Hapless Derby County are approaching a milestone. Can they achieve the treble?
by Dan Alvarez on September 8th, 2008 6 commentsWhat were you doing on the 17th September 2007? I know what Derby County was doing. Winning a Premier League match against a struggling, Keegan-less Newcastle United side. I hope the Derby fans had a helluva day out, because that win directly preceded their streak of 36 consecutive league matches without a win (353 days).
Since that win, Kevin Keegan has been hired and sacked (or forced to resign) from the Toon, England-striker Fraizer Campbell has been at three different clubs and Manchester United have recorded 26 Premier League victories.
Over the past eighteen months, Derby County has shown an intent to make history. They equalled now-defunct Loughbourough’s 108 year-old record of having only one win in a season. They also smashed Sunderland’s record of 15 for lowest points ever in the Premier League by tallying a dismal 11.
It seemed as if things could not get worse for the pathetic Rams, but they now stare a new milestone in the eye. If they do not win either of their next two matches (home to Sheffield United, away to Swansea City), they will go a full year without tallying a win in league play.
After losing at dismal Barnsley, who hadn’t scored a point in their first three games, things are looking bleak for Paul Jewell’s men. They have managed one goal in their four league games, while conceding five. Last weekend, they loaned one of their only useful (read: not horribly atrocious) players, Tyrone Mears, to Olympique de Marseille.
Making matters worse, they first must host Sheffield United. They are in fifth and have enjoyed a hot start, including a 3-0 drubbing of popular pick for promotion, Queens Park Rangers. After that, they must travel to Wales to face Swansea City, in their last chance to get a victory before they are even further shamed. The Swans sit seventh, tied with Sheffield United on seven points. They have been in good form, recently knocking footballing giants, Hull City, out of the Carling Cup.
While they may shock the world, if I was a betting man (which I am), I wouldn’t be taking a punt on the Rams against either of these clubs, because, frankly, I don’t like throwing away hard-earned cash.
What do you think? Will Derby pull off the treble (lowest points ever, only one win, 365 days without a win)? Or can they gain back a (tiny) bit of what dignity they have left? Is this treble the worst achievement in football history? What is next for the Rams? Will Abu Dhabi United take pity on them a throw them some millions?!?!?
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Darryl - September 8th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Derby fans rejoice. Atleast your setting records.
ben - September 8th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
This could be a good article, but like most people writing about derby recently you have ruined it and made it look like it was written by a bitter five year old with some little phrases you have dropped in attacking derby. The article is good, however, are Hull realy a “footballing giant”????? Also, last season derby were awful and had awful players, no arguement there. However this season they have a completely new team and have some good individual talent, they just have not started well, so for you to describe mears as the one of the few players who is not horribly atrocious is just plain stupid and shows your lack of knowledge about this current derby team. Also, you mention Swansea’s good result in the cup as a reason they will be derby, but fail to mention that derby went away to preston in the cup and beat them keeping a clean sheet at the same time. Im not saying derby are good, they are awful, but there is no need for you to exaggerate in an article about them! they already are THAT bad!
The Spiteful 5 Year Old - September 8th, 2008 at 5:28 pm
Dear Ben, I aplogize for my use of sacrasm and hyperbole when I described Hull City, in jest, as footballing giants. I am aware that that term only applies to the Man United’s, Chelsea’s, and Hull City’s of the world. Secondly, I am not sure where this vast individual talent you speak of lies, but I do know that Mears was one of their best individual players. This article was meant to be light-hearted, not disrespectful or spiteful, and I am sorry you took it as such. As a supporter of a football team that is going down the tubes as we speak, I know how it feels to lose things, and I am sorry I offended you.
Dan
martin - September 8th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
dan, was there really a need to call my club a joke, you have really offended us derby fans throughout the world, so come rain or shine,win or no win, i will still be there cheering on my team.
derby til i die
Shrek - September 8th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Hi Dan, like a lot people writing about Derby at the moment, you seem to write your articles by just repeating stories written in the press from the past week. I must have read in at least 4 or 5 papers this week that Tyrone Mears was one of the few reasonable players we had at Derby – exactly which Tyrone Mears are we talking about? It certainly is not the one munching Bouillabaisse on the Marseille seafront as we speak. Anyone that actually watches Derby (instead basing their opinion on someone who’s best friends next door neighbour knowns a guy that saw Match of the Day last year) would know that he might have shown a bit of promise early doors, but he only had one good game in a Derby shirt (playoff final) and he was probably the most inconsistant defender of the past two seasons (I do not class Claude Davis as a defender). Darren Moore outperformed him consistantly and he has a larger turning circle than the QE2 and is nearly as big. Exactly how many times did you actually see Tyrone Mears play for Derby, Dan? Somewhere between zero and none I bet. I would also like to bet (I am a betting man too) that you have also written a few articles on Giles Barnes on what a great talent he is after being told something about him scoring a few good goals a few seasons ago.
Look, we know we are really, really bad but could you try writing something original for once?
Dan A. - September 9th, 2008 at 3:23 am
My friend, I hate to burst your bubble, but my mother’s family is from Breaston, and are, surprise, surprise, Derby County supporters. Though I don’t follow them closely, I have already watched two full matches this year. I watched them beat Preston, where I thought they were fortunate to win, and I saw Bristol City.
I do hope that DC turns it around, but telling me that I plagiarized this article b/c I rate Tyrone Mears as a decent, athletic player with good upside, is ridiculous. I think that the board has failed the supporters and the remaining players, b/c continue to make poor decisions and refuse to spend the cash. If you are ok with Derby continuing like this, be my guest, but questions must be asked of Andrew Appleby and Paul Jewell.