Ram raid still on

Derby County have been something of a bogey team for us.  They defeated us in our first cup final at Wembley and I am still stung by a 2-4 home defeat in the then Division One when we had gone ahead.  Overall, in many encounters, we have lost 40 games, won 32 and drawn 21.

The Addicks are unbeaten in seven seasons on the opening day, winning five of those games, most recently 1-0 at home to Watford last year.

The Rams exited the EFL Cup at home to Lincoln and have seen a proposed takeover collapse in recent days while their 3-1 defeat at Stoke last season was their third straight defeat on the opening day.

Charlton Athletic have lost their past two home league games against Derby, only losing more consecutively between December 1946 and May 1951 (5).   Derby County have lost just one of their previous five league meetings with Charlton Athletic (W3 D1); a 2-1 defeat in February 2024.

Charlton lost five of their final eight league games last season (W1 D2), while only Sheffield Wednesday (12.7%) spent a lower proportion of their games in a winning position than the Addicks (16.5%) in the Championship last term.

Derby lost six of their final eight away games last season (W2), though did win their most recent match at QPR in April (3-2).

Carlton Morris' 12 league goals for Derby last season was his second-most in a single campaign in the top four tiers, behind his 20 for Luton Town in 2022-23; five of his goals in 2025-26 came from corners, more than anybody else.   Rams fans reckon that his physicality and hold up play make him the focal point.

Derby County have completed their fifth signing of the season,f Alex Mowatt from West Bromwich Albion as they made a breakthrough in their pursuit of the midfielder.

Coach John Eustace has said that he is glad the takeover drama is over and they can focus on the pitch.

Fuur Four Two forecast a 11th finish for the Rams with the fan commentator going for 8th and what is now a play off place,  The fans think that Eustace is not charismatic but a very effective manager   Thery also think that David Clowes is a model owner, not hogging the highlight and getting on rebuilding the clujb.

Scouser referee Ben Speedie has no sympathy for southern softies,  but at least has calmed down somewhat as he was known in his earlier career for his love of brandishing yellow cards and a red if he could.

Great news about Lloyd Jones

There were fears that he might go, but key player Lloyd Jones is staying.   

Defensive rock Lloyd Jones has signed a new contract at Charlton Athletic until the summer of 2028.  The Addicks have rewarded the centre-back for an excellent season in the Championship where he was top for defensive blocks and clearances.

Jones, who has won back-to-back Player of the Year awards at Charlton, was just pipped by Millwall’s Jake Cooper for aerial duels won.

The former Liverpool, Luton Town, Northampton Town and Cambridge United player featured in all 46 league matches for the Addicks - 45 of those starts.

Richard Cawley has remarked: 'As if you couldn't love Lloyd Jones any more, he played the last three months of the season with a busted up ankle.'

Managing director Jim Rodwell on the remainder of the transfer window: "There will be plenty of ebbs and turns yet. I think there will be a couple coming in and a few going out."  He repeated what Nathan Jones has been saying - right-wing is still an area that club want to add.

Will wounded animal stage a Ram raid?

Charlton are facing a bit of a wounded animal in Derby County this weekend. The Rams were dealt the surprise blow of their exciting investment deal collapsing, but John Eustace will be eager to use this as a way to galvanise the squad for the fight.

Derby County were beaten on home turf by Lincoln City last weekend. Despite an early goal of the season contender from Samodics, the Rams conceded two early first-half goals to start their season with a defeat.

There is hope amongst the Rams fanbase that they can have another solid campaign this time out, although the collapse of the takeover deal has dampened spirits. After finishing 8th last term, John Eustace has been backed with three signings, the most eye-catching of which being the permanent arrival of Bobby Clark.

Pundits are forecasting a Ram raid, although some think that the Addicks may be able to grind out a draw.  However, it is agreed by analysts that the club’s financial constraints limit them.   Mid-table may be possible, but a relegation battle is more likely.

I am  predicting a 1-2 defeat.

Derby to carry on against Charlton after shock news

Derby County have been left stunned after Saudi Arabian boxing powerbroker Turki Al-Sheikh backed out of a proposed deal to buy a majority stake in the Championship club at the 11th hour.

The Times reported in May that Al-Sheikh, an adviser in Saudi Arabia’s royal court who serves as the head of the General Entertainment Authority, was in advanced talks to purchase Derby from David Clowes, who saved the club from liquidation in 2022.

Al-Sheikh satisfied the Independent Football Regulator (IFR) and the English Football League (EFL) that his wealth was separate to that of the Saudi Public Investment Fund and was cleared to complete the deal last week. However, in an about-face that shocked Derby chiefs, Al-Sheikh abruptly called off the takeover on Monday, five days before the beginning of the season.

A statement from Derby read: “The club can confirm discussions with Lion Sport [the group headed by Al-Sheikh] to buy a controlling interest in Derby County will no longer proceed.  “The purchase process had been sanctioned by both the Independent Football Regulator and the EFL, notification of which the club received last week.

“However, today the club received notice that Lion Sport no longer wanted to continue with the purchase. For the benefit of any doubt, the club is now off the market and will continue to operate under the loyal, committed and unwavering support of Clowes Developments. Our preparations continue for the new EFL season, beginning against Charlton Athletic on Saturday.”

Al-Sheikh took to social media shortly afterwards and implied that the time taken by the IFR to approve the takeover was key to him pulling out of the deal. 

The approval process took 55 days — 90 days are permitted — and, given the complexities of the case because of Al-Sheikh’s longstanding relationship with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and his role as a government minister, there is understood to be scepticism about whether other factors could be at hand.

“I would like to thank everyone at Derby County Football Club, and everyone involved in this process for all their hard work over the past few months,” Al-Sheikh said in a statement.

“We understood that the IFR process takes time and fully respect the importance of that, but unfortunately with the season already started, it would leave us with no time to prepare the team or the club for the season ahead.

Al-Sheikh previously owned both the Spanish club UD Almería and Pyramids FC in Egypt, but his primary involvement in sport has focused on boxing, and he is bringing the Anthony Joshua v Tyson Fury mega-fight to Saudi Arabia under the “Riyadh Season” banner. He was linked with an approach to buy Bristol City last year but that also did not come to fruition.

 

Welcome Timothy Ouma

Welcome to the 22-year old Kenyan international who joins the Addicks on a year long loan deal.  The  midfielder is physically robust and has a good positional sense.

Kenya Diaspora Media writes: 'For the Nairobi-born footballer, the transfer represents another important chapter in a journey that has taken him from the Kenyan domestic game to the European stage and now to England.

Ouma began attracting attention during his time with Nairobi City Stars, where his technical ability and maturity stood out despite his young age. His performances eventually earned him a move to Slavia Prague in 2022, allowing him to begin his professional career in Europe.

The transition to Czech football presented a new challenge. Ouma had to adapt to a different football culture, higher tactical demands and the physical intensity associated with European competition. At Slavia Prague, he continued to develop his game, although opportunities to establish himself as a regular first-team player were limited. Nevertheless, his qualities remained evident.

His ability to retain possession under pressure, pick out passes and connect midfield with attack made him one of the promising young players in the club’s ranks.

His move to Charlton now offers the midfielder something particularly valuable: regular competitive football.

Charlton Athletic, one of England’s historic clubs, sees Ouma as a player capable of adding creativity, energy and technical quality to its midfield. The club is looking to build a squad capable of competing at the top end of League One, with a mixture of established experience and emerging young talent.Ouma’s arrival fits into that strategy.

The option to make the transfer permanent also provides an indication of Charlton’s confidence in the Kenyan midfielder. If he impresses during his loan spell, the English club could move to secure his services on a long-term basis.For Ouma, however, the immediate priority will be to adapt quickly.

English football is renowned for its pace, intensity and physical demands. League One provides a particularly competitive environment, with matches often played at a high tempo and little room for players to hesitate in possession.That challenge could prove invaluable for a midfielder who is still developing his game.

Ouma possesses the technical attributes required to thrive in England. His composure on the ball, vision and ability to operate in different midfield positions give him tactical flexibility. He can play as a central midfielder while also contributing in more advanced areas, making him an attractive option for a club seeking creativity.Regular football could also accelerate his development considerably.

SCR will benefit the wealthiest clubs

From his Zurich fastness the authoritative Swiss Ramble explains the new Squad Control Ratio operative in the Cbampionship.  The full analysis is available on his Substack page.

As the 2026/27 season approaches, clubs in the EFL Championship will have to comply with a new set of financial regulations, as a new Squad Cost Rules (SCR) financial framework will replace the previous Profitability and Sustainability Regulations (PSR). The SCR system will limit a club’s spending on player and manager-related costs to 85% of its income, alongside a limited level of owner funding.

In the May press release, the allowable equity injection was given as £33m over a three-year period (up to a maximum of £15m a season).  However, this has been slightly increased according to the recently published 2026/27 regulations, so the three-year allowance is now £34.3m, while the maximum per season is up to £16m.

The EFL listed a number of objectives behind the move from PSR to SCR:

• Create a simpler and more responsive system of cost control within the Championship.
• Allow for real-time monitoring during the season, rather than reviewing ‘after the event’.
• Closer alignment with the Premier League, which is also introducing SCR from the 2026/27 season.
• Include safeguards around commercial deals linked to owners or associated parties.

In addition, SCR will focus solely on spending that directly affects what happens on the pitch, as opposed to all expenditure.

The most important element of the denominator in the SCR is obviously the revenue reported in club accounts.   This means that SCR revenue is basically derived from the classic match day, broadcasting and commercial revenue streams. These include gate receipts, central TV distributions (EFL, Premier League parachute and solidarity payments), sponsorships and pre-season tours.

One of the major differences between PSR and SCR is how player trading is captured. PSR applied the standard accounting treatment, so included profit on player sales, i.e. transfer proceeds less any remaining book value, player amortisation and player impairment.  In contrast, SCR includes player trading on a net cash basis, i.e. transfer amounts received less transfer amounts paid.

SCR will clearly benefit the wealthiest clubs, as they have the advantage of higher revenue, often exacerbated by larger profits from player sales, which means that they will have a much bigger budget to spend on their squad.

This is especially the case for clubs receiving parachute payments, so four of the five clubs with the highest allowable income (before any equity injections) were recently relegated from the Premier League, namely Leeds United £91m, Sheffield United £70m, Burnley £41m and Luton Town £40m.

In addition, clubs that have bigger stadiums and lucrative sponsorship deals will also do well under SCR, as seen at Sunderland £54m, Bristol City £39m and Norwich City £37m.

If a club breaches the SCR limit, it will face sanctions that can include fines, transfer embargoes or even points deductions. The penalty is determined by an independent panel based on the extent and materiality of the breach, and whether the breach was “deliberate, reckless, or negligent”.

SCR is significantly different from PSR, its predecessor. Although there are many differences, perhaps the most fundamental change is a move to real-time monitoring, as opposed to a review after the event, which must be considered as a step in the right direction.  SCR also focuses on the current season instead of the last three years, looks at cash movements instead of being influenced by the vagaries of player trading accounting, and has a higher equity cap.

 

Kaminski to go Dutch?

Various sources, including supporters at the Dutch club, claim that Sparta Rotterdam are poised to sign Charlton keeper Thomas Kaminski.

No independent confirmation at present, but he was not included in the squad at Cheltenham.

Sparta, the oldest club in the Netherlands, had been targeting another keeper without success.