Nottingham Forest face bitter rivals Derby County this weekend - and ahead of the crunch clash, there has been no shortage of drama at the other end of Brian Clough Way.
Plenty of Reds fans have piled in on social media to have their say on the latest twist in developments at Pride Park.
The English Football League issued a statement on the crisis-hit Rams on Monday night, including addressing whether they “have a vendetta” against the club.
The EFL also said they are committed to resolving “a complex legal position” that is threatening Derby’s bid to find a buyer and exit administration.
The Rams went into administration last September and have been docked 21 points for breaching financial rules.
The club’s administrators are understood to be in talks with three potential buyers, but have been unable to name a preferred bidder due to the threat of legal action by Middlesbrough and Wycombe Wanderers.
Earlier, a petition demanding the Minister for Sport look into the ongoing situation at Derby had been launched - something which also prompted much talk among Forest supporters on Twitter. There has been plenty of debate on what Reds fans want to happen to their rivals.
@justinorme: Does the AFC prefix mean ‘a failed club’ #nffc
@Tommyblx: Derby County Football Club being saved by thousands of online One Direction fans is like a terrible episode of Black Mirror #dcfc #nffc
@HalpinJamie: #dcfcfans think the EFL statement is a sign they are rattled. They genuinely think £960 in fundraising and a few tweets has scared the organisation with the power to expel them from the LEAGUE STRUCTURE. They really are the gift that keeps giving. #NFFC
@a_d_king_: As a Forest fan, I don't want to see our closest rivals sent under. Not like this. #nffc #dcfc #SaveDerby
@stonbank: Derby to win the Brian Clough trophy and then hold it till the end of time is the worst thing that could happen this weekend. A distinct possibility tho. Just process that #nffc
@lewis_nffc: EFL going in love to see it #nffc
@Jay_christian_1: On Saturday all the forest fans should wave £5 notes around all game ahaha going up going down #nffc
@Harvey_XCX: Rivalries aside, I hope #DCFC liquidate #NFFC
@RedDogCam: I think the term is... read it and weep? Bravo EFL for standing strong. #NFFC
@roger_roadley: Have the sheep asked Bob Geldof to do them a charity song yet they’ve tried everything else victim fc #nffc
@EdwardMMac: No one wants to see a football club cease to exist! Even if it's you're biggest rivals! @EFL Derby took their 21 point deduction without much debate... Punishment enough? I think so. Let's get back to football not politics! #DCFC #NFFC
@dazroy81: As a forest fan id like nothing more than our rivals to get relegated. Some of my best footballing memories are #NFFC v #dcfc and I'd like that to continue. Hopefully the club can find a way to move forward.
@shane_dean88: It amazes me how many Forest fans want to see Derby gone completely. I get the rivalry is massive with hatred, but to then not have that rivalry at all baffles me. Wish them relegation and periods of unrest, but not to be gone entirely. Just my opinion. #NFFC #DCFC
@GregSideburn: I haven’t signed the petition but I do not want to see #DCFC get liquidated. Make em pay their debts back the correct way by selling players, being relegated and going through all that anguish. But hoping for them to be liquidated just doesn’t make sense to me. #nffc
Middlesbrough and Wycombe are seeking compensation for loss of earnings in relation to Derby’s financial breaches and potential new owners are reluctant to commit themselves to further liabilities.
The EFL said in a statement on its official website: “The current situation remains challenging as Middlesbrough and Wycombe Wanderers consider their claims should be protected under the terms of the Insolvency Policy. The administrators disagree.
“Further, as those claims are not yet determined the administrators and bidders have no clarity on the size of any (if any) liability. That has implications for exiting administration, and ultimately the club being able to retain its (Football League) membership status.”
The EFL said Derby consider the claims to be “spurious”, but the current bidders “appear unwilling to assume the risk of defending them”.
Middlesbrough and Wycombe are concerned their rights will be adversely affected if Derby can “extinguish or compromise the claims” using the insolvency process, the EFL said.
“The EFL is keen to try and resolve the current impasse. The EFL invited each of the administrators, Middlesbrough FC, and Wycombe Wanderers to make submissions on this point last week, and we are now in the process of reviewing those submissions with a view to identifying a route to resolve the conflict which exists between the respective positions of, on the one hand, Derby County, and on the other Middlesbrough and Wycombe Wanderers.
“To try and simplify what is a complex legal position is not simple or straightforward but we are committed to finding an appropriate solution and providing clarity on the issue as soon as possible.”
Last week, the EFL asked Derby’s administrators to provide updated financial details on how the club plans to fulfil their remaining fixtures this season and set an extended deadline of February 1.
“While potential funding options were tabled by the administrators, they could not give the necessary assurances that the funding was guaranteed to enable the club to finish the season,” the EFL added.
“As a consequence, the League made the decision that the club should not be permitted to register any new players until the necessary funding was in place. The deadline for provision of the funded plans was further extended to 1 February 2022.”
Former Newcastle owner Mike Ashley and a separate consortium headed by former Derby chairman Andy Appleby have been reported to be interested in buying the Rams.
Steve Cooper’s Reds host their arch-enemies at the City Ground on Saturday aiming to record back-to-back Championship wins after beating Millwall last time out.
