Fans not from Derbyshire...

[CBRammette]

33 minutes ago, OUTSIDER said:

on a the opposite to this, whats you feeling seeing man united liverpool  city chelsea etc shirts fans in Derby.

is it lack of club encouraging

to much sky media of the big clubs

or just bad parenting ? ?

The latter

[uttoxram75]

2 hours ago, OUTSIDER said:

on a the opposite to this, whats you feeling seeing man united liverpool  city chelsea etc shirts fans in Derby.

is it lack of club encouraging

to much sky media of the big clubs

or just bad parenting ? ?

Its the lack of vigilante gangs attacking such activity thats to blame. Thrash the scoundrels on sight I say.

No, I'm not actually advocating violence to anyone wearing such satanic filth around town but I really can't remember seeing much of this back in the 70's.

[Bob Mash]

Born in Derbyshire. Lived there til the late 1980s. Spent a few years in Yorkshire and then the last 30 ish in the West Midlands. Started following Derby after the glory days in the late 70s in a Derbyshire school full of Forest fans. A season ticket holder until 2019.  

[Detroit Derby Fan]

Greetings from "Across the pond" in Detroit. It took me while to gather my thoughts on this topic and commit to posting them.  

My Derby fandom arrived much later in life, at 45 years of age.   I grew up in Detroit and have always supported Detroit sports teams, as well as Michigan State and Notre Dame University.  I grew up playing soccer, as did my father, who emigrated from Croatia, as well as two of my three boys.  My middle son and I started following the club in the 2013-14 season. We were interested in finding an English team to follow and knowing Andy Appleby as a fellow metro-Detroiter we started to follow Derby, originally only through the team's twitter feed and the occasional broadcast on BEIN network.  We watched them through the playoff victory against Brighton, then the calamity against QPR.  

An additional Detroit-Derby link is through Roger Faulkner, a Derby supporter who was one of the co-owners of Detroit's 1970s NASL team, the Express.  

As we are acclimated to unfortunate twists of fate with our Detroit-area teams,(ie the Detroit Lions NFL team)  the playoff final defeat cemented our support of Derby County.  In the years since, we are charter subscribers of RamsTV  and are now able to follow a number of games on ESPN Plus.  I also follow this forum on a daily basis and do admire the folks who frequent this Board, such as B4 and David.  Your deep, heartfelt support of the club, usually with a healthy dose of humor, is a joy to peruse through these cyber-pages.   

Other random observations from the Motor City:

 - Whether my son and I ever get to Pride Park remains to be seen, it is definitely on our bucket list.  If any forum goers are in the neighborhood, I would be delighted to treat you a Detroit City FC soccer game.  They are our local team and have a game atmosphere that supporters such as yourselves can appreciate. 

- While Mel Morris has his detractors these days, in my view he was spot-on with regard to EFL television rights. They are tremendously undervalued.  The Championship is the most entertaining overseas league to watch, in my view.  The Premier League top clubs are usually the in the same group of 4-6.  The Bundesliga, La Liga, League 1 and Serie A are all dominated by super clubs, with the remaining teams just trying to stay up. What fun is that? The Championship season is a rock-fight every year. Evenly matched teams with historic rivalries.  A crabs-in-the-bucket attempted escape through either the untold fortunes of promotion or the richest game in football.  Conversely,  the trap door of relegation immerses a club in financial quicksand, without parachute payments to assist out of the morass.  

-  In a way, the reduced expectations of this year may make for a more enjoyable season than chasing promotion.  If the club average one point a game, they will be in a position to stay up at the end, which is the goal of this year.  In any other recent season a home draw to Huddersfield would be met with concern from Derby supporters. This year, it feels like a win. 

- Thank you for your contributions to the forum, which I have enjoyed reading through the years. I hope to meet up with some of your some day either at Pride Park or the next time Derby launch a summer tour of the US. 

- COYR

 

 

Edited August 8, 2021 by Detroit Derby Fan

[kash_a_ram_a_ding_dong]

12 minutes ago, Detroit Derby Fan said:

Greetings from "Across the pond" in Detroit. It took me while to gather my thoughts on this topic and commit to posting them.  

My Derby fandom arrived much later in life, at 45 years of age.   I grew up in Detroit and have always supported Detroit sports teams, as well as Michigan State and Notre Dame University.  I grew up playing soccer, as did my father, who emigrated from Croatia, as well as two of my three boys.  My middle son and I started following the club in the 2013-14 season. We were interested in finding an English team to follow and knowing Andy Appleby as a fellow metro-Detroiter we started to follow Derby, originally only through the team's twitter feed and the occasional broadcast on BEIN network.  We watched them through the playoff victory against Brighton, then the calamity against QPR.  

An additional Detroit-Derby link is through Roger Faulkner, a Derby supporter who was one of the co-owners of Detroit's 1970s NASL team, the Express.  

As we are acclimated to unfortunate twists of fate with our Detroit-area teams,(ie the Detroit Lions NFL team)  the playoff final defeat cemented our support of Derby County.  In the years since, we are charter subscribers of RamsTV  and are now able to follow a number of games on ESPN Plus.  I also follow this forum on a daily basis and do admire the folks who frequent this Board, such as B4 and David.  Your deep, heartfelt support of the club, usually with a healthy dose of humor, is a joy to peruse through these cyber-pages.   

Other random observations from the Motor City:

 - Whether my son and I ever get to Pride Park remains to be seen, it is definitely on our bucket list.  If any forum goers are in the neighborhood, I would be delighted to treat you a Detroit City FC soccer game.  They are our local team and have a game atmosphere that supporters such as yourselves can appreciate. 

- While Mel Morris has his detractors these days, in my view he was spot-on with regard to EFL television rights. They are tremendously undervalued.  The Championship is the most entertaining overseas league to watch, in my view.  The Premier League top clubs are usually the in the same group of 4-6.  The Bundesliga, La Liga, League 1 and Serie A are all dominated by super clubs, with the remaining teams just trying to stay up. What fun is that? The Championship season is a rock-fight every year. Evenly matched teams with historic rivalries.  A crabs-in-the-bucket attempted escape through either the untold fortunes of promotion or the richest game in football.  Conversely,  the trap door of relegation immerses a club in financial quicksand, without parachute payments to assist out of the morass.  

-  In a way, the reduced expectations of this year may make for a more enjoyable season than chasing promotion.  If the club average one point a game, they will be in a position to stay up at the end, which is the goal of this year.  In any other recent season a home draw to Huddersfield would be met with concern from Derby supporters. This year, it feels like a win. 

- Thank you for your contributions to the forum, which I have enjoyed reading through the years. I hope to meet up with some of your some day either at Pride Park or the next time Derby launch a summer tour of the US. 

- COYR

 

 

Good to hear from you and your thoughts from over the pond...keep them up mate ???

[Mucker1884]

I was born just outside of wedlock, but have always supported The Rams.

 

 

... Only kidding

 

... I was a spurs fan until I was 7!   

[hintonsboots]

On 06/08/2021 at 11:17, Bearwood Ram said:

Born in Derbyshire. Lived there til the late 1980s. Spent a few years in Yorkshire and then the last 30 ish in the West Midlands. Started following Derby after the glory days in the late 70s in a Derbyshire school full of Forest fans. A season ticket holder until 2019.  

Lived in Bearwood in the mid 80s while at Uni. Beaconsfield road, had to walk through the red light area to get up to the Pub, Prince of Wales. Not far from Derby though ⚽️⚽️ Our landlord seemed to own most of the street, Blues fan.

Edited August 8, 2021 by hintonsboots

[thederbyram]

Born in Derby, moved to Liverpool for uni and then moved to Manchester afterwards for work. One day soon I might be writing this from Australia...

[Bob Mash]

48 minutes ago, hintonsboots said:

Lived in Bearwood in the mid 80s while at Uni. Beaconsfield road, had to walk through the red light area to get up to the Pub, Prince of Wales. Not far from Derby though ⚽️⚽️ Our landlord seemed to own most of the street, Blues fan.

Don't know Beaconsfield road, to get to the Prince (Cambridge Street?) did you have to walk through North Edgbaston, Gillott Road etc? 

[Mucker1884]

I think I've found my new "All time favourite thread"!

What an absolutely cracking read this has been.  Truly fascinating in part, and most certainly humbling.
A few smiles, the odd guffaw, and even the odd threat of a tear, and a lump to my throat!

It brings it all home, at just how fantastically fanatical some of you have been, still are, and no doubt will always remain. 
It is oh so very easy to take things for granted when, like me, you:

A/  Were born in Derby.
B/  Have never lived any further than 3 or 4 miles from the home of DCFC (BBG or PPS).
C/  Have no family ties that could possibly have steered you away from The Rams.
D/  Attended your Junior school days with you local team at the top of the pile.
E/  Entered your teens as once again, your local team became Numero Uno for the second time.
F/  Made your match-going debut on the very day the sun came out, and your local team were handed the shiniest, biggest, most beautiful trophy these 58 year old eyes have ever seen!

With an upbringing and timing like that, I couldn't be anything other than a Ram!  In fact, it would be embarrassing had I taken my football allegiances anywhere else! 
It was all right here, on my doorstep.  A thrupenny bit bus ride away then, a 30 min stroll away nowadays.  So easy, so unremarkable.  So taken for granted.

 

But I take my hat off to each and every one of you who has filled my most recent hour or so with entertainment, enjoyment, and most of all, with awe!  Full fans, in the truest sense!

Thankyou.  And a massive UTR to you all.

?

 

[48 hours]

Born in Crewe, which had connections to Derby thru the Railway and Rolls-Royce.

Parents, grandparents Derbyshire born+bred, and all Derby fans.

Unfortunately now live in the effluent Sarf East ...

[48 hours]

26 minutes ago, Mucker1884 said:

It was all right here, on my doorstep.  A thrupenny bit bus ride away then, a 30 min stroll away nowadays.  So easy, so unremarkable.  So taken for granted.

Travelled to Derby from Crewe by train in my teens in the early 70s.

In those days scarfs were the order of the day as opposed to replica tops.

Crewe station used to be full of fans going to see Liverpool/Everton/Stoke/Citeh/Manure. Success was getting onto the train and still have my scarf on me ...

[uttoxram75]

3 minutes ago, 48 hours said:

Travelled to Derby from Crewe by train in my teens in the early 70s.

In those days scarfs were the order of the day as opposed to replica tops.

Crewe station used to be full of fans going to see Liverpool/Everton/Stoke/Citeh/Manure. Success was getting onto the train and still have my scarf on me ...

We must have shared the same train a few times. Always a group of us got on at Uttoxeter station back then.

[uttoxram75]

43 minutes ago, Mucker1884 said:

I think I've found my new "All time favourite thread"!

What an absolutely cracking read this has been.  Truly fascinating in part, and most certainly humbling.
A few smiles, the odd guffaw, and even the odd threat of a tear, and a lump to my throat!

It brings it all home, at just how fantastically fanatical some of you have been, still are, and no doubt will always remain. 
It is oh so very easy to take things for granted when, like me, you:

A/  Were born in Derby.
B/  Have never lived any further than 3 or 4 miles from the home of DCFC (BBG or PPS).
C/  Have no family ties that could possibly have steered you away from The Rams.
D/  Attended your Junior school days with you local team at the top of the pile.
E/  Entered your teens as once again, your local team became Numero Uno for the second time.
F/  Made your match-going debut on the very day the sun came out, and your local team were handed the shiniest, biggest, most beautiful trophy these 58 year old eyes have ever seen!

With an upbringing and timing like that, I couldn't be anything other than a Ram!  In fact, it would be embarrassing had I taken my football allegiances anywhere else! 
It was all right here, on my doorstep.  A thrupenny bit bus ride away then, a 30 min stroll away nowadays.  So easy, so unremarkable.  So taken for granted.

 

But I take my hat off to each and every one of you who has filled my most recent hour or so with entertainment, enjoyment, and most of all, with awe!  Full fans, in the truest sense!

Thankyou.  And a massive UTR to you all.

?

 

Totally agree Mucker!

Great thread, very interesting reading about posters history following and supporting the Rams.

[Stagtime]

It’s a pity the club doesn’t do a supporters membership for fans that can’t get to Derby. The club I follow here do one and send it around the world, usually a cap, a car sticker, lanyard etc. I’m sure they would sell well.

[Van der MoodHoover]

3 hours ago, Detroit Derby Fan said:

Greetings from "Across the pond" in Detroit. It took me while to gather my thoughts on this topic and commit to posting them.  

My Derby fandom arrived much later in life, at 45 years of age.   I grew up in Detroit and have always supported Detroit sports teams, as well as Michigan State and Notre Dame University.  I grew up playing soccer, as did my father, who emigrated from Croatia, as well as two of my three boys.  My middle son and I started following the club in the 2013-14 season. We were interested in finding an English team to follow and knowing Andy Appleby as a fellow metro-Detroiter we started to follow Derby, originally only through the team's twitter feed and the occasional broadcast on BEIN network.  We watched them through the playoff victory against Brighton, then the calamity against QPR.  

An additional Detroit-Derby link is through Roger Faulkner, a Derby supporter who was one of the co-owners of Detroit's 1970s NASL team, the Express.  

As we are acclimated to unfortunate twists of fate with our Detroit-area teams,(ie the Detroit Lions NFL team)  the playoff final defeat cemented our support of Derby County.  In the years since, we are charter subscribers of RamsTV  and are now able to follow a number of games on ESPN Plus.  I also follow this forum on a daily basis and do admire the folks who frequent this Board, such as B4 and David.  Your deep, heartfelt support of the club, usually with a healthy dose of humor, is a joy to peruse through these cyber-pages.   

Other random observations from the Motor City:

 - Whether my son and I ever get to Pride Park remains to be seen, it is definitely on our bucket list.  If any forum goers are in the neighborhood, I would be delighted to treat you a Detroit City FC soccer game.  They are our local team and have a game atmosphere that supporters such as yourselves can appreciate. 

- While Mel Morris has his detractors these days, in my view he was spot-on with regard to EFL television rights. They are tremendously undervalued.  The Championship is the most entertaining overseas league to watch, in my view.  The Premier League top clubs are usually the in the same group of 4-6.  The Bundesliga, La Liga, League 1 and Serie A are all dominated by super clubs, with the remaining teams just trying to stay up. What fun is that? The Championship season is a rock-fight every year. Evenly matched teams with historic rivalries.  A crabs-in-the-bucket attempted escape through either the untold fortunes of promotion or the richest game in football.  Conversely,  the trap door of relegation immerses a club in financial quicksand, without parachute payments to assist out of the morass.  

-  In a way, the reduced expectations of this year may make for a more enjoyable season than chasing promotion.  If the club average one point a game, they will be in a position to stay up at the end, which is the goal of this year.  In any other recent season a home draw to Huddersfield would be met with concern from Derby supporters. This year, it feels like a win. 

- Thank you for your contributions to the forum, which I have enjoyed reading through the years. I hope to meet up with some of your some day either at Pride Park or the next time Derby launch a summer tour of the US. 

- COYR

 

 

Great read with lyrical imagery of the gladiatorial struggle of the championship. 

I catch msl soccer on one of our sports channels but sadly not a detroit game. 

The Lions with Matthew Stafford are better known and the pistons/red wings. 

Fascinating place. Birth of motown but a lot of the coverage we get in UK is histories of industrial decline from motor industry closures and stats about depopulation and the proportion of "projects" (which we would call social housing).

Hope you keep contributing. We need diversity in here. Too many baldies...?

[ColonelBlimp]

17 hours ago, Detroit Derby Fan said:

Greetings from "Across the pond" in Detroit. It took me while to gather my thoughts on this topic and commit to posting them.  

My Derby fandom arrived much later in life, at 45 years of age.   I grew up in Detroit and have always supported Detroit sports teams, as well as Michigan State and Notre Dame University.  I grew up playing soccer, as did my father, who emigrated from Croatia, as well as two of my three boys.  My middle son and I started following the club in the 2013-14 season. We were interested in finding an English team to follow and knowing Andy Appleby as a fellow metro-Detroiter we started to follow Derby, originally only through the team's twitter feed and the occasional broadcast on BEIN network.  We watched them through the playoff victory against Brighton, then the calamity against QPR.  

An additional Detroit-Derby link is through Roger Faulkner, a Derby supporter who was one of the co-owners of Detroit's 1970s NASL team, the Express.  

As we are acclimated to unfortunate twists of fate with our Detroit-area teams,(ie the Detroit Lions NFL team)  the playoff final defeat cemented our support of Derby County.  In the years since, we are charter subscribers of RamsTV  and are now able to follow a number of games on ESPN Plus.  I also follow this forum on a daily basis and do admire the folks who frequent this Board, such as B4 and David.  Your deep, heartfelt support of the club, usually with a healthy dose of humor, is a joy to peruse through these cyber-pages.   

Other random observations from the Motor City:

 - Whether my son and I ever get to Pride Park remains to be seen, it is definitely on our bucket list.  If any forum goers are in the neighborhood, I would be delighted to treat you a Detroit City FC soccer game.  They are our local team and have a game atmosphere that supporters such as yourselves can appreciate. 

- While Mel Morris has his detractors these days, in my view he was spot-on with regard to EFL television rights. They are tremendously undervalued.  The Championship is the most entertaining overseas league to watch, in my view.  The Premier League top clubs are usually the in the same group of 4-6.  The Bundesliga, La Liga, League 1 and Serie A are all dominated by super clubs, with the remaining teams just trying to stay up. What fun is that? The Championship season is a rock-fight every year. Evenly matched teams with historic rivalries.  A crabs-in-the-bucket attempted escape through either the untold fortunes of promotion or the richest game in football.  Conversely,  the trap door of relegation immerses a club in financial quicksand, without parachute payments to assist out of the morass.  

-  In a way, the reduced expectations of this year may make for a more enjoyable season than chasing promotion.  If the club average one point a game, they will be in a position to stay up at the end, which is the goal of this year.  In any other recent season a home draw to Huddersfield would be met with concern from Derby supporters. This year, it feels like a win. 

- Thank you for your contributions to the forum, which I have enjoyed reading through the years. I hope to meet up with some of your some day either at Pride Park or the next time Derby launch a summer tour of the US. 

- COYR

 

 

Aren't Derby 'Motor City' as well?  We have got Toyota after all. 

And Motorpoint - does that count?

[Dethorn]

Born in Gloucestershire in 1970

Cannot remember choosing to support Derby but my parents tell me I was awestruck by Brian Clough's appearances on Midlands TV

Dad is a Liverpool fan and Brother is a long time Man City fan

First game was Cov away - lost 3-1 Nish put us one up I think in August 78

Did not see any through my late teens and most of my 20's due to playing a bit myself

Next game was when I could drive and we were in the last season in the baseball ground v Swindon - I think we won - I spoke to some Rams fans who showed me the way to bbg and then said away fans are round there because of my accent, which was great because we ahd had a lovely chat without me even realising they thought I was an away fan

Since then got to Pride park and Ashton gate most years

But honestly I really really want to give up - more about football in general than Derby to be honest - but they aren't helping ?

[Bianoic]

Born just north of Derby. 

My dad had a season ticket at Derby from the late fifties - he and my mum moved down from the Tees where he grew up and where he used to go to see Cloughie at Ayresome. 

He took me to Ayresome a few times when we visited the grandparents. Hard to believe it was used in the 66 World Cup. When I was older I also tended to go to Hartlepool too. In those days you could walk around the whole ground and stand where you wanted, unlike the BBG which I started to go to from 1969. It amazed me that the hardcore home support used to change ends at half time !! It also horrified my sister when I took her once, needed a wee at half time only to be told there were no ladies toilets !! She never went back...

First Rams game a home league cup midweek game against Hull - 1969 I think. The lights from the floodlights and the overall atmosphere was just amazing to a 7 year old

Got my first season ticket after we had won the league. 

Went to college in Leeds in the early 80s , then stayed there to work until PP opened and thought it was about time I got back to the East Midlands and a season ticket ! So moved the family down from Yorkshire to North East Leics to start a new job. Sat in the North stand initially, moved seats a few times until settling on our current ones in the East Stand about 10 years ago.

Highlights :

Obviously the two championships - particularly remember my old man happily shouting me upstairs that Wolves had beaten Leeds to clinch it for us. And visiting the BBG for the presentation on a sunday I think ?

Really enjoyed the third division promotion season - went to a few of the Yorkshire away games : Donny, York, Grimsby

That first season at Pride Park was magnificent for many reasons. I know there is a huge nostalgia about the BBG (and I share it believe me) but it was time to move. It was also dangerous. I was at Hillsborough with a good Forest mate and it made me realise that the same could well have happened at the BBG when there was more terracing. Remember being in massive crushes outside the Normanton end on occasion when trying to get to the popside and literally not being able to put our feet on the ground. We just laughed at the time but it could have been a horror show.

Converting my son into an even more enthusiastic Ram fan than me. Initially he was a reluctant follower - nearest clubs were Forest and Leicester and of course there was never any chance of him supporting them. Used to occasionally come to PP but was more interested in playing footy than watching it. Then I had to persuade him to come to the Deforestation Day - we thrashed Forest 5 nil, the atmosphere and delirium were out of this world and that was that, he was hooked. Even more so after we went to the Play Off final that May - we were both so proud of how the team played that day even though we lost

Loved George Burleys play off team, Franks season, some of Nigels, 

Favourite players - John O Hare, Charlie, Bobby Davison, Deano, Stimac, Idiakz

 

 

 

 

[chipperram]

On 04/08/2021 at 07:39, Franks Tanked said:

@chipperram you weren't sitting outside a cafe in Needham Market High Street wearing the Zebra DCFC shirt a couple of weeks ago were you? 

If not its another suffolk based Ram or a visitor. I nearly made my wife crash, such was my excitement when I spotted said Derby fan. 

 

Sorry, been on holiday. Not me Frank, I tend to buy the 3rd kits. It may have been Martin from the Swan, I will be in there on Saturday for the match.