R's on the Road To.......... Derby County.

On Saturday the travelling R's support and the Lofty Heights crew travel up the M1 to Derby in what has been a happy hunting ground for the Superhoops over the past few years.



Rangers' have enjoyed a 100% start to the season and the question is can they continue the best start to a season in over 60 years against a Derby side that have won one and lost two of their opening three games of the league campaign.

Here's a few pointers for your journey to Pride Park.

The Stadium.

Current Capacity - 33,597



Pride Park has been the home of Derby County since 1997 having been at home at The Baseball Ground since 1895.
Each of Derby’s three homes, including their first home The Racecourse Ground, have hosted a full International. The Racecourse Ground hosted the England 9 Ireland 0 victory in 1895, The Baseball Ground was host to the England 2 Ireland 1 victory in 1911 and Pride Park graced the England 4 Mexico 0 match.
Derby’s most successful manager is the legendary Brain Clough. He managed to lead the club to the Division 2 title in 1969 and the Division 1 title in 1972. He also won two other smaller competitions with the club, The Watney Cup in 1971 and The Texaco Cup in 1972. He left the club in 1973 to manage Brighton and then Leeds in 1974 before taking over at bitter rivals Nottingham Forest in 1975. The A52, which separates Derby from Nottingham, has been named ‘Brian Clough Way’ in appreciation for his efforts at both clubs during his spells there.

The History between the teams.

At Derby County (22)

Derby 10
QPR 7
Draw 5

Last seasons trip to Pride Park was certainly a memorable one! It was live on BBC 2 at the end of the R's 'Goal-den October', we were even given free t-shirts on our seats that would only fit the slightest of Rangers fans, not people of the fuller figure like the people in the Lofty Heights gang do.
A clever quick free kick from Robbie Savage allowed Paul Dickov to sneak in behind the R's defence and slot home to give Derby a 10th minute lead. Worse was to follow as Savage took a free kick just outside the R's penalty area and delightly curled it into the top corner to give the hosts a somewhat fortune two goal advantage with ten minutes of the half left to play.
With five minutes of the half left to play it was Adel Taarabt's turn to try his luck with a free kick and managed to find the bottom corner with a superb curling free kick around the wall into the bottom corner and giving the R's a glimmer of hope going into the half time interval.
In the second half Rangers' came out all guns blazing and totally dominated proceedings and bossed it from the start and within two minutes of the restart the game was a level contest as Gavin Mahon tapped home a fantastic passing move from the visitors.
On the hour mark the R's took the lead for the first tome as Simpson coolly slid the ball home from ten yards when under pressure from the Derby defender.
The rout was complete when Akos Buzsaky hammered home a 90th minute penalty after Wayne Routledge had been fouled in the area.

It was a memorable day for the travelling fans and a great comeback witnessed on tv and made people stand up and take us seriously...... until the season fell apart just months later.



How to get there.

By Car: - The sat nav postcode for today is DE24 8XL.
Follow the M1 up to junction 25 and take the left onto the A52 towards Derby. 7 miles down the A52 you will have the ground signposted all the way for the rest of the journey.
Parking can be a tad tricky. On my last visit there was a little secluded area of parking just before Pride Park but I’m not aware if this is still available so instead I would point you in the direction of the cattle market which is a 15 minute walk from Pride Park or you can always park at the Derby Conference Centre for £5.


By Train: - The ground is roughly a ten minute walk from the station and I will do my best to give you directions from here. As you get off the platform go up the stairs, turn right and walk to the end of the bridge. Go down the stairs, exit and turn right down Roundhouse Road. Bear left at the roundabout, go straight down Riverside Road or turn right and go down Pride Parkway. You will approach the ground straight ahead of you.


Pubs 'n' Grub.

The best place for Rangers fans to drink is the Harvester just around the corner from the ground. It is very friendly in there and I have never encountered any trouble there on previous visits.
For food you could use the Harvester or alternatively there is a Frankie and Benny’s, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, KFC, Burger King and Subway not far from here.
Available on the concourse are a selection of Pies and Pasties all at £2.60, Cheeseburgers (£3.50), Burgers (£3) and Hot dogs (£3). They also offer a Pie & Pint for £5.50.