Jump to content
IGNORED

The Official Derby County v Bristol City Match Day Thread

havanatopia

Recommended Posts

Meryl Goodrum

Meryl Goodrum

Posted
Posted
10 hours ago, havanatopia said:

Good day everyone.

"It's historical, it's geographical, it's in the blood. Some places have it, some don't." Tony Francis, Daily Telegraph sports journalist, noted of football fans from Derby.

During the 2007–2008 Premiership season Derby County fans were repeatedly referred to as the best in the country due to their loyalty despite the club's disastrous campaign. We all remember that, well I do, and the mantle is well deserved especially when we remind ourselves how awful that season was for them:-

20 Derby County (R) 38 1 8 29 20 89 −69 11

For the size of the city, 249,000, Derby County is indeed one of the best supported football teams in the country garnering significantly more support than their east Midlands rivals, Nottingham Forest, 16 miles to the east. Back in the Baseball Ground days they occasionally recorded crowds of over 40,000 and at Pride Park they often sell out with over 32,000 crammed inside the stadium. Football is as passionate in the East Midlands as anywhere in the land but they were certainly made to suffer in that fateful season, of 2007-8, with Billy Davies relieved of his duties by November and Paul Jewel unable to turn the fortunes of the club. Apart from a draw and a win in the first two games of the season County remained rooted to the bottom of the table for the entire campaign and are the only club in Premier League history and only the second in the entire history of the top flight to be relegated by March. They are also the only club since Loughborough to win only once in a football league season and that was back in 1899-1900 season which also happened to be their last.

So why are Derby called County? Like many clubs they were formed from a cricket club and in this instance the rather illustrious Derbyshire County Cricket Club in 1884 with their nickname 'The Rams' adopted due to the wealth of history of the woollen trade. Derby County were one of the 12 founding members of the Football League in 1888.

I have written about other more celebrated times for Derby before such as the Clough/Taylor era including their 1971/2 title as well as the McKay title year of 1974/5 but it has been a rollercoaster since including a second dip into the third tier for two seasons in the mid 80's that followed seasons in the top flight unable to participate in Europe following the Heysel disaster. Derby were unlucky in that regard and almost went out of business as they slipped into Division 3.

City head to Derby today reflecting on what we all hope will be the chance to add momentum to the end of a dismal run and yet we have a very poor record against Derby and have not won at Pride Park since April 2011. In a total of 68 meetings between the clubs City have won only 17 times and currently Derby have the meanest defence in the Championship since McLaren took over in October so City will certainly have their work cut out today trying to break that defence down. Stranger things have happened like a Brian Tinnion wonder goal at Anfield for example so we can always pick up a back to back win; not done that in a while have we? And if you get chin wagging with a Derby County fan and he says "Dunna wittle, most a bin up all naight wee a badly rabbit" you know City might have a cat in hell's chance of winning. It means "don't worry, most have been on the beer and had a bad night" . Assuming he is talking about the players taking part that is.

And ask for a 'Cob' with your beer not a 'bread roll' as you might get a wee smile with your service.

Enjoy the long haul to the East Midlands folks; I hope a 1,000+ contingent make it . That would be a truly marvellous effort; 135 miles each way.

And I just hope it is not this rammed for ya'll today.. The good ole' Baseball Ground with that sand covered pitch.

baseball.JPG.e6b691e17b74a951122eee2eb67eca3a.JPG

UTC.

 

 

 

 

 

I know Derby will put out a better team than they did against Leicester, but we can still beat them today. Come on you Reds!!!!! Still luv ya!!!

Link to comment
samo II

samo II

Posted
Posted

44-bloody-2; pleased with that.

Could have argued Djuric might have deserved a start, but nice option from that bench.

Bryan, Brownhill and Cotterill in midfield should give us some energy and drive.

Still think they'll have too much for us, but like the line up, and two up top away is refreshing.

Tammy and Taylor to cause some trouble, please!

  • Like 4
Link to comment
samo II

samo II

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, screech said:

And Marlon pack after a good performance last time out gets binned from the team again. 

Can see the logic with him being benched tbf; can bring him on to put more steel or just refresh that central midfield, and we've got a game Tuesday too, so if we're going to try 442 for that too, think he'll get minutes over the next two games.

Link to comment
Turbored

Turbored

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Marlborough Red said:

 

Another interesting and thought provoking pre match thread. Well done Havanatopia.

 

Lived in Derby for 3 years in the 70's and still visit family in the area. As Hav' says it's a football town through and through . Even old ladies in the street know the team and could name most of the players.. The local paper is full of football and I believe they still produce a football special  similar to the old Green Un and Pink Un which sadly disappeared from Bristol many years ago. The East Midlands people  love their football and even named the A52 between Derby and Nottingham the "Brian Clough Way"

 

.Love to see a couple of major Roads names after our best players . Changing the Portway to "The Atyeo Way" would be a good start!

Been working here for the last 5 years and totally agree. Walking round the city centre all you tend to see are Derby shirts none of these fake plastics in there Arse/manure rubbish.

  • Like 2
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...