Derby County, they fought till the end
By Elias Burke
When Krystian Bielik scored a bicycle-kick equaliser against Birmingham City on his return from a second ACL injury in 12 months.
When Tom Lawrence let 18-year-old Malcolm Ebiowei take his first senior free-kick and put his arm around the youngster and told him to lift his head after shooting over the bar.
When Derby County supporters raised more than £13,000 for St John’s Ambulance to repay them for their work on matchdays.
When Colin Kazim-Richards scored the winner away to Stoke City on December 30 and we all secretly started to believe.
When the ball sailed over to Wayne Rooney on the sidelines, he plucked it out of the air with ease, and we all looked at the person sitting next to us and wondered…
When Rooney rejected the opportunity to interview for the Everton job because he did not want to walk out on the players and the club.
When Curtis Davies leapt highest in the box to power a header home to snatch a draw against Reading.
When Ravel Morrison’s moment of genius for the opening goal against Barnsley left the Pride Park faithful mouths agape.
When the away support travelled across the country again, selling out their allocation, to support a group of players that share their passion for the club.
When Festy Ebosele sprinted from the substitute’s bench down the touchline after Louie Sibley’s stoppage-time winner against Peterborough United.
When Lawrence scored a brace to help Derby beat Bournemouth 3-2 at home, days after the EFL handed the club a nine-point deduction for profit and sustainability breaches.
When we flocked to Derby Theatre to watch ‘Full Time’ and revisit Derby’s storied history despite the threat of liquidation.
When 16-year-old Omari Kellyman reluctantly agreed to join Aston Villa’s academy, hoping it could save his boyhood club.
When, despite the noise off the field and the forced exits of Phil Jagielka and Graeme Shinnie, Derby defied the odds to beat promotion-chasing Sheffield United in front of an emotional Pride Park.
When Rooney appeared on Sky Sports Monday Night Football to rave reviews, and Derby supporters smugly told the doubters, ‘I told you so’.
When we saw Eiran Cashin make his first league start in the win at home to Peterborough to mark his eighth year since joining the club as an under-12.
When 10,000 supporters protested to #SaveDerbyCounty ahead of the match at home to Birmingham City, attracting national and international attention.
When ‘We are Derby’ played before kick-off and you realised why the club means so much to the city.
When Ebiowei flourished from an academy player with the Under-18s to one of the most exciting young talents in the Championship in weeks.
When Liam Rosenior finally took off his gilet.
When the club were plunged into administration and the players, staff and fans responded by being more united than ever before.
When Quantuma announced Chris Kirchner as its preferred bidder, and Derby supporters began to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
When ‘We’re Derby County – we’ll fight ’till the end’ was sung for the first time and the club rallied behind a new anthem.
When Liam Thompson made ‘the best debut’ Rooney had ever seen.
When the ‘Rams Family Fund’ raised more than £32,000 to buy tickets for Derby supporters.
When Rooney presented Lawrence as his chosen captain at Moor Farm, hoping it would make him “take the next step”. It did.
When Rooney showed off his incredible trainer collection by wearing a new pair of footwear almost every match.
When the manager assured supporters that nobody would leave on January’s transfer deadline day and the supporters breathed a sigh of relief.
When the relegated players and staff lined up side by side in QPR’s Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium pitch to applaud the supporters who had stuck with them through thick and thin.
Derby County supporters will never be ashamed of the season their club were relegated.
https://theathletic.com/3256776/2022/04/18/derby-county-they-fought-till-the-end/?source=rss
Derby County, they fought till the end
By Elias Burke
When Krystian Bielik scored a bicycle-kick equaliser against Birmingham City on his return from a second ACL injury in 12 months.
When Tom Lawrence let 18-year-old Malcolm Ebiowei take his first senior free-kick and put his arm around the youngster and told him to lift his head after shooting over the bar.
When Derby County supporters raised more than £13,000 for St John’s Ambulance to repay them for their work on matchdays.
When Colin Kazim-Richards scored the winner away to Stoke City on December 30 and we all secretly started to believe.
When the ball sailed over to Wayne Rooney on the sidelines, he plucked it out of the air with ease, and we all looked at the person sitting next to us and wondered…
When Rooney rejected the opportunity to interview for the Everton job because he did not want to walk out on the players and the club.
When Curtis Davies leapt highest in the box to power a header home to snatch a draw against Reading.
When Ravel Morrison’s moment of genius for the opening goal against Barnsley left the Pride Park faithful mouths agape.
When the away support travelled across the country again, selling out their allocation, to support a group of players that share their passion for the club.
When Festy Ebosele sprinted from the substitute’s bench down the touchline after Louie Sibley’s stoppage-time winner against Peterborough United.
When Lawrence scored a brace to help Derby beat Bournemouth 3-2 at home, days after the EFL handed the club a nine-point deduction for profit and sustainability breaches.
When we flocked to Derby Theatre to watch ‘Full Time’ and revisit Derby’s storied history despite the threat of liquidation.
When 16-year-old Omari Kellyman reluctantly agreed to join Aston Villa’s academy, hoping it could save his boyhood club.
When, despite the noise off the field and the forced exits of Phil Jagielka and Graeme Shinnie, Derby defied the odds to beat promotion-chasing Sheffield United in front of an emotional Pride Park.
When Rooney appeared on Sky Sports Monday Night Football to rave reviews, and Derby supporters smugly told the doubters, ‘I told you so’.
When we saw Eiran Cashin make his first league start in the win at home to Peterborough to mark his eighth year since joining the club as an under-12.
When 10,000 supporters protested to #SaveDerbyCounty ahead of the match at home to Birmingham City, attracting national and international attention.
When ‘We are Derby’ played before kick-off and you realised why the club means so much to the city.
When Ebiowei flourished from an academy player with the Under-18s to one of the most exciting young talents in the Championship in weeks.
When Liam Rosenior finally took off his gilet.
When the club were plunged into administration and the players, staff and fans responded by being more united than ever before.
When Quantuma announced Chris Kirchner as its preferred bidder, and Derby supporters began to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
When ‘We’re Derby County – we’ll fight ’till the end’ was sung for the first time and the club rallied behind a new anthem.
When Liam Thompson made ‘the best debut’ Rooney had ever seen.
When the ‘Rams Family Fund’ raised more than £32,000 to buy tickets for Derby supporters.
When Rooney presented Lawrence as his chosen captain at Moor Farm, hoping it would make him “take the next step”. It did.
When Rooney showed off his incredible trainer collection by wearing a new pair of footwear almost every match.
When the manager assured supporters that nobody would leave on January’s transfer deadline day and the supporters breathed a sigh of relief.
When the relegated players and staff lined up side by side in QPR’s Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium pitch to applaud the supporters who had stuck with them through thick and thin.
Derby County supporters will never be ashamed of the season their club were relegated.
https://theathletic.com/3256776/2022/04/18/derby-county-they-fought-till-the-end/?source=rss
