Controversy at Derby yet again as ex-director Peter Gadsby clashed publicly with the club’s owners.

Gadsby, dismissed as a non-executive director just over a week ago, wishes to buy Derby County off GSE because he believes that they have failed to honour their pledges to the club.

He asserted that the club was £20m in the red, that GSE had not invested in the club and that he and Adam Pearson had made a ‘serious mistake’ in bringing the Americans to the club.

Adam Pearson and Peter Gadsby had involved GSE to bring in big investment to Derby County, to carry the club further - and for what they had provided so far, Gadsby claims that he may as well have remained at the helm of DCFC.

Gadsby asserted that the promised investment into Derby County hadn’t happened: ostensibly, £18m to purchase shares, £22m to clear debts, and £10m for the manager to buy players.

Mr Gadsby claimed he was removed because he kept asking questions, and requesting information, after being told he was unhelpful and obstructive.

Since GSE took over, Gadsby maintains, there has been no board meetings, nothing formal or minuted and that the boards conduct was not consistent in failing to discuss and notify important changes like that of FD Martin Ridgeway’s departure.

This has since been revealed as apparently less than sinister, as Ridgeway himself said that he had too many business interests to balance and something had to give - so he left the club of his own accord and remains on friendly terms with the Americans. Mal Brannigan is now Vice President of Finance at DCFC.

The Rams’ board countered Gadsby’s concerns, declaring, “New investment is coming in and will result in fresh representation on the board. There will be significant funds available to the manager”. Tom Glick said that Gadsby’s assertions were full of inaccuracies and innuendo and that Paul Jewell could have spent more money on players had he needed to.

On Monday, Derby County issued a strongly worded statement, signed off by lifelong fan and remaining non-executive director from Mr Gadsby’s regime, Don Amott. There was endorsement of GSE from Paul Jewell and non-executive director Amott, as well as refutations of Gadsby’s statements from Tom Glick.

Whilst refusing to be precise about GSE’s commitment, Adam Pearson said that circa $120m – about £50m - was ‘not far off the mark’. Everyone joined in the fun; Paul Jewell said that promises made to him regarding funding 'have been delivered - and a little bit more', asserting that there was more money available to him if needed.

The manager said he was happy with the set up at Pride Park Stadium

The ex-chairman launched a searing attack on Derby’s American owners in a Radio Derby interview last Monday afternoon. He also challenged TG to join him on RD in a live debate. Dom Amott said that he would not have put his name to anything he did not believe and trust.

Gadsby labelled the Pearson - Amott - Jewell defence as ‘the three-line whip’, maintaining that the club must clarify the true situation to the fans.

Glick called Gadsby’s assertions “bizarre and inaccurate”. A dispute also erupted over whether Gadsby’s was entitled to the accounting information, with him saying that there is a fiduciary duty of a non-executive role. It was an ‘honorary position’, the club claimed.

So, is Mr Glick confused, or is it a deceit to hide some admin mistake or neglect? Will we get to know? Either is unacceptable in his position.

“What they do…. they smile in your face, all the time they wanna take your place, the back stabbers!” The lyrics from the O’Jays dramatic Philadelphia soul hit single came into my head all too readily after this latest episode of self-destruction and public dirty-laundry washing - which I suppose is preferable to alleged money laundering - at our perpetually unstable football club.

Whilst the two ‘sides’ are busy playing backstabbers, they’ve also stabbed all the fans in the back and angered us yet again, just at the time when Derby desperately needed stability and harmony after the strife of last season and the Amigos’ fiasco.

Read up on the allegations, accusations and refutations on the DET site and official DCFC websites, or listen to interviews from club officials and Mr Gadsby on the Radio Derby website. Right after Rams supporters showed their loyalty with their wallets this summertime, they have been left in confusion and driven to cynicism and can only await developments with concern.

I’m now waiting for the special offer 2008-09 DCFC Adidas shirts to be announced on a £10 deal as an apology to fans, which is to include either “Glick” or “Gadsby” printed on the rear free - so that the fans can argue amongst themselves all season as well. We do all that much better than playing footy at Derby.

After the latest tiresome upheaval and backstabbing sessions in the Derby County boardroom (which perhaps should really have been converted to a boxing ring decades ago), there was some football too, with a Tuesday evening friendly at Rushden & Diamonds.

Alan Stubbs and Kris Commons made their first starts of the pre-season schedule, whilst Robbie Savage, Dean Leacock and Mile Sterjovski were omitted from the squad with minor injuries. A Nathan Ellington goal just after the interval secured the 1-0 victory for Derby.

It is looking like Albrechtsen and Stubbs could form the Rams’ central defensive partnership whilst Hulse and Ellington look to be forming a useful strike force. Both forwards have been among the goals and chances during games in which they have combined since joining Derby.

Kris Commons has looked bright; Steve Davies and Paul Green have impressed, loanee Polish international Kaz comes with an impressive CV so there is much needed freshness in midfield. Robbie Savage is by no means assured of a place in the team, much less the captaincy, it seems.

Savage took no part either in a behind closed doors friendly against Hull City at Moor Farm last Wednesday (the game was a 0-0 draw). Adam Pearson moved to quell speculation about the Welshman’s future, however, saying that the idea that the club would move him on and pay up his contract was ‘nonsense’.

Ex-Reading trialist John Oster declined a deal to join the Rams and Paul Jewell has ended his interest in the midfielder. Media reports suggested he’s talking to promoted Stoke City; if Jewell wanted him, it’s disappointing that such as the Potters are preferred by the player - the lure of the Premier League would no doubt be a factor.

Goalkeeper Stephen Bywater looks poised to join Tottenham Hotspur as cover; the Rams may therefore recoup the £375,000 fee that Billy Davies paid for him and reduce the wages bill. Spurs have offered £200k and Derby received a similar amount from Ipswich for Bywater’s loan spell at Portman Road last season.

Bywater made a great contribution to the promotion season but was anonymous last season after slipping from the No. 1 spot, spending the second half of the season out on loan.

Jewell declared that if Bywater goes, he’d still need to take on a 3rd goalkeeper on loan as cover for Carroll and Price, especially as young Welsh keeper Price is still recovering from a cartilage operation.

So it was all down to the final pre-season friendly game against FC Utrecht on Saturday at Pride Park Stadium.

Beforehand, Jewell said that he wished he had a further two weeks for preparation, because of the number of new players he was trying to integrate and the succession of niggling injuries that had prevented some of his players from putting in as much match time as was desired.

Utrecht, a mid-table side in Holland’s Eredivisie, beat TOP Oss 6-2 in a friendly match recently - they were the Swiss side that beat Derby 2-0 a fortnight ago. Derby’s line up gave a few clues as to the Rams’ starting line up for the Championship kick off against Doncaster on August 9th even though Paul Jewell warned people not to read too much into his selections.

Alan Stubbs wore that captain’s armband and was partnered in defence by Martin Albrechtsen; Kaz and Paul Green were paired again in midfield as were Hulse and Ellington up front.

Robbie Savage was again omitted amidst rumours of poor attitude from the Welshman. He may have to learn the manager will now field players he adjudges can train and play well; things won’t centre around one ego or attention-seeker.

The match ended 2-2 and was significant in showing Derby’s renewed ability to bounce back immediately, as they fell behind in the 16th minute. Kris Commons headed a neat equaliser from a McEveley cross just 2 minutes later as the ex-F*rest man enjoyed a good debut at Pride Park Stadium.

Derby also included the Latvian trialist Andrey Perplotkin, who is a right-sided midfielder/winger. He looked a clever player and pounced upon a Utrecht defensive error after 39 minutes, winning a penalty after being hauled down as he advanced towards goal. 

It enabled the Rams to take the lead when Nathan Ellington coolly slotted home the spot kick. The Rams are reportedly likely to follow up their interest in Perplotkin.

The Rams conceded a typically easy goal to Utrecht however on 64 minutes, as flat footed defending allowed Utrecht in, and McEveley conceded a penalty, which van Dijk converted despite Roy Carroll getting a hand to the shot.

There is still plenty of work for Jewell and his coaches to do with this squad. It was a disjointed second half from Derby and Utrecht had the better of the game; The Rams will have to seek and keep possession better.

There is now competition for places in most areas of the park, notably (thankfully) at full back, as Derby certainly need to improve their defensive covering and marking if they are to avoid giving away cheap goals.

So here we are - on the threshold of a new season - it’s all for real next week! _____________________________________________________________________________________

RamsWeek 31 last year saw the Rams ‘on the threshold’ of their new Premier League adventure.

The team lost at Mansfield Town in a friendly match and after a patchy pre-season, Billy Davies declared that: “This will be an unrecognised team by the time we kick off against Portsmouth.” It wasn’t, though!

There were plenty of transfer rumours in the media but Derby were being frustrated in the transfer market with various players, such as the turncoat American Eddie Johnson, mooted to be joining them but only Claude Davis actually signed on the dotted line.

Derby did manage to recruit yet another Commercial Director of the summertime, Perry Deakin replacing the departed Steven Coakley.

Mr Gadsby formally submitted the plans for the £20m Pride Plaza developments to the city council. God knows where they are now; hopefully GSE will spend a similar amount on players (yes, I know that the Plaza millions would have come from commercial partners & revenues!)

Derby’s new Adidas strip was released and there were immediate orders for 6,000 home shirts.

Derby beat the Nothingham Trees 2-0 at Pride Park Stadium in the inaugural Brian Clough Trophy game. F*rest hardly turned up - and after the Rams rapped in two early goals through Jay McEveley and Craig Fagan, they cruised it.

Well, the next time you read RamsWeek, we will have had our first impressions of Paul Jewell’s reshaped team in a competitive game. Here’s to us in 2008-09 - UP THE RAMS!

Photo: Action Images

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