RamZone's growing community took the number of threads created here since the August move past the 700 mark last week.

Of course, the disappointing defeat at Reading drew plenty of comments, from the selection to players, consternation that our ‘high performers' (Mears & Pearson) were used out of position and onto the thorny old question mark over Steve Howard and Robert Earnshaw's respective roles in the Rams' forward line. Overall, fans were annoyed at Derby's inability to create chances and take something from a game in which they had more than enough possession in comparison with our other away trips this season.

Occhio's ‘Scot County' thread started a natter about the Scottish contingent in the Rams' squad, though fans would probably agree that only Stephen Pearson and Kenny Miller are truly international (and Premier League!) class. However this does confirm that Billy has been quite judicious in a number of his purchases at the ‘bargain' end of the transfer market – and also that Derby need 6 or 7 more players, of any nationality – who are also capable of performing at their level!

Comments on John Toshack's somewhat inappropriate mouthings about Robert Earnshaw's form and appearances this year (and Billy's choice responses) surfaced elsewhere as well as some direct thoughts and reminiscences about John Gregory from his managerial days at the Pride Park Stadium, in the event of his being sacked at his latest club, Queens Park Rangers.

The longest thread this week (‘Closing Down') was started by a stray F*rest fan asking a facile question about the site's viability, because the MB is not yet very busy and turned into quite a broad discussion. Whilst that fan might only be enjoying 3rd division football and dutifully trundles around Derby County message boards in preference to the Trees' more sparsely populated MBs, it did initiate opinions about content and what the RZ community prefers to see on the website. RamZone is satisfied to exhibit quality not quantity and we know that many hundreds of fans - MB posters or not – enjoy and appreciate the regular columns and features on the website too.

My Thread of the Week, however, goes to Hemingway, musing during illness (hope you've conquered it now, Hem!) to consider Derby County's ‘proposed stadium expansion' the much-vaunted seating increase announced upon promotion which is so very dependent upon the Rams' survival and consolidation at the top level. Hemingway's thoughts and provisional costings drew plenty of responses, in a thread to which Rams fans are still contributing. Will we have a team attractive enough to fill an expanded stadium?

We know the Pride Plaza project has been moved to the funding stage and whether the connected (but not necessarily contemporaneous) stadium capacity increase to 44,000 would move beyond the planning stage is a moot point. If, however we do yo-yo and hover between leagues then it will be as fanciful as the F*rest boardroom and fans in expecting to fill their comedy 50,000-seater project in a similar time scale!

Whilst fans, manager and board knew that promotion wasn't the hardest part, we're becoming very aware of what a huge gap there is to bridge in the current climate of top-class football in England.

Of course, the scale of finance needed to fund a Premier League team was pondered along with the other variables as the Rams attempt to bridge the chasm between Championship and Premier League. Thanks to Hemingway for initiating a theme that will no doubt recur as the season progresses and to all other contributors during the past week!

Go to the Thread of the Week!

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