Steve Bloomer's Washing

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

SBW caught up with RamsTV lead presenter and lifelong Rams fan Owen Bradley, who gave us his take on Cocu’s rollercoaster first year, the art of good commentary, how Derby are coping with the Covid crisis and how he came to follow the Rams.

Chris, Richard and Tom are reunited (possibly for the last time in a while) as they attempt to make sense of English football grinding to a halt as a result of the coronavirus global pandemic. As the beautiful game – and society – face dire consequences from Covid-19, we attempt to provide some light relief…… Continue reading SBW 79: Coronavirus shutdown special

Derby County returned to winning ways on the road with an emphatic victory at Hillsborough thanks to a Tom Lawrence brace and hat-trick of assists from Chris Martin. Cutch, Tom and Anton discuss the improving away form, a couple of frustrating results against QPR and Fulham and the futures of Chris Martin and Jayden Bogle.

Derby County’s quest for the Most Average Season Ever continues with another win, another draw and another defeat. Chris and Richard analyse the long-awaited away win at Swansea, the frantic five-goal thriller at Bristol City, and the drab draw at home to Huddersfield. There’s also discussion on Radio Derby’s sacking of Craig Ramage for his…… Continue reading SBW 77: Swans, Robins & Terriers

Only Derby County could squeeze their best AND worst result of the season into four days, and that’s exactly what Phillip Cocu’s Jekyll & Hyde Rams have done. Chris, Richard and Anton salute the spectacular four-goal shoeing of Stoke City, before asking what on earth went wrong earlier in the same week against Luton Town.…… Continue reading SBW 76: Hatter, Haters & Potters