vonwright

Yes, this really pisses me off! He's slashed players & wages et al to the point where we're a (potentially) sustainable Championship club and so he ditches us into admin which will make us an unsustainable (at our current level) League 1 club. FFS!

Yup, I think we are well past 'Beggars can't be choosers' at this point ?

In any case which fans does he really think are going to be sympathetic to the line: 'I spend £200m putting your club in such a perilous position it may now go out of business entirely. And now I only have £300m left!'
I would hope he's taken his moral responsibilities seriously in taking this step, and can honestly say he's done everything he could to secure the club's future. Because if we do get liquidated, that's the only thing he will be remembered for. 

In any case which fans does he really think are going to be sympathetic to the line: 'I spend £200m putting your club in such a perilous position it may now go out of business entirely. And now I only have £300m left!'
I would hope he's taken his moral responsibilities seriously in taking this step, and can honestly say he's done everything he could to secure the club's future. Because if we do get liquidated, that's the only thing he will be remembered for. 

The more I read the angrier I get. It's one thing gambling with your own money, but this was gambling with the very existence of the club - in other words gambling with something which has been very important to generations of people with a fraction of the money that Mel has. It's not even like he's gone bankrupt in the process, just walked away with his overpriced stadium and list of people who are 'really' to blame. 

The more I read the angrier I get. It's one thing gambling with your own money, but this was gambling with the very existence of the club - in other words gambling with something which has been very important to generations of people with a fraction of the money that Mel has. It's not even like he's gone bankrupt in the process, just walked away with his overpriced stadium and list of people who are 'really' to blame. 

Mel took on a club that was in a good position at the start of his tenure. He had a duty to our historic club and its large fan base to either maintain the status quo or take it forwards. I spent 31 years in primary education and I can only liken it to a school which was a good school with good results when the new head took over and then ended up in special measures so extreme that the school may have to close down. I know that schools are not football clubs but such mismanagement in education would have set alarm bells ringing very quickly.

The more I read the angrier I get. It's one thing gambling with your own money, but this was gambling with the very existence of the club - in other words gambling with something which has been very important to generations of people with a fraction of the money that Mel has. It's not even like he's gone bankrupt in the process, just walked away with his overpriced stadium and list of people who are 'really' to blame. 

The more I read the angrier I get. It's one thing gambling with your own money, but this was gambling with the very existence of the club - in other words gambling with something which has been very important to generations of people with a fraction of the money that Mel has. It's not even like he's gone bankrupt in the process, just walked away with his overpriced stadium and list of people who are 'really' to blame. 

The more I read the angrier I get. It's one thing gambling with your own money, but this was gambling with the very existence of the club - in other words gambling with something which has been very important to generations of people with a fraction of the money that Mel has. It's not even like he's gone bankrupt in the process, just walked away with his overpriced stadium and list of people who are 'really' to blame. 

The more I read the angrier I get. It's one thing gambling with your own money, but this was gambling with the very existence of the club - in other words gambling with something which has been very important to generations of people with a fraction of the money that Mel has. It's not even like he's gone bankrupt in the process, just walked away with his overpriced stadium and list of people who are 'really' to blame. 

The more I read the angrier I get. It's one thing gambling with your own money, but this was gambling with the very existence of the club - in other words gambling with something which has been very important to generations of people with a fraction of the money that Mel has. It's not even like he's gone bankrupt in the process, just walked away with his overpriced stadium and list of people who are 'really' to blame. 

The more I read the angrier I get. It's one thing gambling with your own money, but this was gambling with the very existence of the club - in other words gambling with something which has been very important to generations of people with a fraction of the money that Mel has. It's not even like he's gone bankrupt in the process, just walked away with his overpriced stadium and list of people who are 'really' to blame. 

The more I read the angrier I get. It's one thing gambling with your own money, but this was gambling with the very existence of the club - in other words gambling with something which has been very important to generations of people with a fraction of the money that Mel has. It's not even like he's gone bankrupt in the process, just walked away with his overpriced stadium and list of people who are 'really' to blame. 

Bottom line for me is that while I can accept a) Covid has led to a huge drop off in revenues and b) the EFL hasn't covered itself in glory with the p and s stuff, it remains the case that we've been massively overspending for years, we've run up debts (and tax bills) that we can't settle, and it feels irrelevant now whether our accounting system was within the rules or not. What matters is the financial reality behind it, and for that - for the fact we were in such a precarious position when Covid hit - I'm afraid I do blame the owner. 

We have a few posters who have agreed to gift a ticket or 2 to someone who cannot afford to go. You can PM me if you you want to go but genuinely can't afford to buy a ticket or two. Due to Covid you will need a fan id and an email address. We can get the ticket emailed to you.
Your PM will be dealt with in strictest confidence. We have all had times when we haven't been able to afford to go, we are all Derby and will help each other.
    

The administrators will initially try to put together an inventory of assets that they can potentially sell, as well as write to all known creditors advising them that the complany(ies) is in administration, and that all current sums payable are frozen until the administration ceases. Once they know what they have to sell, they will advertise the club for sale although are likely to be inundated with idiots and tyrekickers as well as legitimate buyers. Often they will ask for a deposit for exclusive rights to inspect the books from potential new owners. 
They will ask for a statement of affairs from management, this is a summary of the most recent management accounts and identify which, if any costs can be cut. There are likely to be redundancies as a result. 
They will also ask suppliers to sign new contracts with the administrators and guarantee payment for all future purchases during the course of the admin procedure. 
The most critical issue in the short term is that of finding funding. The wages have to be paid in September, and this will be challenging as it is a seven figure sum, with relatively few assets (property assets appear to be owned by Gellaw, which is not in administration) although there will be the residue of the season ticket money received pre appointment. In addition the administrators will estimate their fees, in the case of Wigan they were over £1.6m plus a one-third uplift upon completion of a successful sale, plus legal and other costs on a few hundred thousand. 
In the case of Wigan, the most recent football administration, things were easier because the club had property assets (it had two training grounds, one of which was sold to Preston for £1.5m) as well as plenty of players to sell (this generated £10m) as the admin took place in the summer during the transfer window. Derby's administrators have a disadvantage in both of these issues. 
Once Derby is sold the new owners will have to trade under a business plan agreed with the EFL, and a combination of the liquidators of the OldCo and the new owners need to pay all of the preferred creditors and a dividend of 25% of the unsecured creditors within two years or face a further 15 point penalty. 
Again here Derby's position is more challenging than that of Wigan, where (a) the club owner wrote off the debts due to him (b) Wigan had property assets to sell to the new club owners and (c) I think that HMRC were still unsecured creditors in 2020, so were only entitled to 25% of a much lower figure than the estimated (figure given on the podcast by RamsTrust) £26m owing to the tax authorities. The football creditors figure may be higher than in the case of Wigan too, though whether there are still monies owing to Keogh and whether they are deemed to be football or unsecured creditors is uncertain. 

Im trying not to think about a phonenix team i just dont know how i feel about it 
i support Derby county because of my dad, i live and breath Derby county because of him most of my happiest memories are with him and Derby county
Hes no longer with us, i dont really have any other ties to the area other than i lived there for two years.. truth be told i think it would be a bit too painful to start again under another guise.
itll be hard enough and still is .
iv got plenty of mates who are county fans so may just go with them for the social side and just be a football fan refugee (aint foong to watch the red dogs)
Tbh following this club has taken it out of me , i dont think i have the mental strength left to start another journey 

At the moment our running costs are minimal, I have no idea how big the debt is. We need to keep going and fufil the league fixtures and make sure wages are paid. if we challenge the 12 points administration deduction (due to unforseen circumstances (Covid)) and challenge any FFP deduction then it is possible we can stay in the league and find a new owner before the January transfer window. Once the January window opens if we are still in administration our youngsters and better players will be sold for nothing.
I know that for a couple of years Mel played Russian roulette and lost but that is not the issue now. The issue is how soon can we get a new owner, how can we reduce any points deduction, how can we cover our current operating costs, how can we keep our better and younger players.
I have a season ticket and will go to the games to support Wayne and the team. I am also willing to put money into a crowd funding project to help with operating costs. With crowd funding it needs to be put together by someone with standing. I have invesstigated financial crime for the last 30+ years and I know how badly this can go wrong. It would be good if a local accounting or legal firm could take this on for us. I am willing to put in an least £1,000 maybe a bit  more 
  

Bottom line for me is that while I can accept a) Covid has led to a huge drop off in revenues and b) the EFL hasn't covered itself in glory with the p and s stuff, it remains the case that we've been massively overspending for years, we've run up debts (and tax bills) that we can't settle, and it feels irrelevant now whether our accounting system was within the rules or not. What matters is the financial reality behind it, and for that - for the fact we were in such a precarious position when Covid hit - I'm afraid I do blame the owner. 

Bottom line for me is that while I can accept a) Covid has led to a huge drop off in revenues and b) the EFL hasn't covered itself in glory with the p and s stuff, it remains the case that we've been massively overspending for years, we've run up debts (and tax bills) that we can't settle, and it feels irrelevant now whether our accounting system was within the rules or not. What matters is the financial reality behind it, and for that - for the fact we were in such a precarious position when Covid hit - I'm afraid I do blame the owner. 

I agree, and in any case it feels like it barely matters any more whether it was 'technically compliant' or not. Like arguing whether we 'technically' met building regulations while the house crumbles to the ground.
If we don't find a buyer - and I really don't think we are an appealing prospect just now - we need to understand how serious this could be. 
 
 

He’s messed up on a monumental scale. Covid was the nail in the coffin he’d already made on the advice of others that he was too vain or foolish to question.
it’s going to go on for 3 years or more to know where we stand even if we manage to survive. 
The EFL are not a worthy representative organisation 
The rules and regs as they are currently constructed are full of flaws and loopholes. They are policed unevenly and in a way the encourages self interest rather than equitable solutions
Mel’s windfall when involved in world changing industries like cyber dating  and mobile gaming convinced him he was a skilled entrepreneur rather than a bit of a chancer with an eye to an opportunity. 

Bottom line for me is that while I can accept a) Covid has led to a huge drop off in revenues and b) the EFL hasn't covered itself in glory with the p and s stuff, it remains the case that we've been massively overspending for years, we've run up debts (and tax bills) that we can't settle, and it feels irrelevant now whether our accounting system was within the rules or not. What matters is the financial reality behind it, and for that - for the fact we were in such a precarious position when Covid hit - I'm afraid I do blame the owner. 

Bottom line for me is that while I can accept a) Covid has led to a huge drop off in revenues and b) the EFL hasn't covered itself in glory with the p and s stuff, it remains the case that we've been massively overspending for years, we've run up debts (and tax bills) that we can't settle, and it feels irrelevant now whether our accounting system was within the rules or not. What matters is the financial reality behind it, and for that - for the fact we were in such a precarious position when Covid hit - I'm afraid I do blame the owner.