Derby's humble recovery

Before relegation while under the ownership of Mel Morris, Derby County’s story was one of straining against financial fair play rules as they chased the dream of promotion to the Premier League. They came close with play-off final defeats in 2014 and 2019, but spending big eventually catches up with a club. A spiralling series of points deductions, failed takeovers and financial woes left Derby battling for their Championship status in 2021-22 before they eventually succumbed to relegation. Their very existence was of greater worry, too.

Property developer Clowes was the saviour — stepping up to save the club when it looked like all hope had been lost in the summer of 2022. After starting last season with five senior players, no kit and minimal staff before Paul Warne’s arrival in September 2022, Derby finished seventh and missed the play-offs by a place.

The Derby built in Clowes’ image and with Warne’s leadership is more modest and humble than the one that came before, as might be expected of the chastening experience of being a club in administration, even if they have been one of the league’s bigger spenders.

“It’s not quite a phoenix from the flames, even though it was close to extinction,” Warne said. “We haven’t come back from not having a training ground — it’s not a rags to riches story. We still had a really good facility, a good home following and fans still came in numbers away from home, so you could feel the love from everyone, but obviously, everyone was disappointed that they were in the third tier.

Clowes’ humility and reluctance to be the star of Derby’s revival has meant he has rarely undertaken media duties and does not impose on Warne. Such is his unassuming nature that in the build-up to the final game of the season, Clowes made a rare visit to the training ground and was stopped by one of the players who asked what he did at Derby.

That Derby managed to retain their Premier League-grade Moor Farm training ground and Pride Park was essential to their success, with their Category 1 academy providing a string of first-team players.

As the players prepare for an end-of-season trip to Las Vegas, a relieved Warne will return home to his usual ritual of walking his dog, Chief, before starting the hard work of preparing for the Championship.

Good luck to them.