What defines Derby County?

[Mucker1884]

More in response to comments, rather than the thread title, but I reckon we need to win something worthwhile in the next 20-30 years to have a chance of remaining "A big club", in terms of world-wide recognition.  Those generations are getting older, and less, by the day!

Huddersfield were massive 9/10 decades ago.  Not so anymore.
And the less said about Bolton, the better!
Wolves are probably just about hanging on, 7 decades on from being "Right up there".
Blackburn clinging on by their fingertips thanks to that early Prem win, but in reality are a century past their peak.
Trentside Rovers (or whatever they're called?) maybe have an extra decade on us at best (or worst!), thanks to beating Malmo Academicals and Kevin Keegan in successive seasons over 4 decades ago.  If it wasn't for those stars, they'd be forgotten already!

Less and less people remain, who remember those big wins.  Those all-conquering teams.  Those eras of dominance.

If we don't win that Papa John's trophy by the end of the '20's, the whole world will have forgotten all about us!  ?
 

[Archied]

What defines derby county?
 

US ,,,,,,, those that went before us and those that will come after us , anybody who went first time as a child or even adult ,with a parent , family member , friend and those of us that have taken our child , family member, friend to they’re first game understands that bond ,it’s goes on to define us and derby county , it’s not what you think it’s what you feel

[Chester40]

On MoTD it said Mo Salah was the 10th player to reach 150 goals for Liverpool. 

Out of interest I think you can guess what I looked up on t'internet...

The answer? 4....  3 all of whom were massively pre-war, and King Kevin Hector who started in the 60s.

In recent memory ...big Chrissy Martin has scored 60+, and Tom Lawrence is the only current player in excess of 15.

In my lifetime only Davison has got over 100 and such legends as Dean Saunders, Marco, Wanchope, Baiano are all well under 100 goals.

My point? Dunno...perhaps that we love a hero and a goalscorer, but either we get them at the tail end of their career, they aren't actually that great or if they are then they move on to bigger things. 

So maybe we are defined by being expectant nearly men who reach for the stars and love every minute of the journey but ultimately never quite get there.

 

 

[StantonRam]

I tried to explain the uniqueness of DCFC to a non football friend a few weeks ago and eventually defined us as " a soap opera with some football on the side".  When you factor in the gypsy curse, the coffee cup goal, the seemingly endless parade of criminal/corrupt/incompetent owners, the whole "Damned United" saga etc etc it does seem that way.  Maybe therefore DCFC is a microcosm of the tragicomedy of human existence, at least that's probably what a philosopher would say.

I seem to remember several years ago posting an analogy between the symbolism of the Ram as an animal and the mindset of DCFC fans in terms of the Ram as a symbol of defiance, strength, pugnaciousness etc, it's probably in the archive somewhere.

The uniqueness of the county is a product of its unique geography and history.  My house is built from stone quarried a mile down the road.  The 19th and 20th century world was shaped by technology that started right here.  The hills are green all year round except when it snows.  The sheer rugged beauty of this place finds a reflection in the inner toughness and resilience of the people, of which the Ram is an appropriate symbol.

Therefore, no one who knows the county and its people will be at all surprised by our absolute refusal to be cowed by "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune".  It's called Pride Park for a reason.

"Pride and ferocity are virtues as well as love" - Robinson Jeffers (American 20th century poet)

Good stuff this espresso!

[24Charlie]

The Derwent defines Derby it always has and always will. Those majestic waters filled by rivers, brooks and streams as it carves it’s magnificent path through our beautiful shire. My great-&grandparents followed that river downstream from different parts of the county looking for work but found each other. The town grew as more and more people left estates like Haddon, Hardwick and Chatsworth to turn their hand to engineering.

The football team grew too. Those people who came down from the shire identifying with the County bit as much as the Derby bit, felt a natural draw to the fledgling club. Attendances grew but we had to wait a long time for a trophy.
Wait we did 62 years in fact before the FA Cup was raised high above post-war Wembley. 
But it’s never been about trophies, it’s been about community and those deep, gritstone embedded roots, anchored, immovable, in this county.

 

 

 

[TigerTedd]

4 hours ago, LondonRam2 said:

It's called Pride Park for a reason.

Is it though? It’s just named after the industrial estate it was built on. It’s actually called pride park stadium.

I feel like other fans might look at that and feel it’s a bit pretentious. Like if Boro called their stadium the Endeavour Bowl, it would be a bit cringeworthy. Which was why I was never too fussed by the idea of selling the naming rights.

But I really feel that this season, it’s no longer Pride Park, named after an industrial estate, which was probably just named after some bloke called Mr. Pride. Now we’ve really taken ownership and earned that name, it’s Pride Park because we’re proud of our fans, our club, our history, our city and our county. Like a parent can be proud of their kid, even if they don’t really succeed at much, but they keep trying, keep persevering, too stubborn to give up (just like a Ram). I really think that’s what defines us.

Common themes throughout this thread are that we’re nearly men, or almost always rooster it up at the last hurdle, that we’re unfashionable, but throughout it all the fans are always there. We’re proud of our club, and we’re proud that we keep trying, and keep moving forward, no matter what adversity we go through, no matter how many goals Zamora scores, no matter how few points we get in the premier league.

It would be a tragedy now if Mike Ashley was to rename the stadium. It will always be Pride Park, a symbol of our pride.

[RoyMac5]

 

[TheresOnlyWanChope]

On 19/02/2022 at 07:05, Mucker1884 said:

More in response to comments, rather than the thread title, but I reckon we need to win something worthwhile in the next 20-30 years to have a chance of remaining "A big club", in terms of world-wide recognition.  Those generations are getting older, and less, by the day!

Huddersfield were massive 9/10 decades ago.  Not so anymore.
And the less said about Bolton, the better!
Wolves are probably just about hanging on, 7 decades on from being "Right up there".
Blackburn clinging on by their fingertips thanks to that early Prem win, but in reality are a century past their peak.
Trentside Rovers (or whatever they're called?) maybe have an extra decade on us at best (or worst!), thanks to beating Malmo Academicals and Kevin Keegan in successive seasons over 4 decades ago.  If it wasn't for those stars, they'd be forgotten already!

Less and less people remain, who remember those big wins.  Those all-conquering teams.  Those eras of dominance.

If we don't win that Papa John's trophy by the end of the '20's, the whole world will have forgotten all about us!  ?
 

Definitely for profile, Derby haven’t won anything in my lifetime apart from playoffs. Although I think fan base defines how ‘big’ a clubs as well as profile. Success is different. Last major trophy was in 1975, so many teams have won something since. This is why I never understood how Derby constantly field weakened sides in the cups (maybe less so in recent seasons). 

[Tyler Durden]

Also Rams, Chokers, Bottle jobs, always managing to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

Several playoff defeats still cloud my memories in recent years. 

Would be good to buck the trend this season rather than going down as valiant fighters but actually see our effort end in a tangible reward.

[Addingham Ram]

On 18/02/2022 at 23:47, Alty_Ram said:

'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.

This.

I left Derby 30 odd years ago, but wherever I go, and whoever I meet, as soon as they find out I'm a Derby fan, they want to talk football. Not of the Premier League, the Champions League, or the faceless millionaires that play for the big clubs, but of the old days at the BBG, of Brian Clough, THAT season in the Premier League, THAT play off match vs Leeds, Wayne Rooney as a Manager, and why 30k turn up to a relegation fight against Peterborough!

People like us because we are unfashionable, we aren't glamorous, we just love our team, and our city.

[zaragozaram]

Unfortunately, in the eyes of many, we will be Cheating Derby for a long time to come.

[CornwallRam]

I think what defines us is that we're the biggest small club in the world.

We don't have a massive conurbation to draw support from. We don't have a prime London or coastal location to attract players. We don't have decades of European football that have brought us fame and fortune. 

We're from an unfashionable, small city in a beautiful, if a little neglected, mid-sized county. Go a few miles East, West or South and you find other similar sized clubs - meaning we're hemmed in to Derbyshire. All this limits our growth as a club. We are, and always have been a team for locals (including newly arrived locals) - or the descendents of locals.

The uniqueness of Derby County is the reach within the city and county. I would happily bet that a higher percentage of Derbyshire's population have a Rams allegiance than any other comparable county and club. The most remarkable thing about this city, is that for such an unremarkable place, it has a huge football club, which is vibrant heart of both city and county.

I  think the reason we are such a roller-coaster of a club is that on paper we're as big as a mid-table Premier League club, but our reach is only ever going to be local. Owners come in wanting to make us global. The problem is that although we're enormous in Ripley and Alvaston, we struggle to even dominate in Long Eaton, and we're non-existant in Ashby - so selling shirts in China or packing stadiums on a US tour is never going to happen. 

[ossieram]

1 hour ago, zaragozaram said:

Unfortunately, in the eyes of many, we will be Cheating Derby for a long time to come.

Who cares?

[Ram-Alf]

1 hour ago, zaragozaram said:

Unfortunately, in the eyes of many, we will be Cheating Derby for a long time to come.

No big deal...imo

[uttoxram75]

2 hours ago, zaragozaram said:

Unfortunately, in the eyes of many, we will be Cheating Derby for a long time to come.

Only the ones who cant be bothered to read the truth, so, as @ossieram so eloquently puts it, who cares?

 

[TigerTedd]

2 hours ago, CornwallRam said:

 

I think what defines us is that we're the biggest small club in the world.

 

I was just thinking that. We’re a little big club, or a big little club.

If you’re from derby/shire, you support derby county. End of. We don’t have hockey teams and rugby teams. There is no other sport in Derbyshire, and no other club. Even those that don’t like sport have a decent appropriation for derby county. Within Derbyshire we’re absolutely massive. 

[Wistaston Ram]

16 minutes ago, uttoxram75 said:

Only the ones who cant be bothered to read the truth, so, as @ossieram so eloquently puts it, who cares?

 

Don't worry about the ignorant ones.

[TaahnRam]

33 minutes ago, TigerTedd said:

I was just thinking that. We’re a little big club, or a big little club.

If you’re from derby/shire, you support derby county. End of. We don’t have hockey teams and rugby teams. There is no other sport in Derbyshire, and no other club. Even those that don’t like sport have a decent appropriation for derby county. Within Derbyshire we’re absolutely massive. 

As a chesterfield based Ram, I know a few who would take offence at the "no other club" comment! They got over 7k at home in the National League yesterday. There is a lot of good feeling about Derby at the moment from Spireites but I feel for Derby to be universally popular throughout the county, we need to actually take an interest in what's happening outside of our bubble. This is something I feel really strongly about and I don't think we've always lived up to our obligations as the county's big club in the past. 

[Tyler Durden]

1 hour ago, uttoxram75 said:

Only the ones who cant be bothered to read the truth, so, as @ossieram so eloquently puts it, who cares?

 

 

[BriggRam]

3 hours ago, zaragozaram said:

Unfortunately, in the eyes of many, we will be Cheating Derby for a long time to come.

duck em......