Mimester

Your matchday thread starters are a joy @Rampant.

The newlyweds will be there for Carlisle at home.
🐏⚫️⚪️
 

Loved the atmosphere yesterday. Managed to blag myself a flag/flange by telling the person giving them out I was only five 😂 Most enjoyable match of the season for me 

Wildsmith
Nelson   Forsyth   Cashin
Ward   Smith   Thompson  Sibley
Adams
Mendez-Laing   Waghorn
 
Subs: Evans, Bradley, Wilson, Elder, Fornah, Hourihane, Blackett-Taylor

Saturday 23rd March
Northampton vs Derby
Sixfields Stadium (KO 1500)
 
Parking: There is apparently parking available at the ground (NN5 5QA) for a fiver or at a place called Duston Mill (NN5 5FP).
Opponents Bio: Founded in 1897, Northampton Town are well known by their nickname, 'The Cobblers', a nod to the town's historic shoe-making industry. Previously based adjacent to Northamptonshire County Cricket Club, their move in 1994 now sees them play home matches at the 7,798 capacity Sixfields Stadium.
The swinging 60's was quite the decade to be a member of the Shoe Army as Northampton started the 1960/61 season in the fourth tier of the English game before three promotions and three relegations saw them back in Division 4 (ask your parents kids) in time for the 1969/70 campaign. Their one season in the top division was their only appearance at that level in their history so far. Indeed, since their relegation in 1966/67 from what is now the Championship, the Cobblers have played each of the subsequent 56 seasons in either the third or fourth tier. That run could have been broken in 1993/94 when they finished bottom of League 2 but they had a reprieve as Kidderminster Harriers' ground wasn't deemed suitable for the Football League.
This season sees Town looking to consolidate a League 1 berth after their promotion from League 2 in 2022/23 and sitting in 14th place and well clear of the drop zone they have comfortably achieved their initial target. A decent run of results could see them finish in the top half as they are one of four sides on 50 points before this weekend.
Opponents Gaffer & Dangermen: They are managed by an Australian, Jon Brady, who I know nothing about. 
Top scorers for Northampton this season are Sam Hoskins (14 goals), Kieron Bowie (eight) and Mitch Pinnock (six, plus seven assists). They also have Huddersfield loanee Tyreece Simpson and another loanee is a certain Tony Springett who played a few times for ourselves last year.
Other Titbits & Links to DCFC: Notable names associated with Saturday's opponents include former managers Herbert Chapman (of Huddersfield and Arsenal fame), Tony Barton (European Cup winning manager at Villa), Chris Wilder (when he was good), Ian Atkins (coming good again at Tranmere maybe), Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Aidy Boothroyd and Graham Carr (father of comedy twins Alan and Jimmy). Their most famous ex-player is probably former Liverpool and England full-back, Phil Neal.
Derby links include Kevin Wilson (managed them) and those who played for both clubs include John Gregory, Ian Taylor and Marco Gabbiadini.
Opponents Form: They've struggled over the past five games, picking up just two points from draws against Charlton at home and Cambridge away. They've lost two on the bounce, both without scoring, with a 1-0 defeat at home to Blackpool followed on Saturday by a 2-0 loss at Wycombe. 
Their league record at home is respectable overall, reading: W8-D5-L6.
Rams History vs Northampton: We tempted fate against Bolton by highlighting the fact that they had never won in the league at Pride Park in 10 attempts. Lets be bold again by stating that;
Derby have never lost a competitive fixture against Northampton.
It's true. Six FA Cup ties (four original and two replays) and seven League matches is the sum total of the two clubs' historical matches against each other but the Rams have managed eight wins and five draws thus far. 
In League matches only, we currently stand at W4-D3-L0 with an away record of W2-D1-L0 on their turf.
The match earlier this season at Pride Park saw Derby run out comfortable 4-0 victors in a game where we saw the best of Conor Washington and a brace by Max Bird.
Likely Rams XI: We can possibly expect a change or two. Or maybe three? Assuming we maintain the back three then Warne has to decide between a recall for Sonny Bradley after illness or sticking with Fozzy. I'd be amazed if he didn't stay with Craig Maldini tbh. 
There are obvious doubts over those withdrawn against Bolton. Gayle is surely out and Barkhuizen and Ward are possibly struggling too. The gaffer also needs to make a decision on Hourihane as we look better with either Smith or Thompson in the middle (or both ideally for me) alongside Ebou Adams who must surely be our transfer target #1 for the summer. 
A return to the 18 for Conor Washington (MotM in the reverse fixture) would be welcome.
Other Notable Fixtures: None. Certainly not as far as those chasing automatic promotion is concerned. We are the only one of the five involved in that battle for a top two finish to be playing so it's a perfect opportunity to apply pressure on those now playing catch up with us. Seven points with a game in hand has to seem psychologically further away for Bolton than the current four points and equal games played so hopefully we can turn that screw.
COYR
 

We'll win at Pompey.
You heard it here first.
Actually, I'm pretty sure B4 said it first - and this is his year.

We all can, and have, say what we want about Paul Warne and some of the players. But what cannot be denied is that this group run through brick walls for him. The grit, determination and will from this group is fantastic. 

PG Wodehouse from the directors box.
Pride Park, that verdant cathedral of sporting prowess, was teeming with eager souls, packed to the very rafters, for this monumental clash of titans vying for the coveted automatic promotion spot. As the erudite young Owen Bradley aptly remarked, one could almost taste the palpable tension hanging thickly in the air, stirring even the most stoic of hearts. Personally, I found myself afflicted with pre-match jitters of such magnitude that I could scarcely bring myself to partake of the morning repast. Indeed, so overcome was I by nerves that I instructed my trusty manservant, Jeeves, to consume it in my stead. The early setback of a hammy for the padel maestro Gayle did little to assuage the anxious throng, yet amidst the tumult, the bobble-hatted Warne, armed with nothing more than his boundless enthusiasm and a penchant for vigorous arm-waving à la Bradley, orchestrated a tactical masterstroke, deftly shuffling his substitute pack like a magician conjuring rabbits from a hat. And lo, it was the wand of Elder that proved the catalyst for glory, delivering a sublime cross to the onrushing buffalo, who, with a flourish of his head , sent the ball soaring into the net with all the grace of a virtuoso pianist striking the final chord of a symphony. Though much of the contest saw the Rams engaged in a valiant rearguard action, the stalwart trio of Cashin, Admirable Nelson, and the Dorian Gray-like Forsyth, aided by the cat-like reflexes of Wildsmith, formed an impenetrable bulwark against the relentless onslaught of their adversaries. With second place now firmly within their grasp, the Rams find themselves masters of their own fate, the jubilant cries of “Ebouuuuuuu” echoing like a chorus of angels as the final whistle heralds their triumph, accompanied by the joyous bounce of victory.

I love football. I love Derby County.
COYR
🐏

Do whatever it takes to get Ebou Adams in the summer.

That was reasonably pleasing. 

Forsyth....
 

Well done to players, management and fans. Stood up and were counted on the biggest day of the season so far. Seven games to go, but there is clear blue water now.

Nice moment at full time with him and Warne embracing after some rumours of a rift earlier in the season. 
He’s just speaking on radio Derby now, praises his defence and talking about how his training and prep play their part in him making top saves like he did earlier. Hope we can extend his contract as I think he’d do a job for us next season 

Wildsmith deserves a lot of credit made some huge saves, everyone defended like warriors at the end too. I don't care how we win at this point lets get out of this league!

Getting closer…

Can I have a consonant please Paul...

Game turned on the Gayle injury and some bizarre subs and changes of formation, but as top sides tend to, we've found a way. Bolton came to have a go, but for all the bravado, they looked pretty toothless. They sit 4 points off us now with an inferior GD and hopefully that's the last we hear from them and their fans. 

What a win!!! The character to pull it off despite the injuries and being on the back foot. The mentality is different now, we have done all we had to do in our biggest game of the season. When your in-form goal scorer goes off injured after 20 minutes, you just think it’s going to be one of those days. Let’s hope it’s not too bad for Gayle.
The Posh-Pompey result is excellent for us too, Barnsley even more of a bonus.
4 points clear with 7 to play, we can do this. What a team, what a day, get the f*** in!!

Well done. Thought we deserved more but that's football.
See how it goes from here on in, but glad I don't have to watch that every week TBH.
We'll live 🙂

Done it!!!!!! Come on!!!!! 
 

I love Cashin. What a player

I know Tommo has his limitations, but his willingness to be there when a pass needs to be made is top class. Always, always shows for the ball. Never goes missing. Absolute polar opposite to Hourihane in that respect.