Ramrob

Dawkins was definitely not mediocre. 
And didn’t we get him on a free?

It's true that if you're sooo poor at transfer dealings inbound you are heading for the financial buffers unless the academy can take up the slack by producing a succession of wunderkinds. 
Sadly, our negotiations on outbound players has been equally ineffective.... 

I realise I'm doing him a deservice 
The idea of the thread really was how would these players have done in today's world, without maybe the same expectation, more chances with less competition. 
In Dawkins case, maybe he was underappreciated and in today's squad would have been given the chance to flourish more?

They “believe” do they? I believed we’d beat QPR in 2014. I believed that Conor Sammon would get at least 15 goals in his first season for us. I believed that the big loop in the ram’s horn was a gigantic mutant eye.
Sadly, believing something doesn’t mean it’ll come true.

I'm pleasantly surprised at speed this is progressing.

Think that’s it for you lot I’m afraid. You know it’s bad when even the fixtures are laughing at you.. 

So basically he’s doing research for league one.

Anyway, rant about the EFL aside.
if we weren’t where we were, that was a good game of football. I think we did enough to nick it but luck of the bounce and another sub par official denied us.
Good start up top, multiple early doors corners, looked dangerous but at the back we looked a bit sloppy. Gave as good as got, fine goal from them and we lost rhythm and possession. Recovered as the game moved on, deserved penalty.. They used width well and marked us hard in the attacking half but we were if anything, the more creative
Malcolm is a pleasure to watch, great feet. Cashin would be a god if he was 6” taller. Buchanan played well.
Magic moments: lovely flick between his own feet from Bielik on the centre circle , Malcolm’s nutmeg and saved free kick, goal line runs, that boy flows ! , Cashins powerful curl round his legs tackle - 100% control and strength, Allsops 1v1 
Think we’ve gone now in all honesty but we have pride and self respect to fight for -  it isn’t over until we mathematically can’t 
Up the rams ?

My moment of the day was towards the end of the first half when Bielik simply flattened one of their players when he was challenged. It was utterly contemptuous, the kind of thing only a truly class player gets away with, and I absolutely loved it. 

Just read that back and realised I'm rambling......its been a long day and I have drank too much Bass.
My little town today was surreal. Went into my local at 10.30 this morning, it was full of racegoers for the Midlands Grand National meeting at Uttoxeter Races. Some Millwall fans were in town early doors for their match at Stoke as well so with 15 of us Derby lads having a pint it was a fairly strange atmosphere at first.
Talking to the racegoers who support many different teams, mostly from Stoke, Stafford, Wolverhampton, Birmingham etc, and the Millwall lads, was quite interesting as they were all supportive of DCFC and Rooney. Very impressed with the way Derby have battled this season against all the odds. Quite a few made a point of saying Rooney has gone up in their estimation because of the way he has handled the situation.
Not much point to my drunken posting other than outside the Middlesbrough and Gumps hatefest we are seen as a fairly decent and loyal fanbase by most other clubs.
 

I agree Derby County is a fundamental part of people's lives, it can't just be defined as a football team. To me personally its memories.  Happiness...sadness..glory days and depressing days.. but days that form a bond inside of every fan.
I have supported this team all of my life..loved every minute of it..like others I've never lived in Derby but visited the place enough that it feels like family.
Today was a sad day for me, got a phonecall early in the morning here telling me my dad had been rushed into hospital back in the UK..87 years old and the doctor said he had fluid around his heart...his heart was failing..im a long way away in Canada..I called him on Whats App...what did he say to me? When does the game start.  Don't miss the game I'm fine....
He was off for tests..I watched the game the boys made me proud again as they do so often and I had another memory another addition to the bond of the Derby fan. My dad improved during the day, long way to go but they are pleased with him, responded well to the meds..will have a procedure on Monday that they hope will sort him out.
So life goes on..a traumatic day passes  in the life of a Derby fan.

Idiakez, Reich, Rasiak, Bisgaard, Ian Taylor, Tommy Smith. All free. The lot of them. Superb signings.

Just listening to Rooney's Press Conference and the praise he has for the players - young and old.
I'm filled with anger at the current situation, frustration, but most of all with sadness.
They're a great group of players. Rooney, himself, is growing as a manager.
I'm sure the state of the club has helped them pull together.
But, nonetheless, I wonder what they could have gone on to achieve but, we're losing them, one by one at the moment, with Ebosele the latest to go. And Rooney is saying "the team will be ripped apart in the summer". That's because, in his view, Festy is the only one who would go abroad, so the others have to wait until their contracts are up in the summer so they can move to other English clubs.
It's heartbreaking to think what they may have achieved if we'd been able to keep them all together.
Even now, there is still a chance if a sale is made before too long. I'm just not that hopeful anymore. Tragic. COYR ?

Can't help but feel Quantuma bigged up how much of an obstacle to selling the club Boro's claim represented.
I've certainly not been "pleasantly surprised" by the speed of progress since it was removed.

Can’t wait to read this!
Great work @HuddersRam ?

Morning squad. I've been radio silence on here the last few months for two reasons:
I can't add anything on the situation between just sorrow I've been working on something new For those who don't know and for those who don't care (understandable, no complaints from me) I produced a book called Pride in 2020, which went into the last 20 or so years of the club. That was nice, but the issue is that for those 20 years we were pretty awful. So I wanted to work on something new and a bit more feel good. And so...
I'm really, really pleased to say that my next book will go live in Autumn of this year and it's titled: Groundwork: The Inside Story Behind Jim Smith's Derby County. 
Just like Pride, it's told from the behind the scenes perspective of those incredible few years and includes insight from around 60 former players, coaches and staff members at the club. From Igor, Eranio and Sturridge, through to Steve's McClaren and Round, it delves into what made that time so special. But more than this it focuses on the work of Jim as a manager and crucially, as a man. I've spoken with the creators of Prozone, the first sports psychologist in British football, the first fitness coach in the game, to evaluate how pivotal Derby (yes, Derby) were in the evolution of football in this country. And there is also a section remembering Jim himself, including thoughts from his family, as well as close friends like Harry Redknapp and Howard Wilkinson. There's even a Graham Richards cameo or two. 
I know there's a lot of continuing nightmares around us at the minute, but hopefully this brings a bit of joy and memories of what this club can be. ?
 

David does a great job

He holds the belief that I was paid off to protect Mel.
These are accusations I have defended privately, yet they are going public now and when forum members may see it I just felt I need to reply.
This situation is hurting me more than anyone, I am also owed a lot of money ahead of the wedding as well and it's just frustrating that some fans are using this as a told you so.

I set 'em up, you knock 'em down.

I do think that the EFL need to look at their insolvency practices. It was widely felt that Leicester 'cheated' by going into administration, wiped out 75% of debts and carried on as before under very similar ownership. Understandably, the EFL brought in new rules to make administration a far less attractive option.
The points deductions, the imposed business plans, the withheld TV money and varying degrees of transfer embargo now ensure that no club can do a Leicester without suffering significant damage. That's supposed to be a deterrent to owners. Indeed, I suspect that, that deterrent has worked very well - clubs only go into administration now out of desperation. 
That's a problem though. The deterrent then squeezes the life out of a club who are already in trouble. The last few clubs have just about survived, with the exception of poor Bury. The difference is now though, HMRC have far more say and can't just be forced to settle for 25%. 
It is actually possible that this has made exiting administration next to impossible, given how damaging the EFL sanctions already are. 
Frustratingly, those deterrents don't actually hurt the guilty parties, the former owners, just the creditors, the fans and the perspective new owners.

Whilst I understand the feelings here, to be frank whilst it would have been nice to stay up, going down (if it happens) will not be the end of the world. One of the most enjoyable periods for me following the Rams, when I used to regularly get off my arse, was the mid-to-late 80's, and our re-birth under Cox:
https://www.dcfc.co.uk/news/2020/05/long-read-feature-the-rise-of-derby-county-under-arthur-cox
I still find myself this morning above ground, and Ukraine are giving Putin a lot to think about.
Reasons to be cheerful, one two three (doffing my cap to @Inverurie Ram)
 

They look like they are about to slip into a coma.

We’re missing about 17 first team players because the EFL wouldn’t let us sign anyone

Well this is to the players we all got keep fighting I know we are one and good 1500 derby fans are making journey to e wood park at blackburn keep fighting for every single ball with you.
You can win blackburn they are no great shakes and you just need go and attack them really really get into blackburn rover if you have to fight fire with fire. You just need to believe in your selfs we all believe in you we all shall be in full voice.