Claim made on what David Clowes has done at Derby County - it’s "all thanks to him" | OneFootball

FLW's Rams Fan Pundit has described the ex-Pilot's tenure as "immaculate" amid speculation regarding outside investment

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Derby County owner David Clowes has been given a glowing reference, with his tenure so far described as "immaculate" despite speculation regarding outside investment.

In truth, everyone connected with the Rams is enjoying a period of much-needed stability now, which is a far cry from what they were used to by the end of the Mel Morris era.

That period, of course, saw the East Midlands outfit flirt closely with liquidation before Clowes intervened in July three years ago.

While rumors of a potential takeover or new investment have been circulating throughout the first-half of the season - the sentiment from the stands remains overwhelming positive regarding the job Clowes has done.

Everything David Clowes has done at Derby County labelled "immaculate"

FLW’s Derby County Fan Pundit, Shaun Woodward, was asked to rate his happiness with the current ownership situation at Pride Park on a scale of one to ten.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Woodward praised Clowes for his sensible approach and for not allowing his emotion as a supporter to cloud his business judgment.

"It’s a ten from me for David Clowes," Woodward told FLW. "Everything he’s done since he came into the club has been immaculate.

"He’s let his head rule his heart despite being a fan and it could’ve been easy for him to get a bit carried away like Mel Morris did but he’s stayed sensible, stayed true to his word and he’s got Derby sustainable," the Fan Pundit added.

Unless you're a Derby fan, it is difficult to overstate the importance of Clowes' intervention when he purchased the club out of administration in the summer of 2022.

Under Morris, Derby chased the Premier League dream with aggressive spending of £200m that quite obviously proved unsustainable, which is what led to the financial breaches and the club's near-collapse.

The Rams had been in administration for nine months, suffering a 21-point deduction that ultimately relegated them to League One, and were facing the very real threat of liquidation before the lifelong fan stepped in to complete a takeover.

"No complaints" from any Derby County fan regarding David Clowes

Woodward then went on to explain: "We are looking a lot better moving forward now and it’s all thanks to him [Clowes].

"I don’t think anyone could criticise him for what he’s done for the club, and I believe whatever he decides moving forward will be the right thing for the club, not just for his own personal benefit."

Clowes has maintained a high level of transparency with Rams fans and has regularly communicated with them through open letters - to make sure everyone is aware of the club’s direction and possible challenges.

In the summer of 2024, Clowes first revealed to BBC Radio Derby that he's open to fresh investment at the club, and this was echoed at the start of 25/26 in one of his letters. Which does leave Woodward with some worry.

"It is worrying that we are going to at some point lose him, or he will sell some of the club to someone else, but I do honestly believe he’ll only do it if the right person comes along," Woodward said.

Clowes was also reportedly working with the man who helped broker his initial takeover, Jonathan Price, to find extra investment at Derby, and although nothing is concrete yet, there have been names floating around. These include John Textor, Mike Ashley and James Bord, as reported by journalist Alan Nixon via his Patreon.