All or Nothing

The final league game of the season is fast approaching and this time around it could define Derby's season. 

We host Reading knowing that just a single point will mean that for the second season running, we are in the play offs for the big prize of premier league football. 

It will be a far from easy task and I'm sure that our visitors will do their very best to throw the proverbial 'Spanner in the Works'. They themselves experienced final day agony last season when they missed out on a top six placing on the final day. 

Of course I like many other Rams fans will be a bag of nerves from kick off to the final whistle. 

An added twist to the game is the fact that The Royals have three players formerly employed by our rivals across Brian Clough Way. Chris Gunther, Garath McCleary, Jamie Mackie and Simon Cox will need no encouragement to put one over on their old rivals. 

For us it is essential to focus on the game and not have any careless lapses of concentration. Our defence must show far better composure and resilience than in recent games. 

Not only the back four, but Lee Grant in goal has also made some serious errors lately. 

Whether Chris Martin or Darren Bent will make the starting line up is anyone's guess at this stage, but it's important that one of them is leading the line. 

The last dozen games has seen a real dip in form so now is an ideal time to get back into top gear and show the league that we mean business. 

The fans have turned out in great numbers this season and they are long overdue a good display from the players on the pitch! 

Colin Bloomfield

Today I didn't go to the away game at Millwall. Instead I decided to attend a charity fundraiser hosted by my sons team.

It was whilst watching a charity match that my wife messaged me to inform me that Colin Bloomfield had passed away earlier in the morning. 

Words cannot describe how people feel when they hear news like this. Unfortunately I didn't know Colin on a personal level, but he was the sort of person that you felt like you knew. 

The first I heard of Colin or Bloomers as he was nicknamed was when he took over BBC Radio Derby's matchday commentary from Ross Fletcher. He took over the duties and quickly adapted like he had been in the role for years. 

Giving a good description of the on field events and added a little excitement when the Rams were on an attack. 

His most memorable contribution for me was when we won away at Nottingham Forest with ten men. I was at the game, but as I often do, I had the radio commentary on. 

It's no secret that his biggest love was Shrewsbury Town. I recall a few seasons ago when he had a free night. He was supporting The Shrews at their away game in Lincoln. I live in Lincoln and my brother has a season ticket at Sincil Bank. 

I exchanged a few messages with him as he settled in to watch his team. I was tempted to go say hello, but thought that Colin deserved his night off away from moaning Derby fans. 

Shrewsbury thrashed Lincoln that night! By the evidence of his message when the final whistle blew, he was absolutely delighted. 

Colin also took Derby to his heart. The last time I actually saw him was at Wembley last season. As I sat in the coach awaiting our drive back to Derby, I saw Colin walking away from the stadium with a couple of his mates. He looked dejected like all of Derby's fans. 

It was known by the public at that time that he was fighting skin cancer. The site of Colin walking away kind of reminded me that we had lost a football match and there was a young man with a far more important fight on his hands. 

He fought his illness with such bravery and courage. He often put it to one side to carry on his media work. A few weeks ago he presented Sportscene whilst Ed Dawes was away. 

Alas he passed away this morning but not before he raised thousands of pounds for his melonoma appeal. The Shrews also got promoted today! I'm sure many Rams fans will keep one eye on them thinking of Colin. 

God Bless Bloomers! One of the good guys.

What will the Future Hold?

We are very close to the conclusion of the season and barring a disaster Derby appear to be play offs bound again. 

I'm no fan of this end of season mini tournament as it often deprives the third best team of progressing to the big time and Premier League riches. To me it defeats the object of a league system. 

It is though unlikely to be axed as it brings in a lot of revenue. The winners often waive their share of the spoils for making it and the losers gain around £5m. 

If we were able to negotiate our way through the semi finals and clinch victory, it would mean a return to the top flight and a chance to re-establish the club amongst the nations elite. 

It's a chance that needs grasping and will require good planning and skilful management. If done right we could become another Swansea or Southampton rather than enduring another season of gloom like our last spell. 

On the other side of the coin, failure to even advance in post season could bring its own problems as surely the likes of Will Hughes and Chris Martin will be getting impatient for a taste of the Premier League. 

I know that they would move for fairly hefty fees and could finance the purchase of several new players, but success in this division isn't easy and it's been a graveyard to the careers of many capable boss men. 

We must now make sure that we are fully focused on the job in hand and pass go and collect £200. 

Bent Double Sinks Blackpool.

Well we have positives to comment on this time. Derby convincingly beat Blackpool. They should. The Seasiders are already relegated and have been at the basement for some time now. 

It was good to see a re emergence of Craig Bryson. I never expected to see him score sixteen goals again, but he has been a shadow of the player from last season. 

Tom Ince adding another goal to his seasons tally and a brace from Darre Bent secured the points. 

It was a relief to see Bent put away the penalty with confidence. We don't have a good conversion rate from the spot. 

Bent has now score a dozen goals since he came from Aston Villa and has surely put himself back in the shop window. Obviously we aren't going to be paying his wages unless we go up. 

The visiting supporters again demonstrated against their owner Karl Oyston. Rams fans showed their support and indeed were seen shaking hands with them at full time. 

Three points are valuable and after Brentford and Wolves suffered defeats it has now given us an opportunity to cement our place in the play offs. Perhaps we can have a happy ending to what has seen us five points clear at the top and now fighting to stay in the top six. 

On to Huddersfield next and another win is important. 

On a Knife Edge

After the disappointment of only drawing at home to Watford, Rams fans have had to endure three very poor halves of football in two matches since. 

Woeful in the first half against Wigan before a much improved performance in the second half. Chris Martin and Darren Bent coming up with the goods. 

Nothing less than a win should be expected against a side slip sliding down to League one. As a team that's been in the top six for most of the season, we as fans have every expectation to win at such teams. 

Saturday was totally woeful. Clueless, lack of creativity and generally looking like a bottom half side. 

It's all very well saying that Brentford are promotion rivals, but we blew the chance to show our supporters who once turned out in great numbers, that the loss of form was temporary. 

We didn't. Brentford after being the best side by far for nearly all of the game were robbed in time added on by a Darren Bent equaliser. 

We are now looking far from certain to even make the play offs. Not getting automatic promotion is a missed opportunity. To fail to even make the play offs for me would signal a season of failure. 

We were the third best side in the division last season. No ifs no buts. Up until a few weeks ago we were the best side in the Championship. 

What has gone wrong? Has the manager list the dressing room?  Are the players unsettled by all the talk of of impending move to Newcastle by McClaren at the end of the season? Answers please on a postcard! You don't go from good to bad overnight. 

Blackpool visit on Tuesday night in a game we surely dare not lose. Failure to win will only pose more questions,

Scrutiny on the County

Much has been said about Steve McClaren's tenure as manager. Until recently it was mostly very positive. 

There's no doubt that last season he did manage to squeeze that little extra of of the playing squad that he inherited. Craig Forsyth was amongst the success stories as we made our way to Wembley. 

He also made some very good loan signings. Andre Wisdom who was solid in the Right Back position, Patrick Bamford played his part in adding that little bit extra up front and George Thorne who made a massive impact in the run in. 

Thorne as well all know returned on a big money full transfer from West Bromich. Had he not picked up a serious injury pre season, we can only guess what we have missed from him this season. Restricted to the odd bit part or two most fans feel that his absence has been a big blow. 

McClaren's loans this season have failed to make the same impact. Leon Best didn't do much at all though his replacement Darren Bent has done well. 

Tom Ince has had flashes of brilliance but too often has flattered to deceive. He tends to drift out of games. 

Jesse Lingard was brought in to replace the recalled Jordon Ibe and hasn't justified a first team start. 

Ryan Shotton and Cyrus Christie are players brought in on permanent deals and neither invites the confidence of fans like Andre Wisdom or indeed John Brayford did a couple of seasons ago. 

Raul Albentosa has switched from La Liga to line up in our defence and to be perfectly honest, I'm yet to be convinced that he is a long term solution. 

Our best players this season have been Will Hughes who of course was here long before McClaren arrived and Chris Martin who has managed to repeat his form of last season. 

Omar Mascarell arrived on loan from Real Madrid but found the holding role in midfield very difficult before injury put paid to his season. 

Hailed a messiah last season and up to a few weeks ago he looked like sailing us Into the promised land of Premier League riches, the ship has sprung a leak and the new boys have come under scrutiny.

Have we hit an iceberg? Is there mutiny onboard or are the crew taking a deep breath before reaching the treasure island. 

Failure will surely see those who are not committed to the task ahead walk the plank and its captain is already rumoured to be jumping ship. That in itself has created stormy waters. 

In a Rut

Last night Derby were again live on tv and once again came up short.

First of all another error by Cyrus Christie led to Watford taking the lead.

We then were handed a lifeline just before half time. A dubious red card reduced Watford to ten men, but a penalty it was and Darren Bent duly obliged from the spot. 

There was plenty of attacking in the second half from us and Tom Ince produced a great goal to put us ahead in the game and looking like getting a win.

However, yet again we conceded and another opportunity to cement our place in the top six was missed.

George Thorne came off having played half an hour of the game. I am amazed that he has played any minutes so far this season and wasn't surprised that yet again he failed to complete a game. Perhaps we are rushing the lad back too quickly.

I think automatic promotion was all but written off by most people a couple of weeks ago. We are now flirting with finishing outside the top six. Some say we have an easy run in! The fact is we haven't. Wigan and Brentford have already beaten us and Millwall have held us to a draw.

It's times for both management and players to move up a gear and at last get us a lottery ticket!

One positive from yesterday was the great hospitality served up by Derby County for the team that my son plays for,

North Lindum Hawks had a day out at Derby. The club are from Lincoln and enjoyed an hour in the DW Soccer Dome before making their way across the car park into the ground.

A pre match parade round the pitch with a team photo preceded the surprise of carrying the giant club flag to the centre circle to welcome the players on to the pitch.

Derby County are a great club for community involvement and yesterday welcomed a club from fifty five miles away. I'd like to thank them and in particular Will Watson for their hospitality. The lads and parents were so impressed that they want to come back again.