I can't really remember much about the first time I went to Pride Park. I know the Rams were in the Prem at the time and it was an afternoon game. I specifically remember standing outside and looking around at the much larger scale of everything, especially the stadium which was so much grander than the old BBG.

There was so much more space and so many more club employees, from car park attendants to gatemen and stewards. It was the money that must be involved in such an operation, that so impressed this accountant's mind as I could almost sense it flowing out of the club's coffers.

The costs of doing business can't always be reduced as quickly as revenue drops off. I remember with absolute clarity the thought that jumped unsolicited into my head, taking me completely by surprise: "If we ever get relegated, we're in trouble."

Unfortunately DCFC was relegated but Prem contracts still had to be paid, even when all the Prem paying spectators are no longer coming through the gate and TV money is not flowing in like it once did.

Make no mistake; the Rams set up is designed for Prem football and because of that we are losing millions every season that we play in the Championship.

There is only one solution that is palatable to Rams fans and to the board as well: the Rams have to get promotion; sooner rather than later. It was never stated of course but I think that for the board this is the season the Rams have to go for it.

Even before the Forest game there must have been an uneasy sense that one more season was about to slip away; that the incremental year after year improvement approach was not bringing promotion much closer.

Clough must have been skating on thin ice for some time; things happened too quickly after the Forest match for it to be otherwise; and unless there was a sudden and dramatic improvement, the change would be made.

After the Forest defeat Clough had to go.

It was already decided that Steve McClaren would be the new man. Some fans complained about the way the sacking was handled but there is really no way to elegantly sack a high profile football club manager. Not when several million people around the world are aware of the Clough name.

It was a shock to me, just as it was to every other Rams fan, but it quickly sank in that the board had done the right thing and it pretty much had to be this way.

Will McClaren take the club to where Pride Park dictates that it has to be?

None of us know.
The season itself is now beginning to look quite a bit more interesting, although at 1-4 last Tuesday evening, there was plenty of room for doubt.

But after the impressive victory over Leeds on Saturday, I for one am a bit more hopeful.

Photo: Action Images

davram added 18:05 - Oct 10 Bill - I'd agree that the Rams have to get promotion "sooner rather than later" and that we're well set up for the Prem (off-field, anyway - not player/squad wise). But you also write that such promotion talk "...was never stated of course..." In fact, many fans at DCFC forums (including myself) have heard Sam Rush declare "top six - minimum" more than once when he's been challenged about the club's apparent lack of ambition. That approach underpinned his season-ticket push, and so It could be argued that Sam Rush's arrival has finally stirred GSE into a more ambitious train of thought. Don't forget that Appleby initially said that "promotion isn't a priority" and he's studiously avoided either meeting fans or making any brazen comments about promotion for five years now. If you can find any quotes to disprove this, let us have them! AA has a very poor PR approach in this respect, and he has low credibility with many fans. But isn't the pre-season "top-six" sensibility the whole basis of the recent management change? As you say, the season might just get interesting from now on!

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1960Ram added 19:31 - Oct 10 Davram: I agree that reaching the top six is the reason for the recent management change. In fact, my original title for the piece was Pride Park, Money and Why Clough Had To Go. I must have missed Sam's comments; I sometimes don't pay much attention to what comes from the upper reaches of the club. Bill
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davram added 21:50 - Oct 10 You did very well indeed to miss Sam's loud proclamations! Putting "relegation" in the title suggested a strange nostagia to me, but you write (thankfully) of the here & now. I choose to attend to what's said - Rush & Co are accountable for "the product" (in American terms) so I'd say that will invite scrutiny & inform comment. Just my opinion, though!
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WanChopeTwoChop added 01:10 - Oct 11 Great article Bill, I thought it was all pretty straight forward what you meant as I too believe that this is all about getting us promoted. GSE need return on their investment and will only get a decent one in the prem. Some things don't need to be said, I get it!! Plus don't worry about missing much of Sam's waffle, it would be best recorded for use at bed time if you have trouble sleeping. Its spin, spin and more spin. The only proclomations worth listening to will be when they announce they will actually spend some money. You can't tell me they really just want top 6, although a good finish to the season it would be only slightly better financially than say 7 - 10th. They need to make a real run at promotion and will say "top-6" in case it all goes wrong to avoid being chased out of Derby. This change was made as part of a promotion plan as it is the only plan that makes sense if you are going to shake the club up in the way they did. Just my opinion but I don't see any point in the plan being otherwise.

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1960Ram added 05:21 - Oct 11 I really don't envy ownership just now. I know I keep harping on the (financial) losses, but we are losing money just standing still. We need to go up to improve the finances, but that costs more money. And there are no guarantees... Bill
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