‘Pride’. Review.

Anyone read ‘Pride...The Inside Story of Derby County in the 21st Century’ by Ryan Hills?

With time hanging heavy for all of us for the foreseeable it’s a decent read.
Quite ‘bulky’ - approaching 400 pages - and at £19.99 a little over priced imo but it does provide a rare insight into events since DCFC moved to Pride Park.
Only about half way through it at the moment but it’s been quite eye opening at times.
Never realised how into team spirit/bonding Billy Davies was, or how paranoid he appeared to be.
Also never fully appreciated how looked up to and revered by his team mates Darren Moore was.
Recommended if you’re struggling a bit...although it does sadly reinforce quite how much young home grown talent we’ve allowed to slip from our grasp over the last twenty odd years.

It's on my list, looking forward to reading it.

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Originally Posted by AdiSalisbury

It's on my list, looking forward to reading it.

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‘The Boy on the Shed’ by Paul Ferris might be another for you, Adi.
Next big thing at Newcastle years ago until (spoiler alert).....................he suffered a career shattering series of injuries.
Very very complimentary about Arthur Cox and Kevin Keegan. Rudd Gullit seemed surprisingly ‘eccentric’...very jealous of Alan Shearer apparently and sprinkled salt round the dressing room to ward off evil spirits...as you do! :O
Bit upsetting at one point.

Thanks for the recommendation! I've only recently read Jim Smith's book, sad to think that only 20 years later he has passed.

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Originally Posted by ramAnag

Anyone read ‘Pride...The Inside Story of Derby County in the 21st Century’ by Ryan Hills?

With time hanging heavy for all of us for the foreseeable it’s a decent read.
Quite ‘bulky’ - approaching 400 pages - and at £19.99 a little over priced imo but it does provide a rare insight into events since DCFC moved to Pride Park.
Only about half way through it at the moment but it’s been quite eye opening at times.
Never realised how into team spirit/bonding Billy Davies was, or how paranoid he appeared to be.
Also never fully appreciated how looked up to and revered by his team mates Darren Moore was.
Recommended if you’re struggling a bit...although it does sadly reinforce quite how much young home grown talent we’ve allowed to slip from our grasp over the last twenty odd years.

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Reading it now. Great book, interesting tale of half time against Ipswich, when Mac and Simmo went into the changing room !!

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Originally Posted by wessoram

Reading it now. Great book, interesting tale of half time against Ipswich, when Mac and Simmo went into the changing room !!

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Simmo v Bucko! Bit of a mismatch.

Nigel seemed to have a ‘way with words’ with certain players too.

Having taken groups of UEFA B students to Moor Farm on several occasions in the "zeroes", I can confirm that BD was a football "nut". Totally into it and thirsty for knowledge and other viewpoints. Our first visit under BD, we were with the 1st XI for Friday "match centric" training. After the session, we were supposed to have a 30 minute Q&A session with him. We were ushered into one of the meeting rooms and a couple of minutes later a member of staff informed us that Billy would be along in a minute but that something had cropped up and he could only give us 15 minutes. Billy wandered in and the discussion started. Swapping thoughts and views and it was thoroughly enjoyable. 30 minutes later and the staff member returned and said to Billy "he really had to go". Billy's reply was that "they" would have to wait, he was in his element and enjoying it, swapping ideas and he went on to say "this is what football is all about". Our 30 come 15 minute session ended up being an hour and a quarter.

BD, subsequently, went down in my estimation with his PNE comment at Wembley and then swanning off on holiday instead of diving straight into squad building for the Prem.

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Originally Posted by MadAmster

Having taken groups of UEFA B students to Moor Farm on several occasions in the "zeroes", I can confirm that BD was a football "nut". Totally into it and thirsty for knowledge and other viewpoints. Our first visit under BD, we were with the 1st XI for Friday "match centric" training. After the session, we were supposed to have a 30 minute Q&A session with him. We were ushered into one of the meeting rooms and a couple of minutes later a member of staff informed us that Billy would be along in a minute but that something had cropped up and he could only give us 15 minutes. Billy wandered in and the discussion started. Swapping thoughts and views and it was thoroughly enjoyable. 30 minutes later and the staff member returned and said to Billy "he really had to go". Billy's reply was that "they" would have to wait, he was in his element and enjoying it, swapping ideas and he went on to say "this is what football is all about". Our 30 come 15 minute session ended up being an hour and a quarter.

BD, subsequently, went down in my estimation with his PNE comment at Wembley and then swanning off on holiday instead of diving straight into squad building for the Prem.

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That PNE comment immediately after the Wembley win certainly seemed to be a turning point for many according to the book, MA.

BD also rushed all the players in once when a plane flew over a training session. He thought they were being spied on. God knows what he’d have made of Bielsa twelve years on.

Yeah, a good read!