As the new football season approaches (well under way in Scotland), we're inviting fans of the lower leagues, which sounds like a Pavement song, to share their thoughts about their team's summer and how they're stylin' for the new season. Like... we haven't planned this out too much so let's hope we get more submissions than Paul Mortimer's, about his beloved Derby County - the team he and his brother have been supporting since before Brian Clough got there way back when... (Join in: Doesn't need to be as in depth as Paul has provided...)
DERBY COUNTY – THE LONG CLIMB BACK
Promoted Derby County now embark on their return to the Championship in season 2024-25, hoping to re-establish themselves in the top tiers of English Football.
As they celebrate their 140th birthday, one of the 12 founder-members of the Football League have had to reconstruct, re-finance and rejuvenate their entire operation under new local ownership.
Through their recent near-fatal financial collapse into Administration, with decline and relegation attended by a seemingly unending trail of tribunals, disciplinary penalties and transfer embargoes, assembling a squad from virtually nothing to clamber out of the third tier was a tough challenge.
Along the way, a couple of noisy parasite clubs were pursuing ill-defined fiscal redress from the club or its previous owner, after they attributed their own on-field failures to the Rams. However, I note that those cling-ons still haven’t gained promotion – quelle dommage!
Derby’s re-emergence in 2023-24 was achieved with the flying colours of automatic promotion, amid several all-time club records - (a points total of 92; the number of away wins - 13; equalling their record wins in a season - 28), add in the best goal difference in League One, the best defensive record in the entire EFL; the Golden Glove for the most ‘clean sheets’, the highest attendances in League One (and higher than most Championship clubs and good few in the Premier League, too)… and not a single team ‘did the double’ over the Rams last season.
A roaring finish to the season saw them eclipse Bolton, Barnsley & Peterborough and avoid the dreaded play-offs. The Rams have been sustained and re-energised through their rebirth by a large and loyal fanbase; the ‘quiet revolution’ of rescuer Mr David Clowes, lifelong fan and new local owner, was under way and the wounded club responded to his measured recovery plans.
So, what of 2024-25 season for Derby County? No Rams fans are expecting the club to ‘do an Ipswich’ and roar straight through from League One to The Premier League.
Whilst us oldies had watched Derby County romp from the Third Division (now League One) to the First Division (now Premier League) in just two seasons in 1986 & 1987, under the canny leadership of Arthur Cox, it’s clear to most that the Suffolk club had a longer, more progressive build to escape from League One, possessing much greater financial backing than Derby’s new regime.
Manager Paul Warne and his backroom team were drafted in after Derby displayed a mediocre start to the 2022-23 season, as the club emerged from Adminstration with the aim of climbing out of League One. Interim Coach Liam Rosenior soon left the club, to re-surface at Hull City.
The Rams climbed the table during that season but failed by a small margin to reach the play-offs that season. No such scenario recurred during 2023-24, with Derby looking stronger and in contention for a play-off place - or better - for virtually the whole season.
Warne had achieved three promotions from League One with Rotherham United - quite a CV - but first had to mould a winning team from a hastily-assembled squad, in a situation where his new club remained unable to pay transfer or loan fees because of continuing embargoes and restrictions.
Rebuilding for the Championship in 2024-25 demands a higher level of player ability and appropriate squad budgeting, whilst the club only recently being allowed to pay fees or payments for players.
There’s no doubt that Derby are disadvantaged financially against some of the ‘established’ Championship sides and also of course, against relegated Premier League teams, who continue to be rewarded to the tune of £60 million or whatever for their failure to finish outside the bottom three of the top tier.
Several previously-relegated Prem teams that have failed to secure promotion remain in the Championship also still attract hefty ‘parachute payments’, that continues to make the Championship a grossly unfair competition through a wildly unbalanced financial configuration.
Mr Clowes has been reinforcing the recruitment, training, medical and Academy staff regimes during the club rebuild, as well as strengthening the DCFC Women’s team and their facilities. The owner is striving for progressive links with supporter groups and the fanbase in general, aiming to add a Supporters Board to the long-established liaison schedule with the Supporters Charter Groups.
The Rams must beef up their playing squad in all departments and the manager is targeting a dozen new recruits – he’s only about half-way there at the moment.
The goalkeeping compliment is far from complete with Joe Wildsmith joining West Bromwich Albion, plus a transfer wrangle is unfolding over Swedish ‘keeper Jacob Zetterstrom….so Josh Vickers is at present in possession of the jersey. Rohan Luthra, a young ex-Cardiff ‘keeper, has shared match time with Vickers in pre-season as a triallist.
Defensively, the Rams were well-served last season, with the consistent young Irish centre-half Eiran Cashin, the formidable Curtis Nelson (who was an ever-present and won both the Fans and the Players’ PoTY Awards) and the imposing Ryan Nyambe all doing well. A great defensive record in League One won’t guarantee the same resilience in the Championship - so even their impressive form has to gear up for a tougher challenge.
The veteran Craig Forsyth has given over a decade’s service to the club as left-back and centre-half – with 33-year old Sonny Bradley being another regular defensive choice. Promising young defender Jake Rooney has suffered yet another injury but there is also Callum Elder, Joe Ward and Kane Wilson vying for places.
The Rams have lost influential players including the cultured Max Bird, Conor Hourihane and the striker/part-time wing-back Louie Sibley, so midfield reinforcements were crucial. Derby-born midfielder Ben Osborn has joined, having departed from Sheffield United. Infamous for scoring against the Rams for rivals Nothingham Forest, he is highly motivated to succeed as a local lad - and especially in memory of his Rams-fan father, who passed away in May.
A key signing has been tenacious midfielder Ebou Adams on a permanent deal from Cardiff City. He came to the Rams on loan in the second-half of the season to make a huge impact on team solidity, reinforcing Derby‘s promotion push. Rams fans were desperate to see Ebou signed up.
Cast off by Cardiff through their various managerial changes, Adams landed on his feet, as his consistent all-energy performances made him an immediate fans’ favourite. He materialised as the final piece in the midfield puzzle. The team looked stronger, almost impervious defensively, and Ebou’s every touch on the ball evoked a stirring “EEBBOOUU!” chorus from the crowd.
Anyone who has seen Bruce Springsteen live and joined in with the resounding “BRROOOOCCE!” calls that The Boss enjoys throughout every gig can imagine what an ‘Ebou’ chant sounds like coming from the 30,000 faithful at Pride Park Stadium.
The tall and powerful young Crystal Palace midfield prospect David Ozoh was coveted by several clubs - but it was Derby who landed him on season loan. Tyrese Fornah hasn’t yet made too much of an impression since joining Derby from Forest in 2023 and much more is expected.
Other midfield contenders include the energetic young Liam Thompson and 20-year old Academy graduate and N I Youth international Darren Robinson. 22-year old Netherlands youth international midfielder Kenzo Goudmijn impressed at AZ Alkmaar and at Excelsior Rotterdam last season and has joined the Rams for an undisclosed fee.
Ipswich striker Kaden Jackson has joined on a 2-year deal, fresh from back-to-back promotions with the Tractor Boys and top scorer John Collins has penned another deal at Pride Park. Derby already have the powerful Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and resourceful Tom Barkhuizen as attacking threats.
Established Championship forward Jerry Yates has arrived on loan from Swansea for the season and Derby will expect Conor Washington and Corey Blackett-Taylor to make significant contributions up front next season. Academy Scholar of the Year striker Dajaune Brown may join the first-team squad after his FA Trophy-winning spell with Gateshead, unless he is loaned him out again.
Warne prefers a 3-5-2 formation but often chose to play a back four through injuries or tinkering. He will no doubt need his team to be adaptable against a better standard of opposition having higher skills, pace and power. With gaps still in the squad, he will adjust formations according to the opposition, so a 4-1-4-1 or 4-5-1 seem likely on occasion.
The Rams will spend less time in possession than last season and fans shouldn’t expect an adventurous style until the available players embrace Warne’s requirements of them, or else if their adaptation to higher-level football is going better than anticipated.
Given recent history and after seeing their club on the brink of extinction, Derby supporters generally aren’t prone to feeling ‘entitled’ as a fanbase – though may well need to anticipate a points total next May of not much over half of the record haul of 92 that their team secured in 2023-24.
Apart from their comparatively low squad budget capabilities compared to at least half of the clubs in the second tier, the team will have one of the largest followings in the Championship and there is a bedrock of resilience and togetherness between club and fanbase.
Psychologically, Paul Warne perhaps has to shake off an ‘underdog’ tag in the way his promoted (Rotherham) teams have tried to cope - not always successfully - with the demands of Championship football. Fans will hope we’re not too defensive and unambitious, with only a ‘survival’ outlook afoot.
Pre-season games against lower-league opposition have rendered mediocre results and with recruitment ongoing, the side’s identity and formation is at present less than clear. Derby did win their final preparation game, a 2-1 victory over Spanish top-flight side Real Valladolid.
The real action commences on the evening of Friday 9th of August, the season-opener being a televised Championship away game at Ewood Park, Blackburn.
A bottom 6 finish would be a disappointment - a finish anywhere in the middle 8 of the Championship would be regarded as consolidation and a first base, whilst the owner will be quietly going about the business of growing the club and striving for higher objectives. We’re back – bring it on! 
