Davies remains defiant despite situation getting ‘worse’ for Derby
DERBY County defender Curtis Davies said the Rams players will continue to give their all despite the club’s “difficult” situation becoming “even worse”.
Davies sent a message to Rams fans via social media yesterday after confirmation of the club receiving a fresh nine-point penalty, plus a further suspended three points, for breaching English Football League accounting rules.
This comes on top of a 12-point deduction for the Rams when the club entered administration in September.
The Rams are rock bottom in the Championship on minus three points, 18 away from safety.
“Sometimes in football, things are out of control and unfortunately the extra nine points we’ve been deducted makes our difficult situation even worse,” Davies said on Twitter.
“The club is in a position where a prospective owner has a clear picture of what they will be purchasing and can plan their vision for the club’s future accordingly.
“In the meantime, we’ll continue to give all we have and do all we can to make you proud.”
Davies and the Rams are at home to Championship leaders Bournemouth on Sunday (12pm kick-off).
The Rams have had fresh limitations imposed on them by the EFL, as part of yesterday’s agreement between the two parties.
In the ‘Agreed Decision’ document that was published yesterday, the Rams must adhere to an agreed salary cap of £15,775,000 and can register no more than 25 permitted players.
Derby have also agreed that the average salary of new player contracts will not exceed an average agreed with the EFL.
Each new signing will have their individual salary capped at an undisclosed figure, also agreed with the EFL.
As with the existing transfer embargo, the club cannot pay any transfer, compensation or loan fees for players.
These limitations are in place until the end of the 2021-22 season.
Yesterday’s EFL statement confirming the new nine-point penalty added: “The suspended three-point deduction will take effect if the club does not comply with the terms of the budget as set out in the ‘Agreed Decision’ for the remainder of season 2021/22.”
It means the Rams are now extremely limited in the players they can sign and the wages they can offer.
DERBY County’s youth team will face Peterborough United Under18s in the the FA Youth Cup third round.
The Rams enter this stage of the competition alongside youth teams from their Championship rivals, along with Premier League clubs.
Andy Robinson’s under-18s
Rams team will face the Posh youngsters at Pride Park Stadium, with the game to be played before December 11. The young Rams are 12th in the Under18 Premier League North.
Former Tottenham Hotspur, Everton and Fulham winger Simon Davies manages Peterborough United Under-18s and has guided Posh to eighth in the Under-18 Professional Development League with nine points from their opening eight games.
Derby exited the competition in the third round last season, losing 3-2 to Cardiff City at Pride Park Stadium. Last year’s FA Youth Cup was won by Aston Villa after they beat Liverpool 2-1 in the final.