90 Minutes

Tonight I’m at a fan forum, ‘Your 90 Minutes’ with Sam Rush the new CEO of Derby County. There are drinks and refreshments, only coffee and shortcake but no buns. A forum is of course just a posh word for a bun fight. Still it’s more than we usually get from the club.

Mr Rush will be telling us his ‘vision’ and wants to know whether it matches our ‘vision’. Doubt he’ll be fussed if it doesn’t but that’s the idea.

I remind my father to put his hearing aid in or rather I ask my mother to do so, which is more effective. He doesn't like wearing it in crowds but may find it helpful on this occasion. Then when we get there I have to ask him to turn it down as it’s whistling with feedback.

Within ten minutes I know I'm not going to be particularly impressed with Mr Rush but then, I didn't expect to be. He toed the party line, as expected, didn't really answer the key questions, as expected but still spent a lot of time talking, in fact an inordinate amount of time, but saying very little.

Things livened up after an hour when we got on to ticketing, which at the moment is a complete fiasco and an expensive fiasco at that. He, at least, looked interested in people’s concerns on this and also on the lack of benefits of being a season ticket holder.

On the plus side, the 90 minutes lasts 120 and it is really good of him to meet us. Also he’s British, unlike the last one.

(Monday 7th January)