Team Derby to meet EFL to find solution to Derby County crisis

An alliance of city leaders set up to help save Derby County is today meeting with football league chiefs after speaking with the club’s administrators.

Earlier this week, representatives from Team Derby, which includes Marketing Derby, Derby City Council and local MPs, met with Quantuma to find out how the city could help.

The group, which was set up to put pressure on the English Football League (EFL) to remove the obstacles blocking the Rams takeover, will now meet with the organisation today to find a solution.

John Forkin, managing director of Marketing Derby, who attended the meeting with Quantuma, said: “The reason why we met the administrators was to really understand the current state of play and, in particular, how we might influence events to avoid even the chance of liquidation.

“The support that the campaign has received from the city, county and the wider UK football community has really helped to put the Derby County issue front and centre.

“This is helping to focus the minds of those who can shape events.”

The Rams have already been handed a 21-point deduction and a transfer embargo by the EFL for previous breaches of Financial Fair Play rules and for going into administration.

The club is up for sale and administrators, who have three parties interested in buying the club, were due to announce their preferred bidder last week.

However, it appears the announcement has been held up by the EFL while claims made against the club by Middlesbrough and Wycombe Wanderers are clarified.

The EFL has also imposed a second transfer embargo on the club and demanded proof that the Rams have the funds to complete the season, while also threatening expulsion from the Football League on 1 February.

This has resulted in a national uproar and concerns that the EFL is acting unfairly.

It prompted the formation of Team Derby, which is calling on the EFL to allow the Rams takeover to proceed – and for the claims by Middlesbrough and Wycombe to be dealt with after the takeover is completed.

There has been a large groundswell of support for Derby County since the crisis began, both locally and nationally.

At the time of writing, a petition asking the Sports Minister to intervene was approaching 60,000 signatories.

Last night, at a meeting of the full council, Councillor Chris Poulter, leader of the city council, urged it to call on the EFL to allow Derby County to name its preferred bidder and proceed with its takeover to guarantee the club’s survival.

He also called on the council, on a cross-party basis, to get behind the Team Derby campaign.

Speaking at last night’s meeting, he said: “The reaction and avalanche of support demonstrated in so many different ways in the last few days has been truly remarkable.

“The city of Derby without a team competing at the highest levels of English football is unthinkable.

“I would call on all councillors to support Team Derby’s efforts to show that Derby cares and we are determined to do everything possible secure the club’s future.

“Let’s show the EFL how determined Derby is and how much we care – even if they don’t!”

Meanwhile, local MPs have raised Derby County’s plight in Parliament, calling on the Government to do everything it can to prevent the Rams being expelled from the football league and going into liquidation.

Earlier this week, MP for Mid Derbyshire Pauline Latham secured an urgent question in the House to debate the Derby County crisis.

At the debate, Mrs Latham said: “Derby County Football Club cannot be allowed to be removed by the EFL on February 1.

“These clubs are so much more than businesses. They represent the heart and soul of communities, nowhere more so than in Derby.

“Not only that, but they are also huge drivers of economic growth and are part of the cultural fabric of our country.

“I understand there are ongoing legal proceedings with other clubs. However, the reason this cannot happen is because the EFL is refusing to rule on whether these claims constitute football debts, a matter for EFL rules and not for the courts.

“If the EFL cannot rule or will not rule, Derby County believe they could rely on new insolvency rules created by this Parliament, to exit administration.”

Chris Philp, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for DMCS, standing in for the absent Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston, said it was down to the individual parties to come up with a solution to the impasse and called on the EFL to work “pragmatically and rapidly” to resolve issues that threaten the club’s future.

At the debate, MP for Derby South, Dame Margaret Beckett, sounded a warning to Mr Philp.

She said: “Long ago, when this all first began, I was one of those who took part in a meeting with the Football League, in which they assured us of their earnest desire to see this matter resolved and Derby County continue.

“He (Mr Philp) said in his opening remarks that no-one wants to see the club go under. Well, some of us are beginning to wonder.

“Can I assure him, and through him, that if inadvertently because the Football League was unable to remove the obstacles, which at the moment they appear to be so firmly putting in Derby County’s way, this were to happen, none of those participating in it will be forgiven.”