Clowes’ pledge to revive Rams with integrity
LOCAL businessman David Clowes completed his purchase of Derby County at the weekend.
And in a comprehensive letter to supporters, the owner of Clowes Developments Ltd promised integrity, stability and transparency in his dealings.
He has rescued the club from administration after nine months which had seen three separate failed takeover bids.
Clowes wrote an open letter to supporters after completing the deal.
He said: “It is with an immense sense of pride that I write to you having finalised our agreement to buy Derby County and end nine months of uncertainty and fear over the future of our club.
“As a lifelong supporter, I could not stand by as the risk of losing Derby County became all too real.
“I could not have looked myself in the mirror if I had not done everything possible to protect it.
“That is why it is so exciting to be part of the process of building a fresh future at Pride Park for the fans and loyal club staff who have been through so much.
“The true spirit of this football club rests with the fans, it is nothing without them. Your support throughout some difficult times has been inspirational and we intend to build on that loyalty.
“The decision to get involved with the purchase of the stadium, and subsequently the club, has not been an easy one.
“As a private person, I did not want the publicity and would prefer to remain an anonymous supporter watching the team from my usual seat.
“However, if that is the price to secure the future of the club, then so be it.
“I won’t be making any extravagant promises, however I can confirm my intentions.
“My focus now is to stabilise the club in every department and to make sure we have the foundations in place for success, however long that takes.
We intend to bring the same principles to Derby County that we believe have been the reasons behind the success of Clowes Developments.
“We are embedded in the heart of the community and we recognise what is important to the people of Derby – integrity, transparency, and a straightforward way of doing business.
“To those people who have worked tirelessly at the club in the most difficult of
circumstances, I offer my sincere thanks. My team and I will be doing our best to get to know you all and listen to what you have to say from the outset.
“We have to maintain a degree of continuity because there is no point walking into an institution that has been here for 138 years and having the arrogance to think we possess all the answers.
“My team will work with people, listen and learn before coming to any decisions.
“Circumstances dictated that our ownership bid was swift and that means we will be taking the proper amount of time to assess how the club operates and any changes we might need to make.
“What I will say, is that the playing side of the club will receive every support possible. It’s vital we start work on recruitment immediately and, for that, we will rely on the expertise of the existing staff as well as bringing in a support structure to help them move as quickly as possible to build a side that will be competitive in time for the new season.
“We are also committed to maintaining a category one academy. The club’s track record of producing talent is outstanding, and we intend to protect that proud legacy because we believe in the future of Derby County at every level including the Community Trust and, of course, Derby County Women.
“Words, I know, are cheap and so, going forward, we intend to be judged by our actions.
“Alongside my team, I will be doing everything in my power to make Derby County safe, secure, and successful for many generations to come.
Thank you
David Clowes
CLOWES’ completion was followed by a busy day in the transfer market.
The first arrival, that of Tom Barkhuizen, the former Preston North End forward, had been much rumoured and came as no surprise.
Soon, he had been joined by goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith and experienced winger Nathaniel Mendez-laing.
Out of contract defender Eiran Cashin and midfielder Liam Thompson cheered Rams fans by agreeing deals to stay with the club by the end of the day.
The Rams drip-fed the announcements through Saturday, keeping fans refreshing their social media feeds.
Barkhuizen has signed a two-year deal after his contract at Deepdale expired at the end of June.
He had been with Preston for five-and-a-half years and made over 200 appearances for the club.
Barkhuizen, who began his career with his home-town club, Blackpool and has also played for Morecambe, operated along the front line for Preston.
His versatility will be useful to interim manager Liam Rosenior as he rebuilds the club in League One.
The Rams were without a senior goalkeeper after the departures of Kelle Roos and Ryan Allsop, so getting one in was a priority and that man is Joe Wildsmith, also on a twoyear deal.
Wildsmith had turned down a new deal with Sheffield Wednesday at the end of the season. He was second choice at Hillsborough and had made only three appearances in the Owls’ League One campaign last season.
Wildsmith will look to get his career back on track at Pride Park in League One.
At 26, he had made 93 appearances for Wednesday, with two games each for Barnsley and Alfreton Town in loans.
A whirlwind afternoon was capped with the signing of Mendez-laing, a 30-year-old who has “done the rounds.”
He has also left Sheffield Wednesday with the expiring of his contract.
The Owls were his ninth club after starting his career as a trainee with Wolves in 2009.
His longest stay was four years with Cardiff City, which yielded 92 appearances and 14 goals.
In all, 175 of his 353 career appearances have come in League One and he has 50 career goals, 24 of them in League One, along with 25 assists.