Davies is defiant as threat of further penalty hangs over the Rams
CURTIS Davies has issued a defiant message with Derby County set to go into administration.
The Rams announced on Friday that they had taken the decision to appoint administrators to run the club’s affairs. That is expected to happen very soon.
Derby beat Stoke City 2-1 at Pride Park Stadium with Davies scoring the second goal.
The win lifted the team to 12th in the Championship on 10 points but administration will see them hit by an automatic 12-point deduction. That deduction could rise to 21, with the club in talks with the EFL over an alleged breaking of financial fair play rules.
Davies says the players will keep fighting.
“I think us as a group of players all season have played with an air of expectation that something will happen to us regarding all the various charges held over the club,” he told RamsTV.
“Did we see administration coming and the immediate points? No. Especially overnight on a Friday before a game. We didn’t see it coming, but all season we have been working on concentrating on the football and on what we can do.
“We can’t help what goes on with the club but we can do ourselves proud individually and collectively. We are together, we are fighting for each other.
“We are fighting for the shirt, fighting for the club and fighting for the respect that hangs over this club and we are trying to keep the stature and prestige around this club as much as we can by putting in good performances. It might not be enough but we are all together and fighting.
“We can’t get more players in, but we can play football out there and make the club proud in that way.”
Once administration is comfirmed, the Rams will drop to bottom of the table on minus two points and that could be before they are next in action, against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Saturday.
“We almost have to not look at the table because we know it’s going to be a tough task,” said Davies.
“It’s going to be a play-off type points return and depending if there are more on top, maybe promotiontype points to get out of it – but we can’t control that.
“We can only control going out on the pitch week in, week out, playing football in a brand that suits the club and we want to get results.
“If those results are in vain by the end of the season then we are where we are but we are not going to throw in the towel or wave the white flag, that’s not in my make-up and I won’t let it happen in that changing room.
“For us, it’s business as usual, we do what we do and the people I feel sorry for are the people around the football club.
“I said that when we barely stayed
We can’t help what goes on with the club but we can do ourselves proud individually and collectively. Curtis Davies
up at the end of last season that it was the worry and, unfortunately, the realisation is now that it is reality. My thoughts are with those people.”
Looking back at the victory over Stoke, Davies said: “I didn’t know what was more surprising, that Birdy (Max Bird) put one in the top corner with his right foot from 25 yards – I was in shock from that – but the next one the ball came to me. I headed it and I was in shock.
“I only ever seem to score every four years! My last goal was against Hull City in 2017.
“It (the Stoke game) turned from a rampant performance at one point to a battling performance in that last 20 minutes, so it’s credit to the lads in the dressing room.
“Credit to the fans for supporting us all the way through, too, and if anybody questions anything about this football club, they know that the players are committed and we are giving our all.”