Today, Derby County has officially launched a consultation on the formation of a Derby County Supporters Board to sit alongside the existing Supporters Charter Group. Welcoming the proposal on behalf of RamsTrust, Chair Hilary Leam said:

“Not having a Derby County is unthinkable to me, my whole family and to the many other thousands of Rams fans around the world. We all plan our lives around fixtures, debate every dodgy penalty decision and team selection, talking passionately with our friends and families, or with people we’ve never met from around the world on social media. As Cloughie said, Derby is a football city – the club is its lifeblood.”

“The recent administration crisis still looms large in the memory of all fans. Checking every day for any snippets of info, deadlines that were communicated and routinely missed, as if they didn’t matter to the thousands of fans who were desperate for news. Bogus buyers, even rival clubs suing Derby for compensation, in what seemed to be the final hammer blow to our chances of salvation.”

That’s why I will be grateful until the end of my days that our club was saved by David Clowes, the reluctant owner who simply couldn’t stand by and watch Derby go. We’re so lucky that, in David, we have a progressive owner, who is also a diehard fan. Long may that continue.”

“However, we know that one day, the club’s ownership will change. That’s why we agree with David when he says that bringing supporter representation closer to the heart of the club is a crucial step to protecting the long-term stability and sustainability of Derby County and honouring its integral role in our community.”

“I’m delighted that David and Derby County proactively support the proposal for a new Supporters Board. Working in tandem with the existing Supporters Charter Group, this will strengthen and deepen the relationship between the club and its fans and, crucially, gives us as supporters a new power to prevent any future owner from selling Pride Park, or moving the club away from its current home. This will be accompanied by other important vetos relating to the club’s culture and traditions, plus a series of issues where the Supporters Board will be consulted by the club, including on its financial accounts and sponsorship principles.”

“Mr Clowes has made it clear just how close we came to losing Derby County. We share his belief that a proposed Supporters Board has the potential to help prevent that unthinkable outcome from happening to any future generation of Rams fans.”

You can read the full consultation document and “Frequently Asked Questions” on the Derby County website here.

RamsTrust encourages our members and all supporters to respond to the consultation, to make your views known, so that as many supp⁵orters as possible can have their say in how this exciting new initiative develops.