On Saturday my beloved Rams take on another inform team when they play Portsmouth live on SKY TV. A few weeks ago we were lying third from the bottom of the Championship and looked a demoralised and threatened team. Now we lie seventh and look a revitalised outfit.
Credit has to be given to the manager Nigel Clough and his coaching staff because the club is being turned around. Everyone suffered after the ill fated promotion three years ago which destroyed morale. Then followed the Paul Jewell era where players were recruited regardless of loyalty or effectiveness.
It now transpires that Nigel came with a plan. He raided the lower divisions and the non-league circuit and recruited ambitious young raw players. Personally I lived through the era created by his Dad and I cannot believe that he is repeating the process.
It is still very early to make conclusions but the portents are good. The first team squad is very young and very precocious. In between there is experience featuring people like Robbie Savage, Sean Barker and Dean Leacock who are all quality performers but the excitement is with the 'kids'!
Two players recruited from Crewe, two from Burton Albion, another from Exeter, and one from Ilkeston Town! A free transfer from Wigan Athletic and a couple of out of contract players from Doncaster Rovers and this cheap and relatively untested squad are playing good teams off the park.
Saturday will be an important game because Portsmouth have a lot of Premiership players relegated last year wanting to re-establish themselves. If the Rams win then I will begin to believe yet again that we are on the way back. I cannot wait!
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