Derby County (A) September 3rd
One Game at a Time
Finally, with a debut worthy of the big screen, comes, well, the big screen. With a performance to match, as Argyle took on the Mighty Whites and sent them home as pointless as the Papa Johns Trophy game being played on the evening of the day that I write this preview. It does leave you doubting your own sanity when you find yourself agreeing with Joey Barton about, frankly, anything, let alone the validity of the Pizza Cup. I am sure by the time the Gas hove into view in October I’ll have found some finer points of difference. Not that having points of difference with Mr Barton are always a good thing as both Daniel Stendal, ex Barnsley manager and Mrs Barton may (or in her case may possibly not) attest.
On Saturday wunder keepers wonder save made it four league clean sheets in six (we won’t air Mike’s London laundry mishap in public here), and with both candidates for the main striker role enhancing their credentials with a goal apiece, things remain buoyant at Fortress HP. This despite a mystery illness sweeping the camp midweek, which, whilst not identified by name, may well have been psittacosis judging by the speed with which Ian Evatt became as sick as a parrot post-match.
All off which (barring the afore unmentioned in any detail Pizza Party v Rovers) sets up ex-Prem September nicely. Even the September edition of the non-Trophy Trophy is against a team that graced the Prem in its inaugural season of 92/3, the year which according to Sky, football was created in their image. Of course, since then Swindon’s trajectory has been the definition of “downhill from here”, but as we know from our longstanding history as the biggest place never to have played topflight football, be careful what you wish for.
In that vein, at least this week settled that the UK threshold for managerial survival appears to currently be 9-0, with both Scotty Parker of Bournemouth and ex Mackems boss Jack Ross fired following defeats by Liverpool and Celtic respectively. Given Bournemouth were back in the Premiership and had taken the points from Villa, before expected (if admittedly harsh) defeats by Man City Arsenal and Liverpool, Parker can feel hard done by. Ross himself had only had seven games at Dundee United, although they had already shipped seven goals at AZ Alkmaar as well. If any green in the area sees Ryan Edwards with his thumb out by the M90, do the lad a favour and pick him up. He might be feeling a little shell shocked.
Hopefully no such decisions will be required post the Pride of Devon’s visit to Pride Park, the first of four games against fallen self proclaimed giants County and the Wendies, only interrupted by little old Oxford and their Managers Premier League shoulder chip from last season. Then it is Portsmouth and then the Tractor Boys and that will be the first quarter of the season done, and a decent read on our ambitions for the rest of it.
In truth it is hard to know where to start the review of the circus ride that has been Derby’s journey down to their lowest ebb since 1986, a season when they grabbed promotion just behind the Ciderman’s finest.
The following season they achieved the second of back-to-back promotions, to return to the highest level and then yo-yoed between the top two divisions, until last seasons debacle ended in a valiant, but unsuccessful attempt to stay up, under the guidance of Mr Potato Head himself, Wazzer Rooney. Say it fast and he sounds like an Italian midfield genius.
In truth, that they ran the relegation fairies so close was no mean feat given the knots the club tied themselves in following their acquisition by local businessman Mel Morris. Having made a fortune through that well known mobile time waster Candy Crush, Morris decided to spend a fair chunk of his fortune on a personal crush of his own. Namely County. Here he invested not far short of a quarter of a billion pounds in players, and more controversially the ground, several of which turning out to be immobile timewasters, as the club gradually drifted steadily downwards.
When Morris called time on his ownership and put the club up for sale, there then began the usual structured and well ordered EFL process, involving a parade of moneyless chancers and ne-er do wells tyre kicking the club, whilst the fans simply turned up, handed over their cash and hoped.
After a couple of false starts the EFL finally ran out of patience and administration ensued, with the resultant penalty point deductions that entails. This was further complicated by the fact that financial fair play rules were seemingly breached by the owner when he may have accidently inflated the value of the ground in order not to breach said regulations.
Amid all these shenanigans Derby found themselves at odds with their rivals for survival and well-known sticklers for all things rule based, Whycome. Along with Middlesbrough, fellow strugglers Whycombe set about complaining that the rules infringements were actionable, and they would sue for compensation. Because such a decision would be classified as a football debt, any new owner would have to settle these in full. As the court cases had yet to be heard this amount was undefined and therefore so was any potential total cost to would be buyers. In the end settlements between the administrators and Boro and WW allowed for a local businessman and property developer, words that gladden any football fans heart when seen in conjunction with their club, David Clowes to acquire the club.
Sadly for Hasbro, Rooney decided to move to pastures new in Washington DC, even though it seems his agent had been paying his, and the other players wages, in breach of EFL regulations. His successor, Liam Rosenior set about rebuilding the clubs playing roster, under strict EFL rules, restrictions and regulations. Of course, if they had bothered to abide by these in the first place none if that would have been necessary, but I am sure THIS time they will be scrupulously above board at all times.
Having departed County, Wayne did spend an inordinate amount of time in court, although only as a loyal spousal supporter of Wagatha Christie, Colleen. Having stood at her side while she triumphed over Rebekah Vardy, he then shipped out to the USA, faithfully followed by ….well she and the kids will be along soon I expect. She knows how faithfully he has supported her over the years.
Derby have been known to have had the odd financial issue in the past, and it does come to something when Mel Morris is not even the dodgiest Chairman your club has ever had. County spent several years as the sporting plaything of one Robert Maxwell, who arrived there after his Thames Valley Royals fiasco at Oxford, but who sold up after relegation to Division 2 shortly before his mysterious death in 1991.
If Rooney was a high-profile managerial signing, there is no doubt that the most high-profile of all was the inimitable self-made Brian Clough. Along with wing man Peter Taylor, Maverick Clough made his name as the man who took unfashionable Derby to a League title in 1972, as well as a European semi-final near miss against Juventus. After falling out with his board Clough departed, landing at Brighton, before his infamous 44 days at Leeds United, and his much more successful stint at Forest, where he surpassed his Derby achievements winning first the Division 2 (and helping relegate Argyle en route with a win at Home Park), followed by the League title and then two European Cups. Here he was anchored by later Argyle management duo Shilton and McGovern, and led by “one that got away” Plymothian Trevor Francis.
To have led such rivals to their most glorious years is some achievement, commemorated in the Brian Clough Way that leads to the ground, a statue of Taylor and Clough when you get there, and a club that almost went bust through financial shenanigans. It’s what he would have wanted.
It is an unequal relationship as all we can offer County the other way is brief spells of leadership from john Gregory and Johnny Newman.
Historically Argyle didn’t play County in the league until after the Second World War, and, barring a steady run of fixtures in the sixties, meetings have at best been sporadic. We have a pretty feeble record against them in the league, but have done the double twice, in 1953/4 season in our first proper meetings outside of cup and war league fixtures, and again in 85/6 when we pipped them to the runners up spot. We have yet to win at Pride Park. It’s due.
Perhaps the most notable performance away from Home Park was the 1984 cup replay, when after bossing the home game, with Gordon Staniforth somehow hitting both posts with the same shot, and Barry Davies showing his depth of research by re
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