iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Derby County Blog

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

New #dcfc podcast! www.patreon.com/derbycountyb... After a five-and-a-half year hiatus, it's time to get the band back together. Grizzled Blogcast veteran Chris Smith joins yr host, with hip young gunslinger @gimjee94.bsky.social making an electric, Festy-esque debut. Mostly, we talk Eustace...

patreon.com

The Derby County Blogcast - September 2026 episode | The Derby County Blog

The Derby County Blogcast - September 2026 episode by The Derby County Blog on Patreon. Join The Derby County Blog's community for exclusive content and updates.

143

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Hopefully, Man City's punishment is a points deduction monumental enough that they end up taking #dcfc's all-time low points record... It would be a fitting outcome for an organisation that cheated so flagrantly for so long to inherit the title of Worst Team In History (TM)

050

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

A podcast in which we discuss John Eustace. At length... The "club v Eustace signings" debate, and why it matters Fuseini's wondergoal at Burnley. A crucial turning point? Max Johnston. Will he ever get a run in the team? Who are the players who will lead #dcfc to a better season? And much more!

010

Reposted by Derby County Blog

Jimmy 🐏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 @gimjee94.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I wasn't even described as hip and young when I was in my 20s. A pleasure to be involved in the revival of the Blogcast, wouldn't have missed it for the world (despite being half an hour late...) #dcfcfans

042

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

patreon.com

The Derby County Blogcast - September 2026 episode | The Derby County Blog

The Derby County Blogcast - September 2026 episode by The Derby County Blog on Patreon. Join The Derby County Blog's community for exclusive content and updates.

143

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Monumental relief for #dcfc, as Fuseini's astonishing strike stops us from dropping to the foot of the table. I dread to think what the mood would be like today had that gone wide. Still plenty of problems for Eustace to solve before this season turns around. Three-week break now is a good thing.

040

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Enjoyable hour on BBC Radio Derby earlier, discussing all things #dcfc ahead of the trip to Burnley: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... Unpaid labour for the British Broadcasting Corporation! 🫡🇬🇧🐏

052

Reposted by Derby County Blog

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Picking a #dcfc team for tomorrow... www.patreon.com/derbycountyb... Based on players' lack of form, and the incessant rolling list of injuries, it's not an easy task for anybody to do. But John Eustace needs to find a way to win.

patreon.com

Picking a team for Saturday | The Derby County Blog

There's no getting away from it - Saturday's trip to Turf Moor is a very big game in the context of Derby's season. Lose it, and the Rams w

002

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

patreon.com

Picking a team for Saturday | The Derby County Blog

There's no getting away from it - Saturday's trip to Turf Moor is a very big game in the context of Derby's season. Lose it, and the Rams w

002

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Six defeats to Championship teams in eight games tells its own story. #dcfc aren't coping with the division. Regression from last season is shocking. The team is better with Morris, but we aren't defending well enough, or creating enough. If Birmingham had scored 3 or 4 we couldn't have complained.

361

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Eustace acknowledged that he'd picked Sanderson at right back because he was worried about the way Price and Morgan could play on their left He's picked five starting right backs /wing backs in 7 games now. It's become an issue, mainly because he obviously doesn't trust Max Johnston to do the job.

020

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

I'm afraid that was truly embarrassing. I'm not sure what's worse - losing heavily, as #dcfc did against Swansea and West Ham, or being managed without any trouble whatsoever by ten men. West Brom won't get many easier away wins than that. Derby were pathetic. Wrong team, wrong subs. Belief drained.

270

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Whatever Eustace's planned team was this season, it's safe to assume that it didn't include Nyambe and Hedges, who both started at West Ham #dcfc need to be much better than they've shown so far, but let's cut Eustace some slack, as injuries + slow recruitment have undoubtedly impacted performances

170

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

A chaotic game against limited opposition ends in the perfect reaction to Saturday. Big up to Fraulo and Hedges in particular, but it was a great shift from the whole team and subs 🇧🇻 #dcfc are off the mark. If 🐏 can announce a couple more signings now, I'd call this a perfect transfer deadline day!

070

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

#dcfc need a reaction to Saturday from everyone at the club. Recruitment team, manager, players. IMHO, the game showed that 4-2-3-1 doesn't work for the available players. I'd like to see us go 3-5-2 tomorrow. We have no good wide players and loads of number tens, so it makes more sense to try that

120

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 30/08/2026

Sean dive at Pride Park www.patreon.com/posts/168043... My attempt to make some sense of why #dcfc have found themselves in such a mess with only a few days left of the summer transfer window.

patreon.com

Swan dive at Pride Park | The Derby County Blog

Swan dive at Pride Park by The Derby County Blog on Patreon. Join The Derby County Blog 's community for exclusive content and updates.

111

Reposted by Derby County Blog

ljs2509.bsky.social @ljs2509.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Listening to John Eustace radio derby interview was interesting he takes responsibility which is fair enough very good but he mentioned about “being let down?” That he “coaches the team that’s all I do” could this be him saying he doesn’t get a long with the recruitment team ? Or reading to much😂?

411

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

#dcfc need new players, but it's also true that the organisation of the team has gone. The hallmark of a Eustace side has been that they're hard to beat. Even at the start of last season, when we were struggling, we ground out draws. 9 goals conceded in four games, and could easily have been more

091

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Grotesquely inept, shambolic performance from #dcfc, who were made to look completely inadequate in every department by Swansea. It should have been worse than 3-0. Injuries haven't helped, but the squad isn't strong enough. Huge problems all over the pitch, which can only be solved by new players.

6110

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Fun to do BBC Radio Derby tonight with my (younger, better looking and more talented) friend Jimmy Gregory @gimjee94.bsky.social - plus Luke 'Pingu', with Dom Dietrich in the chair www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... #dcfcfans

142

Reposted by Derby County Blog

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Special transfer window offer... Use the code SIGNSOMEPLAYERS to claim 90% discount on your first month as a Patron of the Derby County Blog. Get it over the line before the window slams shut! www.patreon.com/posts/167478... #dcfcfans #dcfc

026

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

This depth chart shows how old #dcfc's squad is getting. Ten players are aged 30+. Ten are 26-29. Of those with a good chance of starting, only Fraulo, Johnston and Clark are aged under 25.

110

Reposted by Derby County Blog

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Bit from me on #dcfc 2 Cardiff City 2 www.patreon.com/derbycountyb... Work in progress doesn't really cut it at the moment. There's a real need for extra players to improve the team, particularly in wide areas. In that context, a decent point against a much more progressive Cardiff side.

patreon.com

Derby County 2 Cardiff City 2 | The Derby County Blog

Let’s call it the opening home game of the season. Let’s just say the Lincoln thing in the cup didn’t happen. Here we all are again, the hor

031

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

026

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

patreon.com

Derby County 2 Cardiff City 2 | The Derby County Blog

Let’s call it the opening home game of the season. Let’s just say the Lincoln thing in the cup didn’t happen. Here we all are again, the hor

031

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Ryan Hedges as cover for the injured Murkin makes sense logically, but is also very meh. Taylor, Mowatt, and now Hedges are veterans signed as stopgaps, not to take us forward long-term. Vibe at the moment is of a club treading water, at best. 🤞 #dcfc can bring some quality loans in - we need them

150

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

@cardiffcitymad.bsky.social Hi, do you guys do preview Q&As? Or could you put me in touch with any Cardiff bloggers who might be willing to help this week? Diolch!

010

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

www.patreon.com/derbycountyb... Recorded before we received the shock news of Turki's about turn, here's my season preview interview with the pre-eminent QPR wordsmith, @loftforwords.bsky.social. Comprehensive season previews are being published by LFW this week, and will be well worth a read.

patreon.com

Loft For Words season preview interview | The Derby County Blog

Recorded before we received the shock news of Turki's about turn, here is my season preview interview with the pre-eminent QPR wordsmith, Cl

021

Reposted by Derby County Blog

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

How do #dcfc get the best out of Sam Szmodics? www.patreon.com/derbycountyb... He's done it once. Now, Eustace believes he can get the little poacher scoring in the Championship again. But what does Szmodics need to be successful? A look at his Golden Boot season for Blackburn yields some clues

patreon.com

How can we get the best out of Sam Szmodics? | The Derby County Blog

"The main man". That's how John Eustace described Sam Szmodics' role in his first interview of the 2026/7 season, after his latest big sign

042

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Eustace is more likely now to stay as #dcfc manager for the long-term future than he was if Turki had taken over. Something about Turkis and Christmas... He'd have binned JE within a couple of months, I'm convinced of that

270

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

There are questions for David Clowes to answer once the dust has settled, but for the moment... Thank f**k Turki Al-Sheikh will not be taking over at #dcfc. There was nothing to stop him, other than his own capricious nature, but I'll always believe that Derby have dodged a hail of bullets here.

4130

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

I think it's fair to say that the best answer to the question I pose here is not: "Play him on the right"...

110

Reposted by Derby County Blog

Kristian Purcell @kristianpurcell.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

This whole takeover feels me with dread, it may work and I can see us getting into the prem for a bit, but I wouldn't have swapped our position for Forests if it meant having Marinakis, and this guy could be in that range depending on whether he's learnt from these other situations.

111

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Rancid from #dcfc, who are nowhere near ready for the season. Lincoln were coherent, confident and enjoyed their afternoon. Derby the absolute opposite. Eustace was clearly using this as an extra friendly, as proved by substitutions. Ward & Forsyth on the left at the end was an insult to supporters

060

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

patreon.com

How can we get the best out of Sam Szmodics? | The Derby County Blog

"The main man". That's how John Eustace described Sam Szmodics' role in his first interview of the 2026/7 season, after his latest big sign

042

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Turki Al-Sheikh's ill-fated involvement in Egyptian football breakingthelines.com/@btl/turki-a... Regardless of his wealth, if Turki causes chaos like this at #dcfc, he'll be an awful custodian. People can be blinded by money, but if anyone knows that 💰 doesn't necessarily buy success, it's us

breakingthelines.com

Turki Al-Sheikh’s Ill-fated Involvement in Egyptian Football

Turki Al-Sheikh’s footballing ventures have been nothing if not eventful. After being named head of the Saudi General Sports Authority in August 2017, the Moha…

173

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Preview for #dcfc v Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup, with Red Imps blog The Stacey West: www.patreon.com/derbycountyb... Lincoln came up as champions with 100+ pts, but have already lost a star player to Cardiff. A strange way to start the new season, as it feels almost like the final friendly

patreon.com

Match preview: Lincoln City (H) - EFL Cup first round (with the Stacey West Blog) | The Derby County Blog

You said, I did... The results of my summer survey were clear - many of you voted for me to source more match preview Q&As with opposition

000

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Watched the second half of #dcfc v Rotherham. It was a rather makeshift 🐏 line-up by the end. Eames played as a false nine for a spell. Johnston on the right wing. There's a way to go before Derby are ready for the season - but they're still in a better place than they were this time last summer.

140

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

In 🇬🇧, we're free to criticise people in positions of power - the owner of the football team we support, for example. That is very much not the case in 🇸🇦. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... How would Turki Al-Sheikh, who is highly active on X, cope with the noise that accompanies a big club like #dcfc?

bbc.co.uk

'End this nightmare': Wife of ailing Briton jailed in Saudi Arabia appeals for release

Ahmed al-Doush has been in jail in Saudi Arabia since 2024, apparently over a handful of social media posts dating back several years.

031

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Broader point, though, Derby still have plenty of work to do in the transfer market. The squad requires a fair bit more depth, and some fringe players have probably been earmarked to leave. There's loads of time before the window closes though, and five loan slots to fill, so no need to be alarmed.

020

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

#dcfc's second string beat Mansfield 3-1, with goals from youngsters Brown, Smith and Allen. An hour for Langas and Salvesen. Positives included: *Eames' exciting acceleration *Important half-hour, and an assist, for Blackett-Taylor *No injuries *Great to see Didzy again - still a threat at 38

020

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Some signings are data and scouting led, but Sam Szmodics is clearly John Eustace's man. The manager must believe he can fit Szmodics into his system in a way that works much better than we saw last season. Hopefully, #dcfc will see much more of his undoubted finishing quality this time around.

120

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Paulo Wanchope, still only 50! Yet it's nigh on 30 years since he sauntered into Old Trafford and took them all on down the middle... www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVda...

youtube.com

1997 - Manchester Utd 2 Derby 3 - Paulo Wanchope's wonder goal - BBC Radio Derby commentary

YouTube video by DerbyCountyVideos

162

Reposted by Derby County Blog

Outside Write (Chris Lee) ⚽️ @outsidewrite.co.uk · 31/07/2026

#OnThisDay in football, 31 July 1948 - India played its first international, barefoot, in Ilford, losing 2-1 to France 🇮🇳 1969 - Antonio Conte born 🇮🇹 1976 - Paulo Wanchope born 🇨🇷 1979 - Carlos Marchena born 🇪🇸 2009 - Sir Bobby Robson died 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 2022 - Luis Suárez returns to Nacional

1103

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

What with the furore over a potential Saudi takeover at #dcfc, I was curious to know who in the world owns the other Championship clubs. So I did a very quick scan to find out (feel free to correct me if any of these need updating). If my sums are right, 11 of the 24 clubs are in American control.

010

Derby County Blog @derbycountyblog.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

The Turki Al-Sheikh link has solidified, with confirmation now expected next week. Here's a reminder of what I wrote when the story first broke two months ago. Further reflections to follow. www.patreon.com/posts/159233...

patreon.com

Let's talk Turki: Initial reflections on Saudi's link with Derby County takeover | The Derby County Blog

A few weeks ago, friends from the League of Gentlefolk messaged me via our WhatsApp group to let me know that I had an unusually high-profil

240