgot what he was doing 2nd half. He managed to fall out with Bradley & Nelson and his kicking was shocking. Let’s hope he’s got that out of the way.

Cambridge 1 Derby 1 FRGS Nelson