Steve Bloomer's Washing

2019 is nearly over, and frankly it can’t finish soon enough for Phillip Cocu’s travel sick Rams, as only a last minute bundled equaliser spares them the embarrassment of another away defeat, this time at bottom club Wigan Athletic. Chris and Richard analyse the talking points from Derby’s Boxing Day fixture, look back on the…… Continue reading SBW 72: Wigan woe & Best of 2019

Derby’s 2019/20 season may have left some parts of our fanbase divided, but one era from our past will always remain unblemished. It’s only on reflection when you can appreciate how special some period for were for the Rams. Jim Smith’s six year reign at Derby County was just that. From broken club records and…… Continue reading Jim Smith: Six games which defined the Bald Eagle’s Derby era

The Steve Bloomer’s Washing boys take a break from contemporary Derby County developments to pay tribute to the most successful manager of their lifetime – the late Jim Smith. The Bald Eagle took charge of the Rams in the summer of 1995, leading an entertaining Derby side to automatic promotion in his first season. He…… Continue reading SBW 71: Jim Smith remembered

The below interview is a transcript of our podcast with Dean Sturridge, recorded in June 2018. – Dean it’s a pleasure to see you again – and you’re still working in football? – That’s correct – in another capacity now. I’d love to be out there on the field with the quality of play -…… Continue reading ‘Jim Smith believed in me’: Dean Sturridge on becoming a Rams goalscoring machine

No Derby fan can deny the last decade for the Rams has been eventful. Four playoff campaigns, plenty of managers, heroes, villains and everything in between. But which 11 players made the biggest contribution to Derby County between 2010 and 2020? Chris, Richard, Tom and Anton sat down to name their combined Team of the…… Continue reading SBW 70: Team of the Decade

The Rams’ patchy season continues with a win, draw and, predictably, another 3-0 defeat in London in their last three games. Wayne Rooney’s unveiling against QPR failed to mask a lacklustre display, and Derby’s woeful away record continued at Fulham. Which injured first-teamer are we missing most? Are we a midtable side, or a good…… Continue reading SBW 69: Win, Roos or Draw

After 276 games, 42 goals and an historic hattrick… comes one podcast interview. Rams hero Craig Bryson joined us on SBW to look back on his eight years at Pride Park – from his early career and ‘owing everything to Nigel Clough’, to play-off heartache, Forest hattricks, a fall-out with Steve McClaren, and a new…… Continue reading SBW Meets: Craig Bryson

Yet more travel sickness sees Phillip Cocu lose his first league East Midlands derby, as the Rams are beaten at The City Ground. There were plenty of positives in Derby’s latest away defeat, as Chris, Richard, Tom and Anton discuss. There’s analysis too on the fourth consecutive home win over a poor Middlesbrough side, the…… Continue reading SBW 67: Bogle’s blunder & Boro

The Rams are not quite ‘mauled by the Tigers’, but certainly well beaten as two second half goals mean another defeat on the road. There was, however, that papering-over-the-cracks last minute win over Wigan to compensate for Derby’s latest loss – leaving Chris, Tom and Anton to wonder at what point we write off 2019/20…… Continue reading SBW 66: Highway to Hull

Another London away day, another catastrophic performance. Richard, Anton and Ryan unpick the mess that was Charlton 3 Derby 0, and ask if the warning signs are there that the Rams are in for a midtable campaign…(or worse?). There are some of your hilarious ‘five word reviews’, and Richard once again disgraces himself at Guess…… Continue reading SBW 65: Capital punishment

Derby’s small but nonetheless important unbeaten run continues with seven points in (just over) seven days, thanks to consecutive morale-boosting home wins. Chris and Richard are joined by SBW debutant Ryan Burton to look back on the Rams’ last two league fixtures. Questions we attempt to tackle include: Should Jayden Bogle play further forward? How…… Continue reading SBW 64: Barnsley & Luton

In a month where a minority of Derby’s squad dominated the headlines and took a sledgehammer to the club’s reputation, you could be forgiven for allowing our unbeaten September to go unnoticed. The Tuesday Club, or ‘SeshGate’ as it’s also been labelled, gave Derby County its darkest episode since the ‘Three Amigos’ got their hands…… Continue reading September review: Draws, disgrace… and dodgy keeping

How do you sum up that week? Seven days which Derby fans won’t forget in a hurry ended with a breathless 3-2 win over Birmingham, giving Phillip Cocu his first home win as Rams boss. Will the five-goal thriller kickstart Derby’s season? And what part will Chris Martin play after coming back in from the…… Continue reading SBW 63: Shaking off the Blues

Has Phillip Cocu had the result which could kickstart Derby’s season? Chris, Richard and Tom review the most unlikely of away draws at Elland Road, ask how we scraped a point… and assess *the Chris Martin question*. There’s a look back too on the Cardiff stalemate, Steve Gibson’s ongoing vendetta against the Rams, and a…… Continue reading SBW 62: Cardiff & Leeds

Derby County’s cult hero Costa Rican joined us for a nostalgic chat in our latest interview special. Wanchope, who scored 28 Rams goals in all competitions, explained how he nearly became a pro basketball player before coming to England, his fiery relationship with Jim Smith, his favourite Derby teammate, and ofcourse *that* Old Trafford debut…… Continue reading SBW Meets: Paulo Wanchope

Did that really happen? A disastrous London away day sees Derby’s second 3-0 defeat in less than a week – the first time they’ve lost consecutive games by three goals since the end of Paul Clement’s reign in 2016. What on earth went wrong at Brentford – and was it a freak result or a…… Continue reading SBW 60: Brentford battering

When Derby’s fixtures were released, there was a collective groan from fans and predictions we’d be relegation fodder by September. Phillip Cocu had been dealt a brutal start, we agreed we’d have to stick together and muddle through the best we could. However by the end of the month, two chaotic 3-0 pastings mean his…… Continue reading August review: Strong start but shambolic finish asks awkward questions

Phillip Cocu tastes competitive defeat for the first time as Derby manager… and it wasn’t pretty. Chris and Tom wince over some calamitous defending and wonder if three at the back is the long-term solution for the Rams. There’s also a preview of Derby’s fixtures against promotion favourites West Brom, and Nottingham Forest. Are our…… Continue reading SBW 59: Bristol City & Stoke

Another season, another managerial change for Derby County – but the latest Pride Park appointment made history and is seen as a potential Mel Morris masterstroke. Phillip Cocu, Derby’s first ever non-British manager, arrives in England with a stellar playing career and enviable managerial record behind him. The Championship is an unforgiving slog, however -…… Continue reading Derby County 2019/20 preview: Phillip Cocu’s five biggest challenges