It's nearly time

So, it's the usual summer weekend routine, get up, take my girlfriend to work, come home and make a cup of coffee and check the post. I seem to have only the usual bills and statements but it turns out that there is one thing that can change this uneventful summer day into something more significant…. my Derby County season ticket. This means it's getting close to the start of the football season and I, for one, can't wait. Not that it's been a bad summer, the European Championships were a welcome distraction from the usual football free days and the despite there being no England to support in Austria and Switzerland it was kept interesting as the best footballing side won the tournament, it's not often you can say that.

The thing is now the football season can start properly, no more pretending to support teams because I once went to France on holiday or because a guy I used to work with married an Italian girl but actual games that I genuinely care about the result of. You'd think Derby versus Doncaster or Lincoln City in the first week of the season wouldn't compare to Spain versus Germany but can anyone honestly say the result of the final meant as much to them? It's at least one game every seven days, many more frustrating performances and results then I'd care to admit to and probably to many hours spent wondering who's going to be the new captain should Savage not start but is there anything better?

Whilst July is not yet over and there's still friendlies to be played, the FC Utrecht game next weekend will be the first game I've been able to get to since last season, the 9th of August is looming and the start of the new season is upon us. We can now speculate about the team that Paul Jewell will put out on the opening day rather than the rumours from someone who knows someone whose brother lives near Moor Farm and has seen (insert player here) in a blacked out hummer or Aston Martin and is going to be our next major signing. Not that transfer rumours are uninteresting but at the end of the day I'd rather be watching the new boys in action.

With the new kit being released next week and the new away kit set for launch at the FC Utrecht game everything is in place for the start of the season, let's hope the team can finally give us something to cheer about. Some of the new signings look top quality on paper (or should that be internet, go on a certain video site and search for Kazmierczak if you don't believe me) and if they can turn in the performances week by week I'm sure the fans will get behind them again like last season and we'll have something to actually get excited about this time. Now, where did I leave my fixture list…..

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