End of Season review-Daisy Cutter

[Leicester Ram]

1/ How did your club fare compared to your pre-season hopes/expectation?

Was hoping for a top two finish or top four at the very least. I couldn't imagine us not getting promoted.

2/ 2014/15 highlight?

Beating Wolves 5-0 in the pouring rain was great, the atmosphere in the south stand was as good as ever and we played the sort of football you came to expect from McClaren's Derby. Drawing away at Bournemouth was also quite enjoyable, we kept coming back at them and I really felt like we were going places when we dominated the second half against the eventual champions.

3/ Season’s low point?

Losing 2-0 away at Fulham. I'd made the trip down, expecting to finally see George Thorne back in a Derby shirt and Chris Martin back on the bench. Neither of them were fit and we put in a diabolical performance that saw the start of our slide.

4/ Player of the year

Will Hughes has been the best player on the pitch in most games this year.

5/ Was there a particular goal/moment that got you out of your seat?

No, I don't jump off my seat when my team score, unlike the rest of you uncivilised hoodlums.

6/ Player you’d be happiest see leave this summer

Cyrus Christie, he's got potential but, considering we paid next to nothing for him,  I'd rather take a decent fee for him and spend it on getting the likes of Andre Wisdom, Tom Ince and Darren Bent back at the club.

7/ Want your manager to still be in charge for next term?

I'd have kept McClaren, but then again, I'd have also kept Clough.

8/ You can go back in time and offer the gaffer one bit of advice prior to the season just gone based on what you know is to come. What would it be?

Don't play George Thorne in the pre-season friendly against Zenit. Or spend all our money on that Harry Kane lad, just got a hunch about him.

9/ Which opposing player received the loudest boos and which opposing player impressed you the most?

Can't think of anyone we booed in particular, but I'd say Eden Hazard was alright in the Capital One Cup. 

10/ If at all, how did the media’s portrayal of your club in 2014/15 differ from the reality?

Yes, we were all just too concerned with the possibility of our manager going to play football, apparently.

 

 

[Leicester Ram]

I think my biggest regret was trying to answer these questions on an iPad 

[Tombo]

Actually, if I could go back and give one bit of advice to Mac it would be "don't deviate from whatever ideas you're about to put in place" and then I'd proceed to bet everything I have on Derby to finish 8th. We'd still miss out on promotion but I'd be ******* loaded.

[ColonelBlimp]

Right, here's the final text/answers. Tried to present a balanced view without any particular individual prejudices.

I shall email this to the Daisy Cutter tomorrow and pretty soon I'm sure it'll be on the front page!

 

With big thanks from the regular game-goers over at http://dcfcfans.uk/ whose views were canvassed to compile these answers. This is not one man’s opinion but the aggregated views of many and therefore a truer representation. M’lud.

 

1/ How did your club fare compared to your pre-season hopes/expectation?

 

The pre-season expectation was that a play-off spot was the least we expected and we’d have been content with that and the opportunity to maybe sneak top two.

Even with our poor form in March and April we still only needed a point at home to Reading in the last game to make sure.

            After that game, just massive disappointment and a side-salad of anger.

           

 

2/ 2014/15 highlight?

 

Wolves at home in November, 5-0. At this point we were top of the league and the football in this game hit the heights of those of the previous season.

 

3/ Season’s low point?

 

The last game at home to Reading. We only needed one sodding point at home to an average team with nothing to play for but we lost 0-3. Hopeless, Woeful and Clueless performance.

 

4/ Player of the year

 

If Chris Martin has stayed fit then he would probably have nicked it, instead it’s Will Hughes who has been consistently impressive this season.

 

5/ Was there a particular goal/moment that got you out of your seat?

 

Plenty to choose from, both good (4th goal against Wolves) and bad (Birmingham’s equaliser in Fergie time to make it 2-2 after we’d been 2-0 up with 90 on the clock)

            Probably Tom Ince’s debut free kick goal at home to Bolton though.

 

6/ Player you’d be happiest see leave this summer

 

Conor Sammon, been out on loan to Ipswich and Rotherham and scored 4 times. In 34 games. Apparently he’s a striker. Fairly popular though as always gives 100%.

 

7/ Want your manager to still be in charge for next term?

 

            If our new Head Coach (as we call them) Paul Clement is not around at the start of the season I would be very surprised.

 

 

8/ You can go back in time and offer the gaffer one bit of advice prior to the season just gone based on what you know is to come. What would it be?

 

Say a big loud NO to Newcastle and 100% commit to the club. And instead of loaning Jesse Lingard, get a decent Defence Midfielder loan in instead.

 

9/ Which opposing player received the loudest boos and which opposing player impressed you the most?

 

Most booed player was probably Patrick Bamford (Boro loan from Chelsea) because he’s a red dog and we’re all kind of childish like that aren’t we?

 

Players that impressed were Jota and Alex Pritchard (Spurs loanee) at Brentford, Saul Deeney at Watford and Callum Wilson at Bournemouth.

 

10/ If at all, how did the media’s portrayal of your club in 2014/15 differ from the reality?

 

According to the media, we were buying the league, splashing the cash etc when in reality we spent very little. We weren’t paying a lot of the wages of Ince and Bent so they were relatively cheap. Fulham spent £11 Million on Ross McCormack Even plucky little old Bournemouth offered Birmingham £5 million for Demarai Gray in January whilst we spent £650,000 on Raul Albentosa and £2.5 million on George Thorne.

They also kept the ‘McClaren to Newcastle’ fires stoked, which may have transmitted uncertainty through the board and the fans to the players.

 

It was probably the media’s fault we didn’t get promoted. Probably.

[Kernow]

 

9/ Which opposing player received the loudest boos and which opposing player impressed you the most?

Saul Deeney at Watford

​Just can't him out of your head!

[ColonelBlimp]

​Just can't him out of your head!

​Of fffffffffff aaaarrgghhh!!