What defines Derby County?

[Ken Tram]

6 minutes ago, Wistaston Ram said:

Have to disagree. I wish we would chant 'Come on Derby' more, when sung with force and passion, it is very inspiring, particularly when we are driving for a winner/ equaliser.  I love the "We'll fight 'til the end!"  chant as well, which raised the hairs on the back of my neck when we first sang it v WBA?

I might be wrong. It's just how I've felt since I was young ...

[Ken Tram]

9 minutes ago, Wistaston Ram said:

 

 

Edited February 18, 2022 by Ken Tram
Duplicate

[TigerTedd]

6 hours ago, GeneralRam said:

Bottle jobs. The Prem season, the 2 play off losses, Keogh, I could go on.

When it all seems to be going right, it goes wrong at the last hurdle.

 

Yes. I was going to add Spurs as having a reputation of being very Spurs-y. But we could fit into that bracket too. 

[TigerTedd]

1 hour ago, Ken Tram said:

I might be wrong. It's just how I've felt since I was young ...

…and followed the…

[strawhillram]

So many things change (owners, managers, players, playing style, success and failure) so what is the fundamental constant?

I can only think that it is they fan base and the county that the team represent.  In effect  DCFC is a brand that only exists and is loved because of the above.

[Ken Tram]

18 minutes ago, TigerTedd said:

…and followed the…

... DCFC ...

[IslandExile]

[Comrade 86]

Lots of woe is me responses on this thread and perhaps understandably so. I'd like to think though that once we've overcome the obstacles at hand, that there'll be a very different vibe to the club. Hopefully we'll remember just how bad things have been and relish being out from under the EFL's grubby thumbs and a return to on-the-pitch concerns. There's been a fantastic sense of unity recently and our fans have been borderline rabid in their support which I've absolutely loved. Perhaps then it'll be our near future that defines us moving forwards not the woes of the past. To be fair, I think the players, coaches and the fans have plenty to be proud of right now.

COYR

[Whitley ram]

So much defines us. On a personal level every Sunday I zoom with my brother in Australia and mum in derby. What do we talk about? You guessed it..the rams. I have lived in Newcastle, Leeds and Manchester and nowhere has the local pride been as strong as in Derby. The small town punching above our weight? That’s us. The pride, history and tradition? That’s us. Very few things bring a lump to my throat but Jamie T reciting We are Derby before the match has me in bits. The history, the pain, the infrequent success that defines us but most of all the togetherness of this season shows the world what we are. I love you Derby. 

[Gone]

21 hours ago, TigerTedd said:

I was thinking about the identity of the club, the derby way, the dna. There have been lots of comments recently about how proud we all are if the fans, the players, the management this season. 

There are clubs that, when you think about them, you instantly think of an identity or reputation, that spans across generations.

Mel was constantly searching for the Derby way, and I don’t think it was ever very well defined. What is the derby way?

We’re earning a reputation of never say die. Could this season be the beginning of a new legacy, and a new identity. Or has that always been something synonymous with us? Or are we just a reflection of our manager and we’ll become something else when he eventually leaves? Lots of talk of being proud of our fans, of our city / county, of our club and our players? Is this a common thread that has always defined us? Or is this just starting to emerge? Thinking back to the premier league season, the fans won the player of the year award. So do the fans define us?

mother clubs that I associate with instantly recognisable identities are:

Man United have always been for me, a club with a win at all costs mentality, with Fergie time, mains games, a steel spine of the likes of Keane and Rooney. This is the identity they are starting to lose. Was this all just Sir Alex, or has this always been their identity?

Chelsea are Chel-ski. But they must have been something before Abramovic. We’re they just bland, they never popped up on my radar. 

City are money bags, and pretty, almost perfect football. But this definitely wasn’t always the case. 

Liverpool has always been synonymous with its fans and the people of Liverpool. Having a song certainly helps with an identity too. 

Arsenal seem to have always had a reputation for cultivating young talent, and achieving success with pretty European football without spending mega-bucks. Or am I only thinking of the Wenger years?

Even clubs like Stoke, for better or worse, have an identity. They tried to do pretty football once, and it didn’t really work, so they ended up back with a Pulis. Does the identity of the club mean you look for and attract a certain type of player and manager? Is it a self fulfilling prophecy?

Leeds are dirty Leeds. But has this always been the case, or was that just the legacy of Revie. 

So I’m interested to know if clubs reputations / identities / personalities are well earned, so they really span generations, are they ingrained in the DNA of the club? Or do we just remember the bit we remember, and associate the club with a period of time, or a manager? And either way, what is it that defines Derby County?

What defines Derby County, we do, the fans. The people who turn up week in week out, home and away. The fans fans who follow online, the fans who listen to the radio, the fans abroad who watch on RamsTV. Derby County Football Club is nothing without us, we define Derby County Football Club, we always have and always will……COYR ?

[europia]

6 hours ago, JoetheRam said:

Unfashionable, unsuccessful and unremarkable. 

Wouldn't have it any other way.

 

I kind of get where you're coming from. On the other hand it's surprising how widely recognised our club is. In my work I regularly speak to people from around the globe (Asia, Middle East, South America, Mainland Europe) and often get asked who my team is.... "you probably won't have heard of my club" I generally reply ( I imagine they expect me to say Manu, Liverpool, Mancity, Arsenal or Chelsea). When say Derby County, the majority are familiar, and not in a negative way.  Our club is not perceived as unremarkable. Just my observations. COYR

[Mucker1884]

9 hours ago, Raminphilippines said:

 I am from Norfolk and people were asking me for weeks why the Derby Supporters were celebrating going down... 

[Wistaston Ram]

3 hours ago, Ken Tram said:

... DCFC ...

The team for me.....

[LeedsCityRam]

29 minutes ago, europia said:

I kind of get where you're coming from. On the other hand it's surprising how widely recognised our club is. In my work I regularly speak to people from around the globe (Asia, Middle East, South America, Mainland Europe) and often get asked who my team is.... "you probably won't have heard of my club" I generally reply ( I imagine they expect me to say Manu, Liverpool, Mancity, Arsenal or Chelsea). When say Derby County, the majority are familiar, and not in a negative way.  Our club is not perceived as unremarkable. Just my observations. COYR

I was in Japan in 2019 for the Rugby World Cup & the last game we saw was Ireland v Russia in Kobe. As I climbed up the steps to my seat proudly wearing my Derby top, I noticed 3 Japanese lads in the row behind us smiling - one of them pointed at my top & said 'Derby County'. Being a few beers deep, I shook their hands & expressed surprise they had heard of us - after about a minute of them smiling & not replying it was apparent they spoke no English whatsoever. But they certainly knew who we were.

As to the OP, we're clearly known as being a well supported club with a very rich history. I'd also say we have a reputation for an attractive style of play (we are a child of Clough after all) - pragmatic managers have never been popular here even if successful, Billy Davies & Gary Rowett being two prime examples.

Sad to say but we're also probably seen as being a bit of a soft touch - partially related to the way we tend to play but we do get leant on by physical sides we come up against. We also are adept at finding disaster & throwing away advantages - lot of drama at our club & always has been. Derby have certainly made for good Press copy over the years.

 

[uttoxram75]

What defines Derby?

When we are in the brown stuff we turn up and fight back. Always have done, always will. 

"Derby till I die" and "We'll fight to the end" pretty much sums it up.

Its like that mad family on the estate that constantly falls out with itself but woebetide any outsider getting involved.

 

 

[Alty_Ram]

'Adversity loving'. We as fans can be a bit 'meh' when things are going well/ok and I've sat in full stadium with grumbles and murmurs because we weren't winning comfortably enough but I think recent events have proved that (once again) we are better when we have some kind of adversity. This season may end badly but has been one of the most enjoyable for years due to the togetherness of players and fans.

'Unfashionable' I love meeting Derby fans when you are travelling because we just don't really have glory hunters and you can pretty much guarantee that any Derby fan you meet are the real deal. We aren't glamorous and I rather like that.

[cannable]

The fans are at their best when it’s hopeless and at their worst when things are going well.

We always find a way to fail when it’s going well but always seem to pull it out the bag when it’s going badly (07/08 aside).

Fickleness?

[Cisse]

I'm not so sure you can put one label over a football club. When you think about now giant like Chelsea it was just another club from London in the 80's. Not media sexy at all. Manchester City and Stoke were a mess. All of those have created their current status just recently football wise.

For me Derby County have been always a home for great characters. Brian Clough era, Jim Smith era and so on. I know that many don't like the name Pride Park and I understand it because people were so used to Baseball Ground and atmosphere there. But I love the name Pride Park and also the stadium. I've visited several stadiums and we have a good stadium. We should be proud of it, the players and coaches we have had and the history we have. 

In my mind what defines us and the rest of the teams too is ones history including both the good times and bad times. We are Derby County. That says it all.

[ram59]

Over the last 40 years, we have supported the club through thick and thin in fantastic numbers, especially when the going has got though.

Other clubs of similar sizes have never competed with us, when their team had been in a similar position, with the exception of Sunderland.

The struggling times in the championship  the old second division in the early 80s have always had attendances matching or generally bettering those teams going for promotion.

We couldn't fill an Anfield even we won the premier, but we have had a large hardcore, who will follow then through adversity.

How many times do you see teams that have just been relegated to from full houses to barely half full stadiums over night?

Just think how high our average attendance would be, if we hadn't had the debacle over the ticket office early season

[Anag Ram]

James Bond analogy, we are Roger Moore.

Others are Connerys or Craigs - tough, uncompromising, ruthless.

We are attractive, likeable, witty, but perhaps not so good in a scrap. And we look good in white.