Rams’ manager Clough prepared his team for the biggest game of the season, at home to Championship leaders Southampton, whilst the club planned corporate presentations on the back of the recent revival of the stadium Plaza scheme.

The Rams’ Under-18s bounced back from their 4-3 home defeat against Sheffield United by thrashing Middlesbrough 6-1 last weekend with both Callum Ball and Mason Bennett netting a double, which was a very impressive away win given the strength of Boro’s youth system.

Striker Mason Bennett starred for the England U-16s on Wednesday night in their 3-1 win over Northern Ireland in a Victory Shield match at Chesterfield’s B2net Stadium. Shirebrook-born Mason set up the first goal and then scored the other two in a man-of-the-match performance.

Almost-fit defenders Chris Riggott and Shaun Barker talked about their careers and the club’s prospects for this season at Monday night’s Rams Club annual prize draw event. Among discussion on injury progress and current team matters, the witty Barker - when asked what he thought about ex-skipper Robbie Savage’s displays on ‘Strictly…’ declared that it only confirmed that Sav is ‘obviously a tit’.

That observation got the best laugh of the night and I got the impression that Barker is happier now that the dressing room is more focussed and there is less egoism. When the discussion turned more serious and debated Derby’s need for a prolific striker, Barker was forthright in suggesting that for now, the Rams could save their money and go out and sign Steve Howard! Are the Foxes ever willing to co-operate with that idea, though?

My own view is that Stevie would make an impact as a short-term loan - maybe even until the end of this campaign but I wish the Rams would pounce in January to capture proven striker Billy Sharpe from struggling Doncaster Rovers. There could be no better time to make such a move, and then we could really be in business!

With the media stories about manager Nigel Clough’s possible move to the City Ground enjoying their extended run, Wednesday finally saw the news that DCFC and Clough were in contract talks over a new deal. The delays have manufactured a media topic for everyone to peddle and now we were told by the man himself that negotiations should be swift and without problems.

Nigel attended a ‘One Club’ corporate presentation ‘breakfast’ in the Toyota Suite on Wednesday morning and declared that he wanted to finish what he’d started and had no interest in moving to the City Ground. Clough told attendees that he had worked hard to ‘clear up the mess’ left by the previous manager and knew he had to get on with it under severe restrictions since his appointment at Derby.

He made a point of mentioning that Steve McLaren had started moaning about resources at the City Ground the day after he had started his job as Forest boss! Now DCFC has the task of re-asserting their confidence in Clough - and his coaching staff - by tying up new contracts soon.

Clough wants to build on the team he is shaping at Derby and hoped that contract issues would be rapidly resolved. I’d expect the club to repeat the three-year term that Clough originally undertook and fans await confirmation.

To give him a ‘rolling’ contract or shorter term deal would not communicate the full confidence that the club continuously declares that it has in the manager - and if Clough is backed with enough resources to build on the better foundations he has now laid, the club can make progress.

The ‘breakfast’ attendees had been invited to the gathering to receive a presentation on the new Plaza development - but in the event, that never took place for reasons unexplained, and so Clough’s comments were (by default) of biggest interest to the audience.

The Rams’ reserves took on rivals Nothingham Forest at Belper’s Christchurch Meadow in midweek with the Trees coming out on top 4-3. Chris Riggott didn’t feature for Derby after all, being sidelined again with a minor injury but the Rams lost their unbeaten record despite fielding an experienced side including Pearson, Kilbane, Maguire, Cywka and Buxton. 

Forest took a 2-0 lead before Tomasz Cywka, in an excellent performance, levelled the scores; Doyle put Derby ahead but Forest grabbed two very late goals to snatch the win.

Nothingham Forest fans welcomed their new manager this week (well, maybe a few of them did!) as Steve Cotterill moved from Pompey to the City Ground to replace Steve McLaren. He got off to a great start with a defeat at Coventry in front of a crowd far fewer than half the size of the Derby vs. Saints attendance - and the Trees slumped into the bottom two of the Championship table.

To cap it all, the Trees’ new signing Ishmael Miller showed frustration and disrespect, twittering critical fans to “---k off”, all of which should help Cotterill to settle in! Happy days!

Following the recent Select Committee report from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport’s inquiry into football finances and governance, Sports Minister Hugh Robertson has underlined the need for change, setting a February 2012 deadline for implementation of recommended reforms.

Structural changes in the game’s governing bodies leading to better regulation, more transparency over club ownership, tighter financial regulation and greater supporter involvement are among the main recommendations, as is permanent funding for Supporters Direct, the umbrella organisation of UK supporter trusts.

Pressure from and evidence provided by the fans’ groups had been prime movers in the clamour for changes in the dysfunctional, fragmented structure of the English game. Legal enforcement could follow if the Premier League, Football League and Football Association fail to carry out the report’s recommendations.

Saturday saw that rare event these days at Pride Park Stadium - a top-of-the-table clash, as leaders Southampton came to take on third-place Derby.

The Saints are flying high and Nigel Adkin has taken just a year to march them from a lowly place in League One to the top of the Championship. A throbbing Pride Park Stadium with over 33,000 in attendance with a sunny, cloudless and unseasonably warm afternoon set the scene for the eagerly-awaited clash.

Rams’ manager Clough was dealt a blow as full-back John Brayford was sidelined for the first time since signing for Derby, breaking his run of 56 consecutive games. Russell Anderson deputised. Ex-Ram Lee Holmes, the youngest player to appear for Derby County, did not feature in the Southampton squad despite returning from his injury problems to score in the Saints’ last game.

The sell-out attendance boosted this season’s depleted average (though the Rams are still the League’s second-highest attraction after West Ham). It was a great atmosphere and a cracking match; Derby had a dream start in just two minutes when Saints’ keeper Kelvin Davis pushed away a Ben Davies strike but was helpless to prevent Theo Robinson thumping in the loose ball.

Southampton’s claims for offside were nullified by a clear penalty shout for Derby in the build-up when Steve Davies was blatantly fouled from behind. The Saints aren’t top of the league for nothing, however, and they controlled long spells of the game with their movement and passing. They were always dangerous going forward; Derby’s midfield struggled, the ball did not ‘stick’ up front (so, what’s new?) and so the defence had a very busy afternoon.

The Rams were happy to go into the break still in the lead as Frank Fielding was much the busier goalkeeper. It wasn’t a surprise when Southampton levelled the scores after an hour as the formidable Rickie Lambert struck his 11th goal of the season. A slick passing move for once tore through the Rams defence and Lambert showed his worth.

As Nigel Clough later commented, Southampton had showed their ambition by paying £1.5m for Lambert when they were in League One - his presence and power was a threat all afternoon and if Clough were allowed to bring in such a player to the Derby attack, he would be much closer to achieving the blend he wants - as opposed to the forward combinations he must currently field.

As well as being a tidy side with a high work-rate and enterprising style, the Saints are also muscular and robust and proved determined to halt Derby’s advances by all means possible, collecting 4 bookings along the way. Saints’ boss Nigel Atkins later had the gall to mention O’Brien’s strength, when his forwards regularly used arms, slyly out of sight of the referee.

Theirs was no mere stubborn strong-arm display, however, and the Rams probably could not have complained had the Saints gone home with all three points.

Credit to Derby for their application and character, though - they stuck at their task and began to overcome Southampton’s resistance in the latter stages of the game. Derby matched the best team in the league with the 1-1 draw, and Fielding, Shackell, Ward and Robinson were the pick of a hard-working team.

Steve Davies suffered a facial injury late on in Saturday’s game and was hospitalised; it looked a horrible injury and the player has sustained a fracture above the eye. RZ’s best wishes go to Steve for a rapid recovery.

His goal touch will be missed and I can’t help thinking that his enforced role in having to operate as a target man and undertake the aerial battles has contributed to the situation. Tomasz Cywka came on to a warm welcome to help Derby to sustain their late momentum.

With both Player of the Year John Brayford and top scorer Steve Davies out injured for a month or more, any ‘cause for a pause’ in recruitment contrived by the club’s owners has surely been overturned. 

Pick up that phone, Mr Glick, and sort out a target man and a full-back. I fully expect us to see more of Cywka and Maguire up front during Davies’ absence - but am uneasy at the thought that Russell Anderson can deputise successfully at right-back. It’s apparent that Newcastle full-back James Perch was wanted by Clough but is not currently available. Let’s hope that further player enquiries will soon lead to tangible loan-market progress.

The week was book-ended by speculation and comment on Nigel Clough’s impending contract renewal; asked again about the situation after the Southampton game, Clough said there was no hold-up and it could all be sorted within a couple of days - expect an announcement soon.

As Derby stand on the threshold of renewing the Nigel Clough era, it would be appropriate to also allow him to reinforce his squad to help him maintain Derby’s promising challenge. There are still Clough sceptics of course, and it has sometimes been a rocky road for the son of Brian through the narrow path of restricted club finance - but most do want him to finish what he started and continue to develop our football team.

Derby’s committed performance against Southampton will give the team heart as it faces two tough away games in the next week, at Reading and Middlesbrough.

The top three teams in the Championship all drew on Saturday, with Middlesbrough held by Millwall and the Rams were pushed into 4th spot as West Ham steamed into the top three, with a 4-0 win over Blackpool.

Tying up Mr Clough and his entourage on new deals to ensure continuity, along with good performances and results at the Madejski Stadium on Tuesday and The Riverside Stadium next Saturday will confirm that Derby are moving in the right direction. Come on you RAMS!

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RamsWeek 42 last year saw Rams fans treated to two teams ‘puttin’ on the style’ at Pride Park Stadium twice within a few days. In the international friendly, Brazil cruised to a 2-0 victory over Ukraine and the Rams returned to League action with a comprehensive victory over struggling Preston North End.

Dean Moxey scored a rare goal to put Derby ahead against Preston and an Alberto Bueno header extended the lead. Robbie Savage sealed the game up with a penalty. Derby had verve and variety, with Commons, Kuqi and Bueno blending well and James Bailey linking the play. The Rams sustained their winning run and fans gained optimism as the team reached 12th spot.

Tom Glick reassured fans about the impending contract negotiations with Kris Commons whilst manager Clough had to recruit a goalkeeper prior to the Preston match - Blackburn’s Frank Fielding arrived on an emergency loan when Stephen Bywater suffered a wrist injury.

Blackpool boss Ian Holloway reckoned he could ‘steal’ on-loan Rams’ striker Luke Varney for only £500k on a permanent move - but look again, Olly; he’s a Pompey player now, and we got £750k for him when he returned from loan to be moved on to Fratton Park!

Photo: Action Images

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