Still A Ram After All These Years

Derby County fan Anne Ward thinks newly appointed manager Nigel Clough could bring the club back to the glory days. 

"Hopefully he has some of his dad's spirit," said Anne.  In the mid 1970s the Ward family left Breadsall in Derby to live in Dublin Ireland.  "My parents wanted to move back, Mum's from Galway and Dad's from Dublin.  I was 18 when I left," recalled Ward who now lives in Irishtown. 

Despite being some 30 years later Anne and the Ward family are still rooting for Derby FC.  "I couldn't believe the Rams beat the Devils one nil in the semi of the Carling Cup," Anne admitted.  "I am always interested to see how Derby is doing, so is my Mum.  She loves football and keeps track of the team.  She once got Brain Clough's autograph in a restaurant in Derby one evening.  We were all fighting for it the next day.  We were very proud of Derby in those days and Brian Clough was our hero when we won the league in 1972.  My brother Matt has been a dedicated fan since leaving Derby at the age of 10 but he often attends matches at Pride Park.  He's going over to see the second leg at Old Trafford next week."

"As a life long supporter of Derby living in Dublin you have to take some slagging but after the great win over Man. U. I can carry my head held high," said Matt.  "I'll bring a nice souvenir back from Old Trafford, which reminds me, I better give the brother Chris back his medal from the 70s when he played for Derby juniors." 

Matt now lives in Stella Gardens, Irishtown just around the corner from where Derby hero Davey Langan grew up.  "The plot," Matt said, "thickens."

Rams' Chairman Adam Pearson told Derby's official website, "Nigel Clough understands this football club and what it means to the people of Derby better than anyone else in the game." 

It was during Nigel's childhood when his father Brian took Derby, an average club at the time, to league titles and the European Cup semi-final. 

The Rams lost on aggregate to Juventus and later investigations alleged that the West German referee was bribed. 

In 1973 after a row with the board, Mr. Clough walked out of the old Baseball Ground to manage Leeds United.  "I remember the fans were disgusted," said Anne.  "We marched through the streets of Derby and stood outside the council hall protesting and pleading with him to stay.  For a few years there were a lot of fans that hated Brian Clough for this but as the years went by it faded.  Even though he managed Derby's rivals Nottingham Forest, Derby fans have a soft spot for old Cloughie.  All the time he was with Forest he still lived in Derby." 

His move to Leeds lasted only 44 days but he went on to turn Forest into a European powerhouse bringing key Derby players with him.

Brian Clough's reign with the Rams from 1967 to 1973 is going to be a hard act to follow for the son. 

Nonetheless chairman Pearson believes, "Nigel is the ideal choice at this time.  He is the right man to lead the club to a brighter future." 

For the last 10 years Clough has managed non-league Burton Albion.  Albion's constant improvement each year, the new Pirelli Stadium erected 3 years ago and looking good for a first ever promotion to League Two has impressed Derby's chairman. 

Needless to say the newest employee is also Brian Clough's son.  The rut under Paul Jewell had to stop at Pride Park. 

Since their relegation from the Premier League, with only one win in that season, the team has continued to slip south in the Championship's league table. 

Pearson however believes, "We have a great squad of players here and Nigel is capable of getting the very best out of them and playing a style of football the supporters want to see." 

Anne Ward has seen great football and style at Derby County.  She has seen some of the best players in the world perform at the Baseball Ground.

"I remember Dave Mackay, Colin Todd, Roy MacFarland, Francis Lee, Kevin Hector, Bruce Rioch and Archie Gemmill.  Alan Hinton with the white boots was my favorite player.  We even had posers in those days and I have to admit," said the smiling Ram,

"I had a picture of George Best on my school folder.  For weeks my neighbors called me a traitor.  My favorite game though was the 4-4 with Man. U.  Denis Law, Georgie and Brian Kidd scored.  I'll never forget the ice on the pitch.  It was some game.  Imagine if Clough's son could bring back those kind of glory days."

It didn't take long for the Clough presence to take an effect on the team.  The new manager attended the 1-0 win over United that he watched from the Pride stands. 

The following day he was officially hired.  Alex Ferguson doesn't understand how this phenomenon works.   "West Ham beat us 1-0 last year when Alan Curbishley was just appointed." 

Ferguson also admitted United were lucky to get away with 1-0.  Derby fans are hoping the Clough magic continues on January 20 in the return leg at Manchester. 

The fans are also hoping that the Rams return to the Premiership inside Clough's contract for three-and-a-half-years.

Derby County is a sleeping giant owned by Americans who are not short on ideas, Clough being their most recent brainstorm. 

At the United game the club handed out free match programs and free black and white club scarves.   

Since the inauguration of the Football League in 1888 Derby has been alive and kicking.   

"This is a fantastic opportunity for me and one that I relish," Clough told Derby's official website. "I know the club inside out. It has always had a special place in mine and my family's heart, and I know that this is one of the most exciting jobs in football." 

For Anne Ward the fond memories of the green and hilly town will never fade and neither will the glory days of old Cloughie. 

Perhaps a new Clough era is on the horizon in a Derby County that is now built up ready to take on a whole new beginning.