Steve Bloomer's Washing

Bleak. Abject. Excruciating. Just three of the more polite words we can use to describe Derby County’s start to the 2020/21 campaign, as yet another defeat (that’s seven in 11 games) leaves the Rams propping up the Championship. Chris, Richard and Tom are joined by Ryan Conway from The Athletic to assess just how on…… Continue reading SBW 97: Rock bottom Rams

As more dodgy officiating denies Derby victory over Forest (sound familiar…?), Chris, Richard and Anton dissect an East Midlands Derby which saw the Rams finally bag at the City Ground after three long years, along with a freekick peach, a legitimate winner ruled out and plenty of positives which will likely ease the pressure on…… Continue reading SBW 96: Trees & Terriers

Chris, Cutch and pod debutant Robbie Jones analyse the Rams’ latest home defeat to Watford and assess Derby’s transfer window, including the signing of Colin Kazim Richard and what could have been with Harry Wilson.

With half a dozen competitive games out the way this season, Phillip Cocu will have a better idea of how his Rams squad is shaping up, how signings are settling in, and where improvements need to be made. In an updated, second instalment of our ‘Rams Ladder’ opinion series, guest blogger Simon Truckle ranks the…… Continue reading The Rams Ladder: Derby’s most important players ranked

With the Rams on their latest international break, SBW takes a stroll down memory lane to look back on the club’s fortunes over the past 20 years. To help with our Rams retrospective, we’re joined by Ryan Hills, the author of ‘Pride: The Inside Story of Derby County in the 21st Century’. Ryan described the…… Continue reading SBW 94: Derby County 2000-2020

Is Derby’s woeful start about to get worse before it gets better? As the Rams are trounced at home by Blackburn in Cocu’s lowest moment, Chris, Richard and Tom assess an unacceptably passive display. Who was to blame for the 5-minute collapse? Who starts our next game given Derby’s appalling start to the campaign? There’s…… Continue reading SBW 93: Questions four Phil

An anticlimactic opening day sees Derby slump to a 2-0 home defeat to Reading, leaving Richard, Tom and Anton wondering if season expectations have changed as a result. There’s analysis of Derby’s apparent lack of leadership with several first team players still absent, as well as reaction to possible transfer incomings and the sales of…… Continue reading SBW 92: Royally rumbled

Chris, Cutch and Tom react to Derby’s EFL charges being dismissed and debate what impact it will have on the season, assess the Rams’ chances in 2020/21 and assess the strengths of our promotion rivals. Can Derby once again crack the top six, or will we once again remain socially distanced from the Premier League?…… Continue reading SBW 91: Cocuball 2.0

The SBW gang are finally reunited in person to reflect on Derby County’s rollercoaster 2019/20 campaign. In a season which was arguably more dramatic off the pitch than on it, Chris, Tom, Richard and Anton analyse whether Phillip Cocu has improved the Rams since last summer, as well as awarding our own Player of the…… Continue reading SBW Season Review 2019/20

Robbie Jones compares Cocu’s crop to the last 20 years of Rams academy products. Have we ever had it this good…? Derby’s disappointing defeat at West Brom in the 2019/20 run-in was not a result to live long in the memory. For the Derby County Academy however, it was a high point in the season.…… Continue reading Is Cocu Derby’s best ever youth promoter? Analysing the Rams academy over 20 years

The Rams’ late playoff push is left dead in the water after consecutive defeats to promotion-chasing Brentford and Cardiff. Chris, Richard and Tom assess the losses which ended Derby’s season, and look at potential candidates for Player of the Year. There’s also the inevitable discussion about next season’s goalkeeper, following tough seasons for Kelle Roos…… Continue reading SBW 89: Bees & Bluebirds

Derby’s post-lockdown revival is bought to a temporary halt as table-topping West Brom see off the Rams 2-0. The SBW squad dissect Derby’s defeat at the Hawthorns, and also admire Chris Martin’s 97th minute equaliser which spared our blushes once again in the East Midlands Derby. There are also your Five Word Reviews as Phillip…… Continue reading SBW 88: Rams revival reality check

After another emotional week for Derby County, Cutch, Tom and Anton reflect on Phillip Cocu’s Rams making it five wins on the bounce with a resolute away victory against fellow play-off chasing Preston. They pay tribute to Andre Wisdom and the Derby County fanbase for responding so quickly in raising almost £6,000 (link below) for…… Continue reading SBW 87: Phil’s fantastic five

As sensational Sibley steals the show in Derby’s first game back since football’s restart, SBW hails the Rams’ teenage wonderkid whose hattrick helped see off Millwall at The Den. Chris, Richard and Anton ask if it’s now OK to get *very* excited by the dazzling attacking midfielder, as Derby just about keep within touching distance…… Continue reading SBW 86: Hail Prince Louie!

Football is back! It might not be as we know it, but it still feels good. After three months of Zoom quizzes, mixed emotions and several much more serious matters, we can turn our attention back to the Championship and the remaining nine-game ‘mini league’. Derby restart at Millwall. With the Rams in 12th and…… Continue reading The Rams Ladder: Derby’s most important players ranked

Football is back! After an imposed three month break due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Championship is back in action, albeit behind closed doors. Chris, Richard and Tom return to analyse how different football will be in ‘the new normal’… and whether playing in empty grounds could work in Derby’s favour. There’s also a preview…… Continue reading SBW 85: The Rams return!

SBW chatted to Rams top scorer Martyn Waghorn in our latest lockdown podcast, as Derby’s No.9 gave his in-depth views on how to cope in the ‘new normal’, the risk of injury or virus transmission when football returns, the strikers he wants to emulate, the contrasting styles of Cocu and Lampard, and ofcourse the influence…… Continue reading SBW 84: Waggy’s lockdown latest

The second part of our extended conversation with Steve McClaren sees the former Rams boss explain why he felt ‘frustrated’ by his two managerial spells. McClaren also relived his stint as Jim Smith’s assistant in 1990s, told us what went wrong with the England job, how he found redemption in Holland… and what he makes…… Continue reading SBW Meets: Steve McClaren (Part 2)

In the first of a two-part interview, SBW sat down with former Rams player, coach and manager, Steve McClaren, for a full and frank account of his two spells in charge since 2013. McClaren came closer than any recent Derby boss to Premier League promotion, only to fail in devastating, dramatic circumstances. McClaren gave us…… Continue reading SBW Meets: Steve McClaren

Cutch, Tom and Anton discuss Derby County and football in general’s response to the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown, and what the immediate future may hold for the Rams and the Football League. Tom, Anton and the listeners provide their Derby County suggestions for Isolation Heaven and Isolation Hell, and there is also a bumper of…… Continue reading SBW 81: Furlough, Finances & Football’s Future