A message from Derby County owner David Clowes

It is inevitable for a football fan to experience both incredible highs and heartbreaking lows when they are committed to their team. As Derby County supporters, it seems like we have been through a lot more lows lately.

At this time last year, the play-offs had just eluded us and we were facing yet another League One season. We were thinking back and contemplating what could have been. Similar to you, I experienced pain that day, but after giving myself a day off, I started to look forward to the upcoming season.

At Pride Park, I felt something extraordinary was taking shape. Even if we weren’t quite close enough, I thought that we were already so close that I couldn’t be too dejected in the face of that setback. It was only a matter of nurturing the seeds of potential success.

Because of the way those seeds have grown into the happiness that comes with being promoted back to the Championship, this feels so very, very wonderful.

Of course, there were gloomy moments during this season. As supporters of Derby County, we should all be well aware that nothing genuinely worthwhile comes easily!

But in the face of the inevitable difficulties we faced, we remained strong as a team, players, staff, and supporters standing shoulder to shoulder, and we overcame it together.

I don’t need any explanation as to why this team is so important to so many people, but on the days when the stadium has been crowded or we’ve traveled far and wide, I understand why fans should be happy.

Paul Warne and the players have matched your dedication. But it’s not just the folks you see on Saturdays or during the workweeks—it’s also the entire crew of people who work relentlessly in the background to assist the squad on the field.

We want to write fresh stories, so I don’t want to keep thinking about the times when this club’s existence was in jeopardy.

But the idea that Derby fans and future generations of Derby fans could be denied moments like these, when all the hard times are forgotten for a moment of priceless delight, was one of the things that ultimately led us to decide to purchase the club.

Though it does as we prepare for life in the Championship, it would be too simple to claim that the hard work begins here. Let’s all take a moment, though, to celebrate our accomplishments and our progress thus far this season before moving on. Everyone at the club, including you and Paul, deserves that.

I’ve grown accustomed to watching games from my position in the Directors Box over the past few seasons. The feelings are identical in strength, the anguish of defeat is identical in intensity, and the joy of winning is identical in magnitude.

To be honest with you, there are very few occasions when I wouldn’t like being back in my old seat, full of emotion and shouting and singing.

It was one of those days on Saturday!

You all deserve to enjoy every second, therefore do so.

David Clowes

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