Crisis club earn win but fans fear more pain This is the worst we’ve ever known
WITH 10 minutes remaining of the first half it was just about possible to forget that Derby are a club in crisis. They had just scored twice in three minutes, Wayne Rooney was beaming, the home supporters were bouncing and the sun was shining.
Yet when the pure joy that football can bring subsides, Derby’s players, staff, other employees and their fans would have experienced the same cold, lonely feeling they felt on Friday night, when they heard the news.
Derby are heading for administration, which means much more than the 12-point deduction that makes them favourites for relegation.
Jobs will be lost. Those owed money by the club may not receive all of it. Families will worry. People’s mental and physical health will suffer. For a time, the weekend routine — meeting friends, talking about the game, recalling memorable matches — will not seem quite as enjoyable.
‘It doesn’t make a difference to them,’ says 81-year-old Brian Smith, who has followed Derby home and away for 55 years.
He is gesturing towards a display on the side of the stadium, featuring an image of Brian Clough, but his anger is intended for others — owner Mel Morris and the board of directors, whom he blames for the financial peril.
‘As always, it’s the fans who suffer. This is the worst situation I’ve known in all my time supporting the club.’
‘I’m worried we’ll end up in League Two,’ adds Keith Beighton, 49. ‘If we took all our punishment this season and started the next one in League One, with a clean slate and new ownership, I’d settle for that. But my worry is that we’ll be punished again by the EFL next season.’
Beighton is voicing the fears of a number of fans — that the 12-point hit will not be the only one Derby take. They were already in dispute with the EFL over historic breaches of spending rules, with a further nine-point deduction possible.
A two-year transfer embargo is also on the horizon, which would inevitably affect the positions of the club’s scouting and recruitment staff.
The impact is felt everywhere. There were suggestions of an emergency meeting of the club’s safety advisory group yesterday morning, which could have put the fixture in doubt.
On the walkways outside Pride Park, burger van owners fear the club’s desperate need for cash would see their annual rent go up.
The parking spaces of Morris and chief executive Stephen Pearce were still unoccupied less than an hour before kick-off.
Rooney’s black 4x4 was there, however, and England’s record goalscorer was in fighting mood prior to kick-off. Rooney’s teamtalk clearly worked as Derby were sharp from the off and Max Bird put them ahead with a glorious strike from 25 yards just after half an hour. Three minutes later Stoke goalkeeper Josef Bursik and defender Ben Wilmot got in a muddle and Curtis Davies outjumped both to head Derby into a 2-0 lead. Rooney was wearing a broad smile.
Ravel Morrison guided the ball wide of an empty net from five yards before Tom Ince swept in at the near post for Stoke.
In the closing minutes the visitors were denied a penalty when Sam Clucas was sent tumbling and Derby held on for their first home success of the campaign. Rooney swapped handshakes with his coaches and Stoke boss Michael O’Neill.
Derby got away with one there but they will need much more than a dodgy penalty call to go their way if they are to escape this mess.
‘The Rams are staying up!’ yelled the home supporters. It will take something quite remarkable to prove them right.