Feel for you young 'uns..

[YoungUttoxRam]

My first season was the 95/96 promotion season when I was 9. I've had a season ticket ever since. I still get goose bumps when I think about Van Der Laan heading the ball in the back of the net versus Crystal Palace.

I consider myself very lucky to have caught the last few seasons at the BBG, from the beer-stained wood paneled bars to the absolute Tardis of a Ramtique (how did everyone fit in there!?). Match days felt more tribal somehow, us versus them (in a non-violent way), as though every match meant something, as opposed to the 'family day out' kind of feeling we get nowadays (no offence intended towards young families who go).

I can only dream what the place must have been like in the early 70s.

i only caught the odd game at the BBG, barely remember it! But agreed on the family thing, an away game is great for how hyped up I can get, shouting singing etc being an idiot with my mates but at home games it's just too family orientated, I don't feel the need to swear, abuse other people or want to fight but I like to have a laugh, be an idiot and stand at games where it just never happens at home, it's becoming a boring chore some weeks!!

[ChaddesdenRam]

My best ever derby memories show my age.

Pearson vs West Brom

Commons vs Man Utd

Idiakez vs Southampton

Hendrick vs Forest

Doesn't really compare to winning the 1st division or playing Real Madrid and Juventus. Even just playing in the premierleague and not getting the worst points tally ever.

This is probably part of the reason I don't mind us being in the championship, yes premier league would be quality but I don't look at it from this Derby deserve this bla bla, biggest fan base in the championship, best stadium and facilities. Most fans probably think Derby deserve to be in the premier league ahead of Wigan, do they?

Yes I agree the fans deserve more but I like the stability the club has and we can't invest that much into youth without it turning into something eventually. I hope we get promoted in the next 3 seasons but more importantly stay in the premier league when we get there.

[Asanovic]

Maybe so, but show me a player that turns down a move to a safe Premier League side to go to the Championship.

 

I can remember someone like Pitman choosing to go to Bristol or similar over Blackpool cos of money. But Blackpool were plummeting down the Premier League and Bristol City in the play-off places.

Kevin Nolan.

[DCFCfranco]

First season was our promotion season user billy. Been watching derby ever since. I've seen a lot of dross and at times great football. But I still love it I'd never stop going no matter what.

And to those who've seen:

Hector

O'hare

Todd

McFarland

Biano

Eranio

Wanchope

Stimac

I say to you:

Commons

Howard

Moore

Shackell

Seth Johnson

Brayford

Hulse

Barker

So yeah. Pity us!!!!

[Gerry Daly]

Some of you older fans seem to have completely forgotton Arthus Cox's teams. Its absolute rubbish to suggest its been all downhill since Docherty came. It went downhill to a much lower point than where we are now after Docherty and up to the point that Cox came. Then we went forward at quite a pace for about 5 years. By the time Maxwell pulled the plug we were on the very brink of repeating the success of the early to mid 70's  

 

I would argue that Ted McMinn was as big an entertainer and as big a character as anyome who played for Clough or Mackay. In fact more so than any of them except perhaps Franny Lee

[notts_ram]

This is probably part of the reason I don't mind us being in the championship, yes premier league would be quality but I don't look at it from this Derby deserve this bla bla, biggest fan base in the championship, best stadium and facilities. Most fans probably think Derby deserve to be in the premier league ahead of Wigan, do they?

 

No club deserves to be in the Premiership because it has a huge fan base, won the Fairs Cup 50 years ago, Derby are no different to anyone else. I fondly remember Wimbledon getting 4 back to back promotions and getting into the top flight when they were playing in the Isthmian League a few years prior, they used to get average home gates of about 5,000 at Plough Lane which was a dismal ground, were they any less deserving of their place in the Premiership then a sleeping giant? 

 

I have seen both sides of the coin, dismal sides playing in the old 3rd Division and also sides finishing in a European competition place in the top flight with a side full of internationals - Shilton, Wright, Saunders. 

 

The common thread I see which I can concur with is the lack of hope now, every season I looked forward to the summer transfer window with high expectations, not to sign a million pound plus player but players that would make a difference, players from overseas and foreign leagues, players on a reasonable budget which would improve the team.

 

Now we are consigned to rummaging in the bargain bin, picking up other people's left overs or players that might be good enough but only time will tell, players that just add to numbers rather than improve the quality of the team, players from clubs in a 50 mile radius from us or Scotland.

[Gerry Daly]

Yes there was always hope before, even in the darkest of dark days. Now it feels like there is none

 

Thats partly because of what is going on at Derby, but also because of the way football has gone. Now, a medium sized club like Derby has no chance of really competing in the premier league and sustaining it. The best hope is to yo yo for a bit then become a lower premier league outfit for a while. But even then the likelyhood is that it will fizzle out after a few seasons and we will be left with catasrophic debts when we eventually go back down 

[Gritstone Ram]

I just want to say 'Well done' to our supporters who regularly attend

matches at this present time.. by young , i mean any of you who were born

in the last 25-35 years. I was spoilt as a teenager , seeing the emergence of

the greatest Derby County team of all time , every match was like 'wow' this is

entertainment of the highest order'.. ( or words to that effect) . Unfortunately ,

this trend only lasted till 'The Doc' arrived imo , its been steadily downhill since then..

Entertainment in those days , would rate at least 8 out of 10.. nowadays , what you

are watching , rates about 4 out of ten , at best..

I love Derby County , and pray that , one day we will be able to , at least achieve

Premiership status , and once again we can be proud to call ourselves 'Rams fans' ,

as i say in my opening lines , i'm pleased to be associated with you 'young uns' ,

you've stuck by your club , in probably the drabbest times , certainly in my 45 years

of following the Rams..

Congrats..

You know how to rub it in don't you! You can extend the age to 40 because I just caught the end of the first division or the slide if you like. I did see the likes of Roy Mc, Kevin Hector, Charlie George and Archie Gemmell but they were all past it. My best years watching Derby were in the late 80's which coincided with me leaving school and going to away matches with my mates. I was like a kid in a sweet shop. I saw us win at old trafford, white hart lane, newcastle I loved it. I'm hoping when my kids get older I'll be back on tour but nothing will replace the 88/89 season for me.

[Leicester Ram]

How do you think I feel, the best football I've experienced is Billy Davies percentage crap 

[mozza]

You know how to rub it in don't you! You can extend the age to 40 because I just caught the end of the first division or the slide if you like. I did see the likes of Roy Mc, Kevin Hector, Charlie George and Archie Gemmell but they were all past it. My best years watching Derby were in the late 80's which coincided with me leaving school and going to away matches with my mates. I was like a kid in a sweet shop. I saw us win at old trafford, white hart lane, newcastle I loved it. I'm hoping when my kids get older I'll be back on tour but nothing will replace the 88/89 season for me.

 

i know i've stated that i've seen the best Derby County team of all time , but i dare say that if we could go

 

back to the seventies/eighties , there would be some old git on here saying we arn't a patch on the team that won

 

the F.A.Cup in 1946..

 

it's all about opinions..

[Shuff264]

I have'nt supported Derby for that long by your standard, something like 7 years when I first got into football. The first season I knew  was the promotion year, it was all a rather good start. Second year as we all well know was the year of one win. After that season it kinda dulled me to defeat and I'm just glad that were not losing week in week out.

[blackNwhites]

It's like we're attending the funeral of football in here!

[Mostyn6]

Kevin Nolan.

 

Which Premier League club did he not choose in favour of West Ham?

 

Technically, he was just promoted from the championship with Newcastle, so went from Championship to Championship.

[Asanovic]

Which Premier League club did he not choose in favour of West Ham?

 

Technically, he was just promoted from the championship with Newcastle, so went from Championship to Championship.

If you win the lottery but haven't picked your cheque up yet, you've still won the lottery.

[Mostyn6]

Some of you older fans seem to have completely forgotton Arthus Cox's teams. Its absolute rubbish to suggest its been all downhill since Docherty came. It went downhill to a much lower point than where we are now after Docherty and up to the point that Cox came. Then we went forward at quite a pace for about 5 years. By the time Maxwell pulled the plug we were on the very brink of repeating the success of the early to mid 70's  

 

I would argue that Ted McMinn was as big an entertainer and as big a character as anyome who played for Clough or Mackay. In fact more so than any of them except perhaps Franny Lee

 

 

In my lifetime, possibly the early 90s trying to win promotion era under Cox were very entertaining. Yes I loved McMinn. I also loved Mark Wright and Dean Saunders. But the time when Cox went out and spent about £13m of Lionel's money on Pembridge, Gabbiadini, Kitson, Simpson, Short, Wassall, Johnson etc was a great time.

 

Going to the Baseball ground as a 15/16 year old, trying to win every game and coming close in every game. I don't remember a boring 0-0 or 0-1 with no chances. We went for it in every game, and didn't always come out on top.

 

One of my absolute moans right now is the feeling that we NEVER actually go for it, we go through the motions and make half-hearted attempts at attacking.

 

I'd love Clough to go 'gung-ho', I think we'd be surprised just how well we'd do.

 

I'd love to go back to 1991 at the Baseball Ground and experience that again. I feel like crying thinking about it.

[Mostyn6]

If you win the lottery but haven't picked your cheque up yet, you've still won the lottery.

 

So which Premier League club did he reject?

 

My comment was that not many players choose a Championship club over a Prem club, not "not many LEAVE a Prem club" cos plenty do!

 

Jeez, if you're gonna pull me up for something, at least be right about it. I can name a bundle of Derby players who left the Prem to come to the championship!

[uttoxram75]

So which Premier League club did he reject?

 

My comment was that not many players choose a Championship club over a Prem club, not "not many LEAVE a Prem club" cos plenty do!

 

Jeez, if you're gonna pull me up for something, at least be right about it. I can name a bundle of Derby players who left the Prem to come to the championship!

Players have chosen the championship over the prem as long as the money is right, Nolan as mentioned, Bellamy another. 

Its all about the dosh.

Rooney was prepared to leave United for City - was that for the chance to win trophies or the chance to double his wedge.

 

Not really sure of your point here.

[Mostyn6]

Players have chosen the championship over the prem as long as the money is right, Nolan as mentioned, Bellamy another. 

Its all about the dosh.

Rooney was prepared to leave United for City - was that for the chance to win trophies or the chance to double his wedge.

 

Not really sure of your point here.

 

 

read the thread. My point was about Derby would NEVER sign the modern day equivalent of Stimac as a Prem club would snap him up to warm their bench. Some posters who just like to disagree with me and digressed the topic. 

[uttoxram75]

read the thread. My point was about Derby would NEVER sign the modern day equivalent of Stimac as a Prem club would snap him up to warm their bench. Some posters who just like to disagree with me and digressed the topic. 

I think people are making the point that if we had enough money we could attract that sort of player if he was available. Unless I'm totally missing your point!

[Mostyn6]

I think people are making the point that if we had enough money we could attract that sort of player if he was available. Unless I'm totally missing your point!

 

my point was that cos the Premier league sides hoard players and have big squads, a player the calibre of Stimac would never come to a club like Derby nowadays. Bearing in mind he was an established international and captain and had played European football etc... he wasn't unknown. Someone would snap him up in the prem now.

 

He wasn't that expensive to us.