The first and looks like the last signing derby got through the door is as we speculated in an earlier post non other than motherwell’s Chris porter, the 25 year old striker has signed a two and a half year deal as is highly rated by the manager he went on to say:

He has a proven track record of scoring goals and has tremendous physical attributes.

“Hopefully he will have a positive impact for us between now and the end of the season.

“We have some good competition for places now with the forwards and that can only be good news for us going forward.”

Well striker will not be a position I will prioritise in this team but obviously the manager think’s otherwise. I would rather bring in a backup creative midfielder,
one wonder’s what has ever happened to villa,and why is he on the team and why wasn’t he offloaded in the window? I don’t have news about him but well…
WELCOME CRIS AND MAY YOU SCORE PLENTY OF GOALS FOR US…..

— IN —

* 18th July 2008 -> Przemyslaw Kazmierczak (FC Porto) -> 12 Month Loan -> Press Release

* 1st July 2008 -> Liam Dickinson (Stockport County) -> Undisclosed/Rising to £1m -> Press Release

* 30th June 2008 -> Martin Albrechtsen (West Bromwich Albion) -> Free -> Press Release

* 12th June 2008 -> Steve Davies (Tranmere) -> Tribunal -> Press Release

* 30th May 2008 -> Nathan Ellington (Watford) -> Free -> Press Release

* 30th May 2008 -> Jordan Stewart (Watford) -> 12 Month Loan Then Free -> Press Release

* 30th May 2008 -> Paul Green (Doncaster Rovers) -> Free -> (Press Release (they ain’t bitter!))

* 21th May 2008 -> Kris Commons (Nott**gham Forest) -> Free -> Press Release

* 15th May 2008 -> Paul Connolly (Plymouth) -> Free -> Press Release

* 17th April 2008 -> Ruben Zadkovich (Sydney FC) -> Free -> Press Release

— OUT —

* 4th July 2008 -> Jason Beardsley -> Notts County -> 3 Month Loan (Press Release)

* 28th June 2008 -> David Jones -> Wolverhampton Wanderers -> £1m (Press Release)

* 1th June 2008 -> Kenny Miller -> Glasgow Rangers -> £2m (Press Release)

* 30th May 2008 -> Rob Earnshaw -> Nottingham Forest -> £2.75m (Press Release)

* 15th May 2008 -> Lee Holmes -> (Released)
* 15th May 2008 -> Marc Edworthy -> (Released)
* 15th May 2008 -> Ben Hinchcliffe -> (Released)

* 6th May 2008 -> Michael Johnson -> Notts County -> (Free) -> Press Release

In: Expect Villa, Stubbs, Carroll, Sterjovski and Savage to stay, as well as Ghaly and Mills if permanent deals can be agreed with Spurs and Man City…

Out: Expect loan moves for Pearson (Stoke), Bywater (Ipswich) and Fagan (Hull) to be made permanent, as well as possible moves for Teale (Plymouth), Mo Camara (Norwich), Lee Holmes (Walsall) and Nyatanga (Barnsley).

Out Of Contract: Edworthy and Johnson will probably be released.

Rest: Price, McEveley, Moore, Leacock, Davis, Jones, Earnshaw, Miller, Lewis, Todd, Feilhaber, Mears and Barnes – remains to be seen.

Stephen Pearson (Stoke City Loan): Was dropped to the bench but played the last 10 minutes of Stokes 2-1 over fellow promotion chasers Bristol City. There’s a sentence I never thought I’d be saying.

Lewin Nyatanga (Barnsley): Played the whole 90 minutes in the 1-0 defeat against Leicester City. Can beat Chelsea and Liverpool but can’t beat a lowly Champ team!

Stephen Bywater (Ipswich): Played the full game in the 1-1 draw against Wolves, both teams chasing one of the last play-off places.

Michael Johnson (Notts County): Suffered an ankle injury in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Wrexham and was replaced at half-time at the Racecourse Ground – he is expected to be fit for the Wycombe game. Different club, same problem Johnno! (BBC Interview here)

Craig Fagan (Hull City): Played an hour on the wrong side of a 2-0 scoreline against Sheffied United. And as if you need telling, Fagan managed to get himself booked as well. That’s 2 bookings in 4 starts (plus 2 as a sub) since his loan move to Hull City. Fagan managed 17 appearances (plus 5 as a sub) for Derby and picked up 6 yellows plus a separate 4 match ban for a “stamp” on Arbeloa at Anfield. If only his goal scoring/assists stats were as colourful.

Gary Teale (Plymouth): Plymouth surrended a two goal lead to draw 2-2 against Preston – Teale was introduced as sub in stoppage time.

Lee Holmes (Walsall): Played all of the 3-1 defeat against Bournemouth, which means Walsall can’t make the playoffs.

Mo Camara (Norwich): Played 84 minutes in the 2-1 defeat against table toppers West Brom. Still prone to the disappearing at the wrong end of the pitch.

In a team who could really use a serial-goal scorer, there must be a good reason for Earnie’s constant omission – two managers (Billy Davies and now Paul Jewell) can’t be wrong. Not just that either – but Earnie wasn’t even included in the 16 man squad against West Ham on Saturday…

He’s either done something wrong, or not doing something properly… answers on a postcard…

Jewell said: “Ruben impressed us enormously in training. A number of clubs have been interested in him and we wanted to make sure we didn’t miss out on a fantastic talent.”

It looks like fellow aussie Mile Sterjovski might have helped Ruben make the move as well: “Mile has been such a big help and he is one of the reasons why I wanted to come here. To have a mate like that here, a fellow Australian, will be good for me.”

Zadkovich has signed a two year deal, which starts in the summer as he is currently a free-agent. He told dcfc.co.uk he promises “heart and attitude” in a Derby shirt. Fingers crossed.

Although classed as a “utility player”, Zadkovich apparently prefers Right Wing and Right Back but looks comfortable up front, check this clip (below) to see a tidy finish (5m20s)… Bettered only by David Beckham at 7m58s!

I know promotion meant paying off debts a little earlier than expected – but it’s hard to imagine how we’ve managed to spend all this promotion money so quickly – especially as we never flashed the cash as much as other teams around us…. I don’t suppose anyone will actually come clean and explain either, which is a shame.

Luckily for us, in advance of our impending doom, every last man and his dog with the deadly combination of dwindling ability and a losing mentality have been farmed out to some average championship sides – no matter what the league table or FA Cup says (sorry, Hull, Barnsley, Stoke, Leicester, Ipswich and Plymouth).

The advantage of the team-sheet now picking itself is that we’re saving a lot of money on wages and a lot of these loans already have permanent moves in place for the summer, so presumably that’ll add up to quite a bit of cash.

On top of that, our new board have promised to make some sizable kitty (the press like to call it a “war chest” these days) available for new players to ensure we’re in the “top 3″ of spenders in that division – so perhaps it isn’t that bad after all.

Ask me again in January.

“That’s the beauty of the situation I am in with the club because I haven’t got to sell players – we haven’t got to make dramatic cutbacks because it’s going to be a sustained effort to get back…”

It’s good to hear, although there can’t be that many players left to sell, except maybe the rest of our defence! Since Jewell arrived in November he’s already moved on or loaned the following players out:

Stephen Pearson (Stoke City Loan/Permanent)
Steve Howard (Leicester City, Permanent)
Matt Oakley (Leicester City, Permanent)
Andy Griffin (Stoke City, Permanent)
Jon Macken (Barnsley, Permanent)
Lewin Nyatanga (Barnsley, Loan)
Stephen Bywater (Ipswich, Loan/Permanent)
Michael Johnson (Notts County, Loan)
Craig Fagan (Hull, Loan/Permanent)
Gary Teale (Plymouth, Loan/Permanent)…

… and that’s on top of the ones who were already on loan, Lee Holmes (Walsall, Loan), Mo Camara (Norwich, Loan)…

Still, it seems there’s still room to let bench-warmer Laurent Robert go… He’s flown out to Canada to train with Major League Soccer side Toronto… It’s on the BBC Site, so it must be true!

Can’t recall him doing anything for us since he joined, so cheerio Laurent… that’s another player off the wage bill. It’s going to be a busy summer!

In addition to Matt Oakley (Leicester, £500k), Stephen Bywater (Ipswich, Loan/Permanent), Steve Howard (Leicester, £1.5m), Andy Griffin (Stoke £300k), Lewin Nayatanga (Barnsley, Loan), Michael Johnson (Notts County, Loan), Gary Teale (Plymouth, Loan/Permanent), Lee Holmes (Walsall, Loan), Jon Macken (Barnsley, £200k) have already been moved on. It’s also worth noting that although Macken never scored for us, he is worth more than the two hundred quid which SkySports claim!

In turn, Jewell has brought in Alan Stubbs (Everton, Free), Robbie Savage (Blackburn, 1.5m), Emanuel ‘Tito’ Villa (UAG Tecos, £2m), Roy Carroll (Eventually. Rangers, Free), Mile Sterjovski (Gençlerbirliği OFTAŞ, Undiclosed) as well as Laurent Robert (Unattached) and Hossam Ghaly (Spurs) on short term contracts, Jewell has stated it’s unlikely Robert will be signed next season as he has taken some criticism about lack of effort. Ghaly has been good, and hopefully he will want to sign for next season!

In turn, if rumours are to be believed, we’re offering atrial to relative unknown Danish midfielder Bashkim Ziberi.

Fagan’s a fast, skilful player but it’s fair to say hasn’t had a consistent end product (ie, goals or crosses!) but definitely can’t fault his effort, unlike some of the over-paid, over-hyped players we have – so good luck Craig. I just hope you don’t end up saying “I wish I’d never left Hull”
because you were on the Derby County site last week saying you wanted to be part of Paul Jewells plan’s next season and it’s those sorts of comments which football fans never like and never forget.