What make you a Derby Fan

[RamNut]

Me brother took me. 
dave Mackay, Kevin Hector, Willie Carlin, Alan Hinton, les green......I blame that lot.

[CBRammette]

My dad Derby mad - he went everywhere with them and young me got a nice collection of foreign dolls from his travels! Moved away and he stopped going and then he took me to cup run of 83-84 think it was. Remember first time at baseball ground - in season ticket pen half way along pop side - couldnt see a thing as i was short, it was packed, fences, wire at top but mayhem and we won - absolutely loved it and that was it. Couldnt support anyone else and not bothered watching football that much otherwise

[Red_ram]

Being born in Derby is the obvious main reason...

but I wasn’t bothered about watching football until aged about 9, my best mates dad was team doctor for the day, as the usual one wasn’t available, so took us both along with him. Got to see the behind the scenes, sit in directors box and see us beat Swindon 3-1. Hooked. FYI he only had to stitch up lee mills’ eyebrow.

[Mick Brolly]

Can't really remember must be in my DNA youth ?

[Turk Thrust]

Born and bred in Derby. Lived until I was 8 in Abingdon Street in earshot of the BBG. My Dad was a big fan. Moved to Dairyhouse Rd even nearer until I was 15 when we finished up in Chaddesden.  I left Derby in 1976 for Brum and then to London where I am still. My nearest team is Orient  and then West Ham but it will always be Derby first  

My first recollections of going to a Rams match was about 1952. Think it was to see Stanley Matthews. 

In my schooldays virtually everyone supported Derby. None of this Man U fixation. 

[superzak]

My dad took me too the BBG  to show me where the ground was once..i was 11. After that it was me and my mates. I missed out on the Dad takes son to football as soon as he can walk ,so i never saw a game in the 1960s, but i remedied that by taking both my lads at a very young age and they are both Rams Fans. Sadly none of the 4 grand kids have the slightest interest in football so it looks like the end of an era. I too have mostly lost interest in going now for a lot of reasons other people have stated above.

[Ellafella]

2 hours ago, Curtains said:

Was it this one !

The very same.

[A Ram for All Seasons]

I grew up in Peartree and the floodlights at the Normanton End used to light up my bedroom, so it was only a matter of time before I would  inevitably go to a game. My first game was against Millwall in 1967, which was one of the first games with the young manager Brian Clough in charge. The rest is history.

[King Kevin]

2 hours ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

Why was Hinton called Gladys, and why does everyone go on about his handbag?

I'm sure someone has told me the reason before, but I can't remember.

When he came to Derby a few Derby players questioned his courage ,Cloughie took them out onto the pitch at the BBG and asked them if they fancied running down the wing with a drop onto the terracing just a few feet away with tackles flying in .

Great player was Gladys .

 

[whaley bridge Ram]

Difficult for me most of my family were Utd or city so we’re most of my school mates with the odd Ram thrown in my dad was Derby my neighbours were Derby none of us has any connection to the Derby area 

its still difficult for any young ones supporting Derby in this area but we get through it don’t we   It’s in the DNA as they say COYRS 

[IslandExile]

I was born in Derby 1960. My Dad a Forest fan, my Mum a red Manc. As a toddler, I supported whoever won the FA Cup.

Aged around 8, around chrimbo '68, I decided I needed a team for life and went with my birthplace. Got heavily into it.

Won an essay competition at school in 1970: "who would you most like to meet?". Kevin Hector, of course. The prize - attend a training session, held at the BBG rather than Raynesway. First time I met BC. Went in his office, autograph, handshake. Honestly didn't wash my hand for days.

A lot in this thread have mentioned Gladys and his white boots. Best Christmas present I've ever had was a pair of them.

Until I was old enough to go with friends, I relied on my Dad and a neighbour to take me to games, sitting in the Ley stand. Then a few games at the Ossie end before becoming a popside season ticket holder. Traveled around the UK, then Canada, but still got back for a few games, now exiled on the Isle of Wight.

Don't get to many games nowadays, just once this season, but watch all I can on Sky and RamsTV. This forum keeps me close so it's important to me.

COYR ?

[irobinson]

Grandad was a Ram, Dad was a Ram, Uncle was a Ram - I was stamped when I came out.

Never waned - your football team picks you

Lifelong Fan

When you want a definition of plastics....look to those who pick a "big" team or a team in Vogue at that time

 

[Philmycock]

What's the alternative?

[MuespachRam]

8 hours ago, Ambitious said:

In a former life I must've killed a really, really lovely person and this is my punishment. 

No other reason. 

I love this post...exactly how I feel, I always tell my wife (after yet another heartbreaking performance in the play off finals or big Fa Cup game) that I reckon I was Genghis Khan in a previous life...

foe the record, I chose them because one of the Neighbours took me to the 4-1 Forest game and that was It...All my family had (and still have) zero Interest in football when I was growing up, I always tell Dad that he gave me a lifetime of pain because of this, he is from Manchester and if he had been a United fan I would have been too....that fool.! 

[Raich Carter]

9 hours ago, Van Cone De Head said:

My Dad told me too.

Exactly what I did to mine. His Uncle brought him a wolves baby grow. I burned it. And sent him the video. 

[ScamRam]

1 hour ago, MuespachRam said:

I love this post...exactly how I feel, I always tell my wife (after yet another heartbreaking performance in the play off finals or big Fa Cup game) that I reckon I was Genghis Khan in a previous life...

foe the record, I chose them because one of the Neighbours took me to the 4-1 Forest game and that was It...All my family had (and still have) zero Interest in football when I was growing up, I always tell Dad that he gave me a lifetime of pain because of this, he is from Manchester and if he had been a United fan I would have been too....that fool.! 

So close, born in Manchester too, all family are Reds, but raised without an affinity to Man Utd. An article in a Maths book in 1973 as a 9 yr old said 'Arsenal 0 Derby 2' so took an interest. First game was that same 4-1 against Forest in Nov 78 I think, John Duncan scored twice, been hooked ever since. Would loved to have been born in Derby but my life is what it is, still feel I bleed black and white. Son and Daughter now both Rams!

[rsmini]

Born in a council house in Littleover in 1961 in a bad snow storm. The ambulance couldn’t get through but a midwife somehow did on her bike. Mum and dad worked hard but in those days wages were very low so my mates dad used to take us both along through the backstreets of Normanton to the  BBG when we were about 6. We could hear the BBG crowd from the back garden and just had to be part of it. The BBG was a special place and we saw many brilliant games. Especially under Cloughie and Dave Mackay. 
 

I definitely bleed black and white and DCFC are in my DNA. I can trace my late dads family in Derby right back to the late 1800’s when the family moved here to work on the railways. I’m a proud Derby lad, born and bred. Never like to hear a bad word said about the City or Derbyshire. Supporting anyone else has never crossed my mind 

‘It’s in my DNA Youth’ 

[Mucker1884]

Absolutely non of my family were into football, let alone DCFC.  Dad liked a little flutter on the gee-gee's of a Saturday afternoon.  The rest were girls! 

It was my next door neighbour, a fishmonger in the Market Hall, who happened upon free tickets (I think?), and invited me along.  I was 12.  Had a kick about virtually every day after school, but had no allegiance to any team.

The day came, along with the sunshine.  A crappy nil-nil ensued, and yet the smiles, the cheers, and the jovial atmosphere never waned.  Even the accusations that the players were pissed was met with an accepting shrug of the shoulders, and broad smiles!  . I wasn't even sure why, and even wondered why nobody left at the final whistle... and then from nowhere, all was revealed... Players returned to the pitch in Daz White tracky tops.  They were soon joined by the shiniest, silverest, most stunning jewel I had ever set eyes on... glistening in the sunlight, almost hurting my eyes, even at a distance, from high up in The Ley Stand.  A trophy so beautiful, I didn't want my eyes to ever lose sight of it again. 
We were the finest team in the land.  It was official.  We were numero uno.  Champions.  Just like that.  Just one game.  That's all it took!  This was gonna be an absolute doddle!  The rest of my football supporting life was going to be a breeze.  A delight! 

I say "We", as they were now my team.  How could they not be!  No need for glory hunting... this was right on my doorstep.  My local team.  There was nothing to consider.  No choice to make.  It was made for me... on 26th April, 1975.  ? ? ?

[admira]

My favourite TV programme as a kid was Hectors House. I found about Kevin Hector, put two and two together and 45 years of misery has passed. 

[Steve Buckley’s Dog]

My great gran drank with Steve Bloomer, my grandad was at Wembley in 1946, my dad was there when we beat Liverpool to essentially win the league championship and I saw Alan Ramage, mick coop and Barry Powell grace the turf. How could I ever be anything else.