We're back! Chris Parsons, Tom Martin and Anton Martin reconvene to assess Derby County's current squad ahead of the 2025/26 season. The Rams have an entirely new forward line in Carlton 'He looks like Kenzo' Morris, £5.8m US signing Patrick Agyemang, and the returning Andi Weimann - but will it be enough to see Derby compete at the right end of the Championship after last season's relegation struggles?

We also cast our eyes over the usual summer topics, answer your Patreon questions, discuss the new home kit, and a couple of juicy transfer rumours currently circulating around Ebou Adams and possibly left back arrival Owen Beck.

🚨 SBW will be on Patreon-only from this season 🚨

As mentioned in this episode, for family reasons, we're scaling our output back on SBW this season - and the only place to listen to the podcast will be on Patreon. There’ll still be regular independent Rams analysis, features and interviews throughout the season - just on one platform from now on.

We are, and always have been, incredibly grateful to everyone who listens. 

We’d love you to join us over on Patreon - our growing Rams community with loads of benefits and ad-free podcasts - on the link below.

You can try a seven-day free trial, or even get your first month half price on all tiers. 

JOIN HERE! www.patreon.com/stevebloomerswashing

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On the third anniversary of David Clowes' late intervention to take over Derby County and save the club from administration, Richard Cutcher chats to football finance expert Kieran Maguire to assess where the club is financially and how competitive the Rams can expect to be in the Championship.

Kieran explains why David Clowes got 'more than he bargained for' when he completed his takeover of Derby County in July 2022, along with how Derby's wage budget compares to the rest of the division, how much more we'd reasonably be able to spent if we did secure that much sought-after extra investment, and how DCFC's value now compares to what the club was worth when Clowes took over.

SUPPORT SBW ON PATREON! From the 25/26 season onwards, Patreon will be the only place where you can listen to Steve Bloomer's Washing. You can get ad-free podcasts, bonus content, competitions, a welcome pack and become part of our community for just £3 a month - try a seven-day free trial over at https://www.patreon.com/stevebloomerswashing

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In the first of our post-season podcasts, Chris and Tom chat to Brian and Melvyn Mole, the Swadlincote-born brothers - and diehard Derby fans - who won millions of admirers with their globe-trotting stint on BBC One's 'Race Across The World'.

The duo, who spread the word about DCFC all the way to India in one of many hilarious moments from their appearance on the hit BBC show, told Chris and Tom about their Derbyshire upbringing, and watching the Rams from the Normanton End at the Baseball Ground in the 1970s as kids, when the Rams were champions of England.

We also asked Brian and Mel for some insider knowledge of how the show works, how they were cast - and which Derby players past and present they think would make the best 'Race' contestants. A must listen for any Rams fans who also watched RATW!

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Get extra podcasts, bonus content, a welcome pack for joining and loads more benefits by supporting SBW for as little as £3 a month.

Visit patreon.com/stevebloomerswashing to sign up - you can even have a seven day free trial!

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In the second part of our Season Review, Chris, Cutch, Tom and Phil pick up in January... where the season started to go badly wrong for Derby County. We analyse what went wrong on that bleak run of seven straight defeats, pick the moments when we thought the Rams were definitely relegated, and assess the incredible turnaround masterminded by John Eustace.

We also pick our Player, Signing and Unsung Hero of the Season, in what turned ended as a relief-filled season. Who were the underperforming players we're expecting more from in 25/26? Can John Eustace take his Derby side even further next year?

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In the first part of our look back on 2024/25, Chris, Tom, Cutch and Phil recall the heady optimism of August before Derby's return to the Championship and initial feelgood factor as the Rams won three of the first five games... before wins turned to draws and draws to defeats as Paul Warne's side started to slip down the table.

There was early season bad officiating, Warne's divisive 'sugar on top' comments and precious little to celebrate away from home before Christmas, which would ultimately lead to the dismissal of one of Derby's longest serving managers in the new year.

The SBW panel also decide Goal of the Season in this first Season Review instalment.

SUPPORT SBW ON PATREON! Get extra podcasts, bonus content and more benefits for just £3 a month. Head over to patreon.com/stevebloomerswashing to sign up and support the pod.

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In our final regular podcast of 2024/25, join Chris and Cutch for a real-time matchday pod recorded before, during and after Derby's final day showdown against Stoke City.

A day which started out with permutations, nerves and trepidation ended with mass relief as Luton's capitulation vs West Brom meant the Rams' goalless draw with the Potter secured their Championship status.

We also reflect on the phenomenal recovery job John Eustace has pulled off, in saving a Derby side who were bottom of the Championship and seven points adrift in early March, before discussing our best and worst moments of the campaign... and early ambitions for 2025/26.

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In remarkable scenes no Derby fan predicted 10 games ago, the Rams find themselves on the brink of survival thanks to a superb 1-0 away win at Hull City - their second consecutive victory on the road, but only their fourth all season.

Chris is joined by Martin Fisher and Chris Smith to celebrate the glorious scenes on Humberside, including saluting unlikely match-winner Nat Phillips, before focussing on the last day permutations... and who we think will beat the drop.

SUPPORT SBW ON PATREON! Get extra podcasts, bonus content and more benefits for just £3 a month. Head over to patreon.com/stevebloomerswashing to sign up and support the pod.

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This is a shortened, taster version of our latest Patreon podcast. To support SBW on Patreon, where you get an extra Derby County podcast each month, competitions, extra content and more, head over to: patreon.com/stevebloomerswashing

In your bonus Patreon podcast for March, Chris sits down with Nathan Scarff, who was DCFC Head Groundsman from 2015-2018 - which includes the period when the club installed the pitch which came in for national criticism this month.

Nathan told SBW what Mel Morris said to him when Derby installed their new playing surface, the 'interesting ideas' the former owner had for the Pride Park pitch, and what's caused it to deterioriate so noticeably in recent weeks. He also explained the process of maintaining an elite football pitch, the Derby manager who wanted the grass long to stifle the opposition... and his thoughts on astroturf gardens.

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After an insipid Pride Park defeat to relegation rivals Luton on Good Friday, Derby bounce back with a stunning win at the Hawthorns which ended West Brom's playoff hopes and kept the Rams just above the bottom three trap door.

Cutch and Anton are joined by SBW debutant Joel Clyne to salute the superb away day in the Black Country, including a return to set piece success and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing's outrageous late third goal to seal the points.

How will the final two games of the season play out? Derby's fate still feels completely unknown, but we discuss the final fixtures - and which side above the Rams we could reel in.

SUPPORT SBW ON PATREON! Get extra podcasts, bonus content and more benefits for just £3 a month. Head over to patreon.com/stevebloomerswashing to sign up and support the pod.

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Join Cutch, Tom and Anton for a glorious springtime trip to the south coast, where Eustace's Rams twice took the lead, only to be pegged back in injury time and end up settling for a point at fellow strugglers Portsmouth.

Recorded live in the away end throughout the pulsating 'feral' and 'chaotic' 2-2 draw, our latest At The Match podcast gives you a flavour of our experience watching Derby County.

SUPPORT SBW ON PATREON! Get extra podcasts, bonus content and more benefits for just £3 a month. Head over to patreon.com/stevebloomerswashing to sign up and support the pod.

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