Derby County

I take a deep breath as I report that my beloved football team that I have been supporting for almost sixty years have been relegated back to the Championship. Frankly it has been on the cards since before Christmas and my heart goes out to those fans young enough and enthusiastic enough to invest in season tickets and travel to away games.

The only positive aspect to emerge from what can only be described as a disastrous and humiliating season is that the club will emerge financially secure. We have new American owners who apparently have money to invest and the SKY TV 'parachute' payment to relegated clubs should ensure that we can invest in talented mercenaries.

I am not yet convinced that the manager is as good as his rhetoric but we have no option but to give him a chance to lead us back to the big time. Whatever happens we just have to write this season off. I will just say this. I have seen us bounce up and down for years. I have seen the heady days of Brian Clough when we were league champions and played Juventus in the European Club Semi Finals. I also watched us struggle in the old Division three (North)and remember the dreaded days when Tommy Docherty got rid of international stars and replaced them with nonentities.

Throughout it all the Derby fans have turned up week in and week out fiercely loyal to our home town club. I salute you all boys and girls and I'm sure that things can only get better!