MEL GETS MESSAGE Rams fans deliver verdict
AFTER the standing ovation for the team, a message for Derby owner and chairman Mel Morris.
“Get out of the club,” rang around Pride Park after the first home win of the season.
A financial abyss and relegation may well be waiting following the news on Friday night that Derby were going into administration – and the finger of blame points to one man.
Morris, who has been trying to sell the club for two years, was not in attendance. His health is not good.
His communications channel appears to be closed too – Wayne Rooney and the players were kept in the dark and the manager revealed afterwards he has not been able to speak to Morris for some time.
It meant a very different team-talk followed by a first home win of the season thanks to two quickfire goals from Max Bird and Curtis Davies.
Stoke, who started the afternoon in fifth, staged a strong comeback but could not add to a Tom Ince goal and headed back down the A50 with nothing. The harsh reality for
Derby is that a 12-point deduction beckons for a club who were already negotiating a nine-point penalty for previous financial fair play issues.
For Rooney, however, yesterday was a test of his managerial mettle and the genuine hug from counterpart Michael O’Neill suggests he did well.
So far the ex-Manchester United and England striker has had to cope with transfer embargoes, unpaid wages for the players, and a relegation battle which the Rams just squeaked last season.
He joked: “I am at St George’s Park next month working on my pro licence. I think they should give me an honorary one!”
Owner Morris has been trying to sell the club for just over two years and has seen potential takeovers flounder. He has spent £200million on Derby, who are believed to be £70m in debt.
League One beckons but yesterday was all about smiles and celebration.
The breakthrough came just after a spell of sustained pressure from Stoke, who switched off totally and were made to pay.
Bird collected Graeme Shinnie’s pass, ghosting across the goalmouth before launching a venomous shot which gave Josef Bursik no chance.
Stoke keeper Bursik then misread a Shinnie free-kick, jumped to clear it and defender Davies got there first and headed into an empty net.
Potters boss O’Neill said: “Three minutes of madness in the first half really cost us and both goals were very preventable.”
This was Derby’s day.
DERBY: Roos 8; Byrne 6, Davies 7, Jagielka 7, Buchanan 7; Shinnie 8, Bird 7; Sibley 6 (Jozwiak (73rd) 5), Morrison 6 (Knight (65th) 5), Lawrence 6; Baldock 6 (Stearman 83rd)
STOKE: Bursik 6; Souttar 6, Ostigard 7, Wilmot 6; Ince 6, Sawyers 6 (Doughty (72nd) 5), Clucas 7, Tymon 7; Vrancic 7; Sima 6 (Powell (58th) 5 ), Surridge 6 (Brown (58th) 5)
STAR MAN: Graeme Shinnie
REF: J Simpson