Changing the narrative…

[Dan_Ram]

There have been some really valid points on here and elsewhere over the last few days about the conduct of the EFL, not acting in good faith towards clubs, actively seeking to impose punishments that threaten the existence of a member club, not considering impact on both ourselves and Wycombe in terms of planning for the new season, their judgements seeming to be driven by a vendetta against the club, and not to even mention the severe impact this is having on the mental health of supporters from affected clubs. Then we have the arguments around impartiality and bias of the EFL as well as the ethical grounds (considering they previously signed off the accounts) for pursuing this, and as the club have confirmed, doubts of the legality of a points deduction for a technical accounting error.

My point is, tabloids and click bait websites all over the internet just assumes that Derby are guilty and that we deserve every punishment we get. Some of the headlines I’ve seen like ‘championship club caught systematically cheating’ are clearly libellous and misinformed (probably intentionally to gain views)…

… but is there anything we as fans can do to change the narrative?

Why arent any impartial news outlets or investigative journalists criticising or investigating the (at best) shady conduct of a supposed governing body? Surely if found to be true you would have a bigger story on your hands there. 
 

I know plenty of people will say ‘fans won’t be able to achieve anything’ but people laughed when the prospect of going down and supporting the lads on the last day of the season were raised, yet I honestly believe that was the extra 1% that saw us over the line against Wednesday.

I just feel like a little kid watching his older brother getting beaten up by a bunch of thugs, knowing that there’s nothing we can do to help. But is there? Crowdfunding the 100k fine with a damning message regarding the EFL corruption has been suggested, surely banners, protests, chanting against the EFL at the first game is a must? - I don’t know if people have seen the Legia Warsaw Vs UEFA pig banner before..

 Time for a bit of fan action against the EFL. What else can we do?

[Tyler Durden]

I agree we need to start changing the narrative from being victims to accepting the consequences of what our current chairman has done to the club to get us into this position.

The sooner we do that then we can move on hopefully with a new owner to boot and draw a line under the whole sorry episode.

[BramcoteRam84]

4 hours ago, Tyler Durden said:

I agree we need to start changing the narrative from being victims to accepting the consequences of what our current chairman has done to the club to get us into this position.

The sooner we do that then we can move on hopefully with a new owner to boot and draw a line under the whole sorry episode.

The consequences being a £100k fine which I’m sure we will accept, but sadly the EFL won’t.

And if our re-submitted accounts comply with the spending limits for which there is growing consensus they will, then we haven’t gained an advantage, and not done a lot wrong making this whole thing an unnecessary witch-hunt, whatever you think of Mel Morris, Stephen Pearce or your extreme and constant negativity towards the club in general.

[Eatonram]

5 hours ago, Tyler Durden said:

I agree we need to start changing the narrative from being victims to accepting the consequences of what our current chairman has done to the club to get us into this position.

The sooner we do that then we can move on hopefully with a new owner to boot and draw a line under the whole sorry episode.

You could always vote with your feet. You do not have to support DCFC other clubs are available. As long as you close the door on your way out. 

[mrdave85]

From what I’ve seen a lot of it is viewed as Derby being the ones who won’t accept the punishment and move on.

Every time there’s an appeal non DCFC fans will assume it’s the club. From an outside point of view if you read that Derby have been given a £100k fine and it’s being appealed against, who would you think is making that appeal? 
You wouldn’t think it was the EFL, who the ruling is in favour of, would you?

[Eatonram]

3 minutes ago, mrdave85 said:

From what I’ve seen a lot of it is viewed as Derby being the ones who won’t accept the punishment and move on.

Every time there’s an appeal non DCFC fans will assume it’s the club. From an outside point of view if you read that Derby have been given a £100k fine and it’s being appealed against, who would you think is making that appeal? 
You wouldn’t think it was the EFL, who the ruling is in favour of, would you?

Good point though it is mainly our supporters sayin we should just take the punishment and move on. We would take the punishment if only the efl would let us. They won’t. 

[mrdave85]

2 minutes ago, Eatonram said:

Good point though it is mainly our supporters sayin we should just take the punishment and move on. We would take the punishment if only the efl would let us. They won’t. 

I’ve glanced comments on paper websites/the Athletic/ other forums and there’s the same vibe.

Other fans think we are the ones dragging this on. 

[Day]

I wouldn’t take the punishment out of principle, but then I can understand why the club would just to settle it and be allowed to move on.

Whilst you have the likes of Gibson and Wycombe threatening to take legal action, the EFL will continue to appeal to show they have done everything in their power. 

My concern now is there is genuine tension between the club and the EFL, this might calm once Mel has completed the sale of the club, just fear that we will be scrutinised for any minor infraction now and on their radar.

With the club statements made, we have embarrassed them, shown the EFL up as the incompetent organisation it is, and that will have ruffled some big feathers.

Some would argue, we should have kept quiet, rolled over, but let’s not forget how this tension really all started, way back when Mel was the one actively fighting for better TV deals to benefit the entire Football League gaining support along the way.

I agree with @Dan_Ram, as fans of this club we should be doing our bit to change the narrative to the real issue here which should be a huge story.

Unfortunately though, the vocal fans we do have are using their voices to continue with their anger towards the club from top to bottom.

We have no chance of this happening and I find that kinda sad in all honesty, doesn’t feel like we have any togetherness at all right now. Some will argue that’s Mel’s fault for the way he’s run the club, but that’s missing the point here which Dan has made in this thread.

When you see other clubs like Leeds for example, blatantly cheating with spying on training sessions they were out in force over Derby forums and social media defending their club.

Us? We even had fans saying so what, they spied on our training sessions preparing to play them and that’s the difference.

Keogh, rather than look at what he did to this club, we have fans out there going through employment laws section 2b on page 456 that says we did wrong. 

Forget the fact that the club captain refused a taxi home and stayed out with young lads, one of which had been drinking to get over the loss of his mum, get in a car with them. 

No no, 2b in the employment law, page 456 ffs says we should have sacked them all, wanting us to write off one of our most valuable assets that could still perform for the club and actually needed an arm round him, some support as the young man tries to get over the loss of his mum. 

I really dislike Leeds, REALLY dislike Leeds but I can’t help but respect the togetherness through right or wrong, that is there club and nobody shall attack it.

I’m sure you could link this to the atmosphere between the 2 grounds as well, feels like we’re waiting to boo rather than get behind the team.

As a disclaimer to this I do feel there are times when you cannot support, a player that has been racist for example, found guilty, but in fairness I don’t think he’s been that popular since with them.

[Pip McStudly]

Mel always has a sneaky plan, how about forming a breakaway league where we can’t get relegated and we’ll call it something like:

Football

United

Council

Key

 

To

Help

Everyone

 

Except

Football

League

Now taking suggestions for the logo…

[Gone]

I’d love it (I’ve gone all Kevin Keegan) if we made the playoff final (either champ or L1) next season and won, the players didn’t go and get the trophy. They completely ignore the EFL dignitaries and just celebrate with us fans, giving it a big two fingers to EFL in front of millions on TV. Duck the EFL ringing loud around Wembley. I think out of all this, one good thing is bringing the club together again a with siege mentality of we’re all in this together. 

ps I don’t think either will happen, playoff final and not getting the trophy. But one can dream. 

[NottsRammy]

The only thing fans can do is travel in large numbers to preston or london for a demonstration to gain news coverage outside efl headquarters . 

Edited June 26, 2021 by NottsRammy

[Tyler Durden]

1 hour ago, Eatonram said:

You could always vote with your feet. You do not have to support DCFC other clubs are available. As long as you close the door on your way out. 

Have a laughing emoji on me for a ridiculous comment. 

[Tyler Durden]

1 hour ago, BramcoteRam84 said:

then we haven’t gained an advantage, and not done a lot wrong making this whole thing an unnecessary witch-hunt, whatever you think of Mel Morris, Stephen Pearce or your extreme and constant negativity towards the club in general.

It's not negativity towards the club though is it, let's get that bit right. It's the current owner.

And as soon as people start mentioning witch hunt and constant then it just smacks of extremism to try and make their point appear more valid. 

[NottsRammy]

46 minutes ago, TexasRam said:

I’d love it (I’ve gone all Kevin Keegan) if we made the playoff final (either champ or L1) next season and won, the players didn’t go and get the trophy. They completely ignore the EFL dignitaries and just celebrate with us fans, giving it a big two fingers to EFL in front of millions on TV. Duck the EFL ringing loud around Wembley. I think out of all this, one good thing is bringing the club together again a with siege mentality of we’re all in this together. 

ps I don’t think either will happen, playoff final and not getting the trophy. But one can dream. 

I have to admit that came to my mind and would love it if on national tv that happened .

[RoyMac5]

50 minutes ago, TexasRam said:

I’d love it (I’ve gone all Kevin Keegan) if we made the playoff final (either champ or L1) next season and won, the players didn’t go and get the trophy. They completely ignore the EFL dignitaries and just celebrate with us fans, giving it a big two fingers to EFL in front of millions on TV. Duck the EFL ringing loud around Wembley. I think out of all this, one good thing is bringing the club together again a with siege mentality of we’re all in this together. 

ps I don’t think either will happen, playoff final and not getting the trophy. But one can dream. 

That would be childish and pointless.

It's time to be the bigger club (again). That should bring about a siege mentality, a togetherness - base it on being the best, being right. #COYR

[tinman]

28 minutes ago, NottsRammy said:

I have to admit that came to my mind and would love it if on national tv that happened .

Collect the trophy as usual but undo the sponsors ribbons before lifting it up

[Curtains]

7 hours ago, Dan_Ram said:

There have been some really valid points on here and elsewhere over the last few days about the conduct of the EFL, not acting in good faith towards clubs, actively seeking to impose punishments that threaten the existence of a member club, not considering impact on both ourselves and Wycombe in terms of planning for the new season, their judgements seeming to be driven by a vendetta against the club, and not to even mention the severe impact this is having on the mental health of supporters from affected clubs. Then we have the arguments around impartiality and bias of the EFL as well as the ethical grounds (considering they previously signed off the accounts) for pursuing this, and as the club have confirmed, doubts of the legality of a points deduction for a technical accounting error.

My point is, tabloids and click bait websites all over the internet just assumes that Derby are guilty and that we deserve every punishment we get. Some of the headlines I’ve seen like ‘championship club caught systematically cheating’ are clearly libellous and misinformed (probably intentionally to gain views)…

… but is there anything we as fans can do to change the narrative?

Why arent any impartial news outlets or investigative journalists criticising or investigating the (at best) shady conduct of a supposed governing body? Surely if found to be true you would have a bigger story on your hands there. 
 

I know plenty of people will say ‘fans won’t be able to achieve anything’ but people laughed when the prospect of going down and supporting the lads on the last day of the season were raised, yet I honestly believe that was the extra 1% that saw us over the line against Wednesday.

I just feel like a little kid watching his older brother getting beaten up by a bunch of thugs, knowing that there’s nothing we can do to help. But is there? Crowdfunding the 100k fine with a damning message regarding the EFL corruption has been suggested, surely banners, protests, chanting against the EFL at the first game is a must? - I don’t know if people have seen the Legia Warsaw Vs UEFA pig banner before..

 Time for a bit of fan action against the EFL. What else can we do?

We do need to let the EFL know just how us fans feel 

They have got away with this for too long .

Putting out misleading stuff to which the tabloids jump on .

Ther is definitely libel out their regarding CHEATING comments. 
 

It’s unbelievable 

[Ramslad1992]

4 minutes ago, tinman said:

Collect the trophy as usual but undo the sponsors ribbons before lifting it up

Or collect the trophy as usual, every player takes a dump in it and we post it first class  to Gibson with a note saying ‘closest you’ll get to a trophy.’? 

[Ellafella]

7 hours ago, Dan_Ram said:

There have been some really valid points on here and elsewhere over the last few days about the conduct of the EFL, not acting in good faith towards clubs, actively seeking to impose punishments that threaten the existence of a member club, not considering impact on both ourselves and Wycombe in terms of planning for the new season, their judgements seeming to be driven by a vendetta against the club, and not to even mention the severe impact this is having on the mental health of supporters from affected clubs. Then we have the arguments around impartiality and bias of the EFL as well as the ethical grounds (considering they previously signed off the accounts) for pursuing this, and as the club have confirmed, doubts of the legality of a points deduction for a technical accounting error.

My point is, tabloids and click bait websites all over the internet just assumes that Derby are guilty and that we deserve every punishment we get. Some of the headlines I’ve seen like ‘championship club caught systematically cheating’ are clearly libellous and misinformed (probably intentionally to gain views)…

… but is there anything we as fans can do to change the narrative?

Why arent any impartial news outlets or investigative journalists criticising or investigating the (at best) shady conduct of a supposed governing body? Surely if found to be true you would have a bigger story on your hands there. 
 

I know plenty of people will say ‘fans won’t be able to achieve anything’ but people laughed when the prospect of going down and supporting the lads on the last day of the season were raised, yet I honestly believe that was the extra 1% that saw us over the line against Wednesday.

I just feel like a little kid watching his older brother getting beaten up by a bunch of thugs, knowing that there’s nothing we can do to help. But is there? Crowdfunding the 100k fine with a damning message regarding the EFL corruption has been suggested, surely banners, protests, chanting against the EFL at the first game is a must? - I don’t know if people have seen the Legia Warsaw Vs UEFA pig banner before..

 Time for a bit of fan action against the EFL. What else can we do?

Brilliant post & brilliant suggestion. Remember the “Led by Donkeys” Group. There is something to be done…

 

Edited June 26, 2021 by Ellafella

[CBRammette]

Well we have a journalistic fan at the Athletic who could at least start writing that alternative narrative and investigating EFL action against clubs. There are also those other clubs allegedly under embargo for following official advice on delaying accounts due to COVID but now against EFL unchanged rules. How can they not match government guidance during a global pandemic? Problem is proper investigative journalism is dying out in favour of regurgitating social media posts and hype dressed up as journalism. People are more interested in whether Grealish will move than the way in which the body governing the majority of the nation's football teams is being run. Any journalism students out there needing a meaty summer hols project?