I would like to take this opportunity to wish everybody a happy and peaceful Christmas and to thank all the fans for their incredible loyalty and passion.
When I look back on the season so far, it seems astonishing that our Championship return against Blackburn Rovers was only slightly more than four months ago, it feels like light years have passed.
But that’s what the Championship is all about: a non-stop rollercoaster, chaotic at times and with very few chances to catch your breath in the season - and that’s why we love being back amongst it.
Yet throughout the frenzy of games, travelling and recovery, I’d like to think, as a club we have absolutely stuck to our core principles. One of the three pillars of the club’s culture is stability and that has always been uppermost in our minds.
As a fan, there is inevitably the euphoria of victory and despair of defeats and, I promise you, I still feel those emotions just as keenly. But as an owner, they have to be tempered with an overriding sense of realism, as a collective we have to maintain real perspective.
Where we are both in the division and as a club as a whole is exactly where we need to be. Yes, there have been some disappointing results, that’s natural and was the case last season and every season since I’ve been supporting Derby County.
However, we haven’t allowed them to destabilise us or knock us off course and there has never been a moment’s panic. Compare our current position to those clubs who joined us out of League One and I think their fans would swap without a moment’s hesitation.
Of course, that’s not the limitation of our ambition but consolidation was always the key with an ability to provide foundations for a stronger future where we can be considered true challengers in this division.
I know the transfer window is just a week or so away and there will be furious speculation amongst fans as to what might happen. We’re not going to be so naïve as to play out all our work publicly, that would be foolish.
What I will say is that there have been extremely calm and measured discussions with Paul Warne, he has outlined exactly the areas he feels we need to improve, and we have agreed with his strategy and will do our utmost to meet his requests.
We have stuck firmly to the business plan and that means there are both funds available and space within the squad to strengthen without threatening our financial position. There will be no panic, no mad splurges that go against our plans, we will operate in a way that maintains our stability while adding quality to an already talented squad.
On that note, I’d like to thank Paul, his staff, all the players and every member of staff for their fantastic efforts so far this season. It’s a tough league with some many layers of stress but everybody has risen to the challenge and been a credit to Derby County.
Thank you and I hope you all have a joyous festive period.
David Clowes.