Football Season Guide

In terms of achieving the aim of the board to get the wage bill down, Nigel Clough has done an incredible job. Out have gone many of the high earners but Clough has hardly pushed the boat out in terms of new arrivals with only Jason Shackell and Nathan Tyson arriving at Pride Park. Clough appears determined to build a local squad with a good team spirit but their current situation does little to inspire the club’s loyal supporters. Home form is again likely to be crucial with 30,000 fans packing into the ground on a regular basis. Fans’ expectations are still high but the board’s expectations are much lower. Expect a season of slow improvement and Clough to stay put as the Rams appear to be work in progress.