Derby County notebook: Squad summer social, Oasis at Glastonbury, fixture date revealed

With promotion back to the Championship at the second time of asking, Derby County players will let their hair down. On the last day of the just concluded League One season, the Rams defeated Carlisle United 2-0 to confirm that they would be playing football in the second tier once more. This victory also revealed that the Rams had averaged precisely two points per game across 46 games.

The players’ only thoughts after their collective accomplishment are to celebrate and unwind, and that is exactly what they intend to do. Pre-season will soon approach in the coming weeks, and there will be a ton of work for the management and ownership to do with contracts and transfer business as the Rams get ready to take on the Championship again.

As Sonny Bradley stated to RamsTV, “We’re definitely going to enjoy our upcoming team trip.” That’s also the main idea here. We don’t always go out and socialize as a team, even though we spend a lot of time together.

“I know it sounds simple, but building the football team came first, and in the process, we both kind of gave up on our social lives. A few tokens have been reserved for this off-season! We’ve played as a team throughout the season, completed the task at hand, and now it’s time to relax and have a little celebration.”

Pride Park celebration

In the wake of the club’s success, Paul Warne paid gratitude to owner David Clowes and said that Pride Park looked like Glastonbury after promotion. After full time, Warne was encouraged to observe what was happening on the field as the exuberant fans came out to join the players and crew in celebrating. Warne was shocked to see smoke and flares filling the air.

The Derby manager also disclosed that Clowes praised him for assisting the team’s second-time return to the Championship, noting the owner’s humility in leading the team despite the long-overdue triumph.

“It was really humble,” Warne remarked. “I’d never had someone praise me like that before. It was a simple “thank you” for your efforts. He didn’t have to give me thanks. He pays me, but it’s not entirely gratuitous. Then I spotted his wife, Cath, who is a beautiful woman who I see every home game. They do not own football teams. Their motivation is to see their team perform, not to be in the spotlight. They went to see the women perform on Sunday.

“Next, we saw the under-21 team. He would come down and watch if the Derby dogs were competing against the Burton animals at that moment. The delight on his face was so endearing, and he simply adored it. He told the coaching staff the same thing: “It’s strange that the owner just thanked me!” That was the sincere discussion. Seeing Pride Park in such state filled him with pride.

It reminded me of Glastonbury. My goalie coach urged, “Gaffer, come and look down the tunnel,” as I entered it for the fifteenth time at an anxious moment. There was only smoke, black and white. It seemed as though Oasis was present! David entered the dressing room, where we presented the award and took pictures with the players. It is how football ought to be. You should enjoy the day and have the most pleasure; it shouldn’t be so stiff and everything should be in boxes.”

Derby will release its 2024–25 Championship schedule on Wednesday, June 26 at 9:00 a.m. The conclusion of the Euros in Germany this summer will mark the start of the new season, which will begin the weekend of August 10–11. The Carabao Cup will start as soon as the new competition kicks off.

It’s also official that the play-off finals in 2025 will hold at Wembley during the Bank Holiday weekend. Derby already knows they will play Sheffield United from the Premier League the following season, but two more teams from the top level have not yet been officially announced to play in the Championship.

In a similar vein, although the Rams will play Portsmouth, the winners of League One, in the following season, the play-off final later this month will determine who will get the final promotion spot from this season, with Bolton Wanderers and Oxford United facing off after their respective semifinal victories over Barnsley and Peterborough United.

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