Now we're promoted, what are your thoughts on League One ?

[Wolfie20]

2 hours ago, Tamworthram said:

 

I’ve enjoyed the prospect and expectation of picking up points at every away game I’ve been to (although, I’ve only managed to get tickets for 7 away games and we lost 4 of those - Barnsley, Bolton, Shrewsbury and Northampton) and the I’ve quite enjoyed being a relatively big fish in a small pond.

Please, please, please, when we're playing away, stay at home   😉

[TomTom92]

Just now, Srg said:

I don't mean any offence by this, but that just seems such a miserable and sad outlook to have on it. As a football fan of a normal (I'm hesitant to call Derby normal) club who no one in their right mind would glory support, you seldom get anything to ever celebrate. You rarely achieve a thing. If you can't enjoy it, specifically when we have gone through what we have, what's the actual point in it all?

Totally agree. 

Maybe because i watched the match on the tv with my mates and then none of them wanted to get on the lash. So the day ended earlier than expected. 

Don't get me wrong i'm happy we're up but i can't say I've enjoyed the last two years, just didn't sit right playing the like of Morecambe etc because of one mans madness.

[Tamworthram]

24 minutes ago, TomTom92 said:

Totally agree. 

Maybe because i watched the match on the tv with my mates and then none of them wanted to get on the lash. So the day ended earlier than expected. 

Don't get me wrong i'm happy we're up but i can't say I've enjoyed the last two years, just didn't sit right playing the like of Morecambe etc because of one mans madness.

I agree that it didn't "feel right" playing the likes of Forest Green and Morecambe but it hasn't stopped me enjoying (in the most part) the last two seasons we've also been in the same league as top 2 division regulars such as Ipswich, Bolton, Portsmouth, Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley and Peterborough. So we shouldn't be looking down our noses too much at league one.

[Ambitious]

League One is a melting pot of smaller clubs who are relatively well run and then bigger clubs who are down there for a reason. It's an enjoyable league for the match-going fan and with 49 wins in two seasons there has been plenty of happy Saturdays, albeit those wins (a lot of the time) feel more like 'job done' than enjoyable and anything other than a win feels like we're playing well below ourselves. 

In two seasons we've probably been the underdog by the bookies in less than 10 of our 92 games which underpins the level of expectation. Expectation ultimately drains the joy out of football.

in hindsight, it's been an enjoyable experience (of sorts) but I'm in no rush to experience it again. 

[SSD]

Love: The old fashioned grounds and some good chatter with the opposition supporters. Feels like football from way back when. Proper passion, less phones and plenty of cheaper beer to be found.

Hate: The standard of play, the endless time wasting and the officials (although they're seemingly useless at all levels now).

Edited April 29 by SSD

[Bessie1]

Just read this thread in one go.  I was expecting a lot of negative stuff so was pleasantly surprised - I guess it helps greatly that we’ve been promoted but all the stuff praising the opposition’s fans is spot on.  They’re supporting - for the most part - very unfashionable clubs.  Their HOME town.  Looked down upon by many - including us until we had to join them.  
 

As some have said, the Carlisle fans summed it up perfectly - great fans, decent fans.  Next season I’m looking forward to renewing rivalries but at times the atmosphere will be toxic.  Until I read this thread, I didn’t realise that I might actually miss League 1 just a little bit.

[Crewton]

1 hour ago, Day said:

I bet Leicester City fans never thought for a second they would achieve what they did.

Well, they never would have if the PL hadn't refused to integrate their FFP sanctions with the EFL's. Brentford and Brighton are much better role models for us to try to emulate. Next time we play Leicester, I'd love to hack the Pride Park screens and run this clip:-

 

[Foreveram]

Who’s looking forward to a trip to the riverside stadium again 😱

[ilkleyram]

Without becoming all Kevin Keegan I have loved these last two seasons, really loved them - home and away.  I like our manager, his approach and his team and culture building, his improvement of players, his interviews and his ability to, on the outside at least, keep calm when all around him isn't; I have liked being a big fish, our away following, 3 o'clock kick offs, travelling knowing we can win every game (whether we will or not is another matter), different styles of play within games, a rock solid defence, record away wins, good goals and good football - the best GD in the league has counted for a lot and provided great entertainment and excitement, so too that automatic promotion went down to the last game.  I like our owner.

There was a time not so long ago that the second division was relatively equal competition wise (the best league in Europe) - parachute payments and the refusal of the EFL and PL to recognise and sort the problem out,  have ruined that, so too have Sky and the EFL ruined kick off times and therefore a significant part of the overall experience.  We are going to have to get used to losing more often, being outplayed more often, settling, initially at least, for mid table averageness, signing players that might find buying into the club culture that bit harder and, most of all, ignoring the 'noises off' - social media will, if this season is anything of an example, have the potential to become a toxic slurry at times.  Refereeing and officiating standards will continue to be low.

Despite all that I'm looking forward to it, just as I've looked forward to the start of every one of the last 61 seasons that I have been watching my team play live.  I know it's nearer the end of watching live than the beginning for me and I envy those of you that have longer to go; I wish that some of you had more patience and realised that teams of human beings take time to develop and isn't a precise science and that there will come a time when you too will be contemplating your last few seasons.  Make the most of it while you can. It's meant to be fun!

[BaaLocks]

I'm actually quite muted about what happened at the weekend. Clubs with our infrastructure shouldn't be playing at that level. We did, because we deserved to, but it was of our own making. I have to admit I found it more relief then celebration to put that chapter behind us.

[Rich3478]

I struggled with the quality of football at times, generally had to be not poor to win at home against a bottom half side. 
was good seeing some new grounds, very happy we’re out of it though.

bring on the championship

[Ram-Alf]

I used to like

 

 

[StaffsRam]

I won't miss Round 1 of the FA Cup, and I won't miss the Ronald McDonald Cup or whatever the f*** it's calling itself now - playing against U21 teams was just insult added to injury.

[angieram]

49 minutes ago, Ram-Alf said:

I used to like

 

 

I'd have thought you'd have liked a change in kick-off times, seeing as you're busy at Belper Town 3pm Saturdays! 🤣

[Ram-Alf]

57 minutes ago, angieram said:

I'd have thought you'd have liked a change in kick-off times, seeing as you're busy at Belper Town 3pm Saturdays! 🤣

Nope it's an all in one package, Belper Town live, DCFC on my iPhone, Now we're promoted DCFC will be on the TV more than most clubs as our grounds will be fullish 👍

So i'll be able to watch when I choose, A Sunday lunchtime will scupper things, That's my time I spend at Church as I be able to flog me  😁

[jimtastic56]

Hated every minute of it all . Put myself through extra anguish by going to all the Papa Jons games ( trying to help the club financially) . If you have ever played football at a decent standard , watching many of the games is very frustrating.

[DiggerB]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J6jAdv14W-M

Edited April 29 by DiggerB

[Crewton]

1 hour ago, DiggerB said:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=J6jAdv14W-M

Funny, when I played that the next thing that came up was Robbie Savage......

[LeedsCityRam]

Really conflicting emotions but the overriding one is Derby should never play third tier football ever again.

From an away day perspective, it was brilliant. I've never been to so many away grounds & travelled all over the country - great days out discovering the decent local boozers, chatting with mostly friendly home fans & of course, packing out every away end. Memories that will last for a long time - going absolutely mental when Osula scored after Accrington missed 2 penalties in 5 minutes, Waggy's hat-trick at Peterborough, sneaking into the home end at Leyton Orient, hungover to hell for a lunchtime KO away at Fleetwood, a fantastic match up away at Pompey in the worse weather imaginable contrasting with a beautiful summer day away at Carlisle last September. Craziest has to be the Tuesday night trip to Exeter - 550 mile round trip & a megabus that didn't turn up at 3am meaning I had to traipse round Derby City Centre in the dead of night in the rain until the first morning train back up North. Just as well we bloody won! All part of football's rich tapestry below the sanitised top level.

By contrast, I increasingly found the home games more & more depressing. I think it properly hit last September when we played Fleetwood - 80 away fans one side & 25,000 Derby fans the other. It just felt wrong & much though I admired the tiny sides of League One coming to mix it, the constant Cup Final feeling started to really jar.

Must echo the sentiments of a few here about the standard of football - surprisingly good overall & a lot of teams were able to play some good stuff. Physicality & gamemanship was no worse than you see in the division above & funnily enough, the worst team for it was Ipswich last season. Also enjoyed the 3pm Saturday routine & that is one thing I will miss when we inevitably get the Sky treatment next season as one of the big boys in the division above. It did however feel like 2 years completely out of the media spotlight & that saddened me ultimately - I want us to be relevant nationally & I want us to be the best version of ourselves. Thank you League One, it was a blast but we got out at just the right time.

[europia]

As one would expect for the third tier, some not so great football on display at times. However in terms of authenticity of the clubs and sincerity of majority of fans, it's head and shoulders above the Sky VAR Premier League, with newly promoted clubs barely able to keep up, and the likes of ManCity buying up the silverware, Newcastle attempting to emulate that model. The Ch'ship obviously somewhere in between and a bit cut throat, as clubs obsess with the prospect of promotion and untold riches. 

Edited April 29 by europia