It's in your DNA, youth

[EnzaRam]

In the middle of the Frank storm, I could do with a break.

DCFC wasn't in my DNA, but it's in my heart. I was born in Warrington to a dad that was a rugby league 'pro', and arrived in Derby aged 5.

I grew up in Ripley, got interested in football and ended up with a step dad that started taking me to the baseball ground at age 9.  And the deal was sealed. I've only had 12 season tickets in my 47 years because work and family stuff dictate.

I still follow the Wire, but DCFC became my life from late teens onwards, and I'm nearly 50 FFS. 

I met my better half on a train back from London in 97 after Chelsea bummed us in the midday kick off the day before. She's a Sheffield Wednesday fan and her and my eldest have season tickets up there.

Daughter 2 followed me down the right path, and she's my Pride Park company. Daughter 3 the youngest, ride's horses scarily well and we had a lad who got cancer at 7 and we lost him when he was 10, it was awful.

Football at Derby and Wednesday has been a glue that has held us together as a family and still does. I think my girls think I'm one of the most over protective dad's there could be, and I can't tell them why.

So if you were just born into the club or it became your club, I wouldn't mind hearing why?

[Ramslad1992]

I’ve never lived in Derby and my family are from Shropshire originally (I now live in Lincoln) but my grandad was in the forces and had no interest in football whatsoever... in the late 60’s he met a mate who was a Derby fan who asked him to go with him and the rest is history, he was hooked my dad was born to be a Derby fan, I was born to be a Derby fan and my 2 year old daughter can already say ‘come on Derby’ ?

Also sorry for your loss... I’m currently on a weekend trip to LEGOLAND with mine and the thought of losing her is my worst nightmare, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone.

[GenBr]

Had no choice - was born into it. Technically was born in Nottingham, but lived my entire life in Derbyshire to this point and would have been disowned if i supported anyone else.

[Fraser_23]

Born in Derby, nobody in my family supports Derby enough to go to games. Dads a Liverpool fan and mum and sister not interested in football. 

Always loved going to games with mates who had spare tickets on odd games etc, or when my dad would surprise me with some cheap tickets.

Started going with my grandad to the cup games that were £1 when I didn’t have a season ticket. Take him less regularly now due to Alzheimer’s as it’s very confusing for him. 

Bought a season ticket 7 years ago with my mate and have been going to every game since. Absolutely love it and is what I look forward to every week. 

[MACKWORTHRAM]

Derby born and bred. 

My Grandad has been watching Derby for about 75 years.

He then took my Dad when he was a boy.

My Dad then took me to my first game in 1993.

And the season just gone was my 5 year old son's first season ticket.

And now we all go together. 4 generations ranging from 85 to 5.

It's in our blood.

[BramcoteRam84]

Derby born. Old man saw the glory years,  his old man was a fan and my Nan got into it because she’s Reg Harrison’s cousin and followed him. Still listens to every game at 93 years old! As long as it doesn’t clash with Corrie anyway!

However with my mum’s side I could’ve been a glory supporter. She’s a Manc and grew up a Utd fan, as was my auntie and both my uncles who were season ticket holders and one of them even saw Utd win the cup winners cup in Rotterdam. Their mum (my other nan) and the rest of the family in Manc are all city! My other grandad in all of this was from durham and was a Newcastle fan.  

Derby has always been my club and always will be (more so given I now live on the dark side in Nottingham ) Been a season ticket holder since 1996 (with the exception of 4 years) .  As a second team I was happy when utd won champs league in 1999 though I’m ashamed to admit it, I genuinely followed Newcastle for my grandad when he died but they’re so poo and Mike Ashley means I can’t be arsed with that anymore, have a soft spot for City so they’re probably my second team right now. They were mostly poo when my Nan was alive, she’s missed all the recent league titles and I just love pep so they are my premier league team.  If the rams got in there then forget that!

City could lose and I still enjoy my weekend wine, Derby lose the bottle is thrown at the tele or radio and I don’t speak to my wife and kids for the rest of the weekend! 

[Igorlegend11]

37 minutes ago, EnzaRam said:

In the middle of the Frank storm, I could do with a break.

DCFC wasn't in my DNA, but it's in my heart. I was born in Warrington to a dad that was a rugby league 'pro', and arrived in Derby aged 5.

I grew up in Ripley, got interested in football and ended up with a step dad that started taking me to the baseball ground at age 9.  And the deal was sealed. I've only had 12 season tickets in my 47 years because work and family stuff dictate.

I still follow the Wire, but DCFC became my life from late teens onwards, and I'm nearly 50 FFS. 

I met my better half on a train back from London in 97 after Chelsea bummed us in the midday kick off the day before. She's a Sheffield Wednesday fan and her and my eldest have season tickets up there.

Daughter 2 followed me down the right path, and she's my Pride Park company. Daughter 3 the youngest, ride's horses scarily well and we had a lad who got cancer at 7 and we lost him when he was 10, it was awful.

Football at Derby and Wednesday has been a glue that has held us together as a family and still does. I think my girls think I'm one of the most over protective dad's there could be, and I can't tell them why.

So if you were just born into the club or it became your club, I wouldn't mind hearing why?

Does your wife know any good tunes you could memorise and secretly start to sing at PP ?

In mid 70's I was just starting to read the newspaper each day (sports pages). Derby, manure, city a d Liverpool filled the top 4 spots and were shown in table extracts on back page most days.  Made me want to support a top team.  I chose Derby.  And downhill we went under various mangers after Dave Mackay was inexplicably sacked.    I cried reading Leighton James had left/been sold on the back page one morning

 

 

[MackworthRamIsGod]

41 minutes ago, EnzaRam said:

In the middle of the Frank storm, I could do with a break.

DCFC wasn't in my DNA, but it's in my heart. I was born in Warrington to a dad that was a rugby league 'pro', and arrived in Derby aged 5.

I grew up in Ripley, got interested in football and ended up with a step dad that started taking me to the baseball ground at age 9.  And the deal was sealed. I've only had 12 season tickets in my 47 years because work and family stuff dictate.

I still follow the Wire, but DCFC became my life from late teens onwards, and I'm nearly 50 FFS. 

I met my better half on a train back from London in 97 after Chelsea bummed us in the midday kick off the day before. She's a Sheffield Wednesday fan and her and my eldest have season tickets up there.

Daughter 2 followed me down the right path, and she's my Pride Park company. Daughter 3 the youngest, ride's horses scarily well and we had a lad who got cancer at 7 and we lost him when he was 10, it was awful.

Football at Derby and Wednesday has been a glue that has held us together as a family and still does. I think my girls think I'm one of the most over protective dad's there could be, and I can't tell them why.

So if you were just born into the club or it became your club, I wouldn't mind hearing why?

Derby born and bred, but my dad was from Derby and my mum from Sheffield.

My first game was 1-1 against Man City when Saunders scored a screamer.

My dad's side were all Derby, my mum's side were all Sheff Wednesday, so I've always kept an eye out for that fixture.

I have a soft spot for Wednesday but bloody love beating them.

[MACKWORTHRAM]

Infact when I think of what my Dad and Grandad have seen compared to what I have had to endure I envy them.

If I look at it from when I was say 16 (2003) it's pretty much been absolutely horrendous ??

[IslandExile]

Born Derby (Nightingale) 1960.

Won an essay competition at school in 1970 - person I'd most like to meet: Kevin Hector. Prize: attended a training session at the Baseball Ground, led by the man himself, BC. "Young man, I suppose you want my autograph". After shaking his hand, I didn't wash it for a week. Got autographs of most of the players but ironically missed Zak, only to get it years later.

My Dad was a Forest fan first but a football fan second, so he took me to some games, neighbors took me to others, but it wasn't until the start of the demise in the late 70s that I became a popside season ticket holder.

Then traveled around.. York, Manchester, Toronto, Cambridge, Glasgow and now the Isle of Wight.

My son supports Southampton but I buy him Derby shirts. He's also a fan of football.

I now rely heavily on Sky and RamsTV but I'm still Derby County through and through. UTR ?

[EnzaRam]

12 minutes ago, Igorlegend11 said:

Does your wife know any good tunes you could memorise and secretly start to sing at PP ?

Lol, they are already obessed ?

[Day]

I was born in Derby, lived there for around 18 years before moving out the area. Was taken to odd games in the late 80’s at the Baseball Ground by my Dad, couldn’t tell you the first game, was when tickets were going spare at work I believe or cousins who were away at the time.

Probably 4/5 games at most a year, my Dad I think was more into the betting than the football so was never a regular thing. I wasn’t dragged to every game as a kid and loaded with crisps and sweets off to the toilet every 5 minutes. 

Used to listen to games in my room on the radio, watch the goals fly in on Teletext so kinda developed my love for the game on my own and supporting Derby was never a question, although I admit to stealing my sisters boyfriend at the time Liverpool shorts. Michael Owen was a wonderkid on Championship manager who I signed on every game and was breaking through, developed a bit of a boy crush on him and looked out for Liverpool’s results.

Was bought my first season ticket the first year at Pride Park for completing school, went with 2 mates, not that I deserved it as such, my grades were terrible. White book it was with the Ram and yellow banner/scarf under the Ram, back in the days where you had your ticket ripped out the book by someone that could barely fit in the turnstile booth. Beat Liverpool on the final day, Wanchope my new hero...then Michael Owen scored that goal in the summer v Argentina, I was still a little smitten. 

If I’m honest the Liverpool thing probably has never gone away, not saying I’m a fan so don’t get any funny ideas, just a soft spot for them as you do. 

Took my Mum along to see the Queen driven round the pitch waving as she went. That season also went to my first away games, Bolton first then Everton which was an experience. Almost thrown off the bus for taunting the Everton fans with our flag which saw a brick and bottles thrown at the window. Wanchope scored the winner, can’t a man celebrate?

Received my first shirt for Christmas which was the 93/95, black sleeves and pin stripes, although weirdly I seem to remember being given the 91/93 shorts either the same year or the year before. And they were short shorts!

There wasn’t one day where I announced myself as a Ram, it’s just something that was me, even with the Liverpool soft spot there was no real should I support them moment, it was never debated in my mind, I was a Ram, that’s who I was. Even at school I don’t recall seeing Man United or other club shirts anywhere, it was either Derby or didn’t like football. 

Guess Sky changed the game, exposed the bigger clubs more to younger fans, social media and YouTube clips luring them into the top clubs. 

[EnzaRam]

49 minutes ago, Ramslad1992 said:

Also sorry for your loss... I’m currently on a weekend trip to LEGOLAND with mine and the thought of losing her is my worst nightmare, I wouldn’t wish it on anyone

Hold her close mate, mine now treat me like a total oddball for constantly interfering with their social calendar, they're the best thing ever 

[Millenniumram]

Derby born and raised here. Mums an arsenal fan, bizzarely her side of the family tried to get me to be an Ipswich fan when I was a kid (not so bizzare given they lived there for a long time but still). Luckily my dad intervened on that one so all that remains on that is a couple of pictures of 3/4 year old me in an Ipswich kit which will never Be shown to the world?. Went to my first Derby match in 2004 I think with my Derby supporting dad and grandad. Runs through the generations, and I’ll make sure it’s the same with my kids if I can manage it?. Think I was only a home member at first, season ticket holder roughly when I joined this place I think. Sadly my grandad passed away a few years back now but I still always go with my dad, try to do as many away games as possible nowadays as well. Sadly my dad had to have a triple heart bypass a few weeks ago, but it all seems to have gone well, will be missing all of pre season this year (save for maybe the home fixture which we’ve got planned as one to maybe go to to see whether he’s recovered, as that’s the date the docs said he should be getting there by), but we should be back first home game of the season!

[RamNut]

Born here. Always lived here apart from when away at college and a brief period abroad.

went to my first match aged about 8 or 9. Maybe it was fortunate that the team included les green, willie carlin, kevin hector, alan hinton, and dave mackay. I was in awe of those players and still think that that was the best Derby team of all time. Whatever it was i was hooked. Continued to follow the team through even the darkest, crappest times.

sometimes i think it would be nice not to be hooked. To not have to go and not to have to arrange my life around whether Derby are at playing at home etc. I even got married on a friday to avoid clashing with the fixtures. For every other wedding i've been to i can remember exactly who Derby were playing and what game i was missing. 

The person i'd most like to meet probably is Kevin Hector, but i wouldn't know what to say to him other than, "thanks kev, you were fookin brilliant and we all bloody love you".

 

[Stagtime]

Born in Mundubbera, Central Queensland. Both my parents emigrated over here as a result of WW2. Mum’s from the Black Forest area in Germany and Dad was born in Derby (Shardlow). Both my grandfathers fought in the war for either side, Mum’s father never made it back. As a toddler dad and his older brother were abandoned by there mother while there dad was at war and placed in a orphanage and as a result sent to Australia and told that both there parents were dead. I knew were dad was from and back in the 70’s we didn’t get much info about your football but I can tell you exactly where we were when we heard on the radio that Derby had won the league in 75. As a result I followed them from afar, checking results in our local papers every week. In 2014 we decided to move to London for a while for work and that’s when I started to really understand what  your passion for the badge is all about. Since then I’ve been lucky enough to get back over for at least 1 match per season even organising flying over for The Wembley match last month. The best part is I have been able to find some relatives from Derby that I catch up with every time we are over there.

Sorry about your young fella mate.

[BramcoteRam84]

9 minutes ago, RamNut said:

Born here. Always lived here apart from when away at college and a brief period abroad.

went to my first match aged about 8 or 9. Maybe it was fortunate that the team included les green, willie carlin, kevin hector, alan hinton, and dave mackay. I was in awe of those players and still think that that was the best Derby team of all time. Whatever it was i was hooked. Continued to follow the team through even the darkest, crappest times.

sometimes i think it would be nice not to be hooked. To not have to go and not to have to arrange my life around whether Derby are at playing at home etc. I even got married on a friday to avoid clashing with the fixtures. For every other wedding i've been to i can remember exactly who Derby were playing and what game i was missing. 

The person i'd most like to meet probably is Kevin Hector, but i wouldn't know what to say to him other than, "thanks kev, you were fookin brilliant and we all bloody love you".

 

Good bloke. He was our postman growing up and because our parents told us who he was we did his job for him on our street!!

Crazy isnt it! Arguably the greatest player in our history, won two league titles, yet he was a postman and drove a Honda Civic!

[RamNut]

2 minutes ago, BramcoteRam84 said:

Good bloke. He was our postman growing up and because our parents told us who he was we did his job for him on our street!!

Crazy isnt it! Arguably the greatest player in our history, won two league titles, yet he was a postman and drove a Honda Civic!

Thats what makes him even greater. He just got on with it. I went to watch the ex-Rams at Belper once, just to see him. You could spot him a mile off just by the way he stood and moved, he was the most beautifully balanced player of all time. 

[RadioactiveWaste]

Mam was Derby tup.

However, after being born in Bonny Dundee and living Fife when small, a return to the shire aged five made it inevitable. Only delay was not really being good at or liking football until my late teens, far too bookish. well i never got good at it full stop.

[Loftyhites]

Lived in Swadlincote all my life. First game - Dad took me to see Bobby Campbell and Bobby Davison upfront and former England international Dave Watson at centre back. John Robertson on the wing and the return of Archie Gemmill. We lost 5-0 at home to Chelsea that day and got relegated to the third tier at the end of the season. Been going ever since. I love Derby.

 

A few years later David Nish was our milkman and the kids in the street helped him deliver.