Former owner Peter Marples speaks out regarding the situation at DCFC

Former Derby County owner and shareholder, Peter Marples, has spoken out regarding the ongoing situation at Derby County FC.

"Everyone, as I understand it, there is a meeting with the minister this week. Andrew Bridgen MP is taking the lead as most of the derby MPs have done nothing until today!

I do think in terms of all the efforts going in that we get the issues clear and don’t lose the argument. If you read the EFL statement and the admin statement there are two entirely different issues impacting the club but they are different with differing consequences.

1) the EFL has said that to in essence avoid player sales we need to get the funding in place. This is nothing to do with the preferred bidder. It’s if the bid fails. That means getting funding support of c£7m which has been suggested. In my view, that should be our collective focus NOW. I have suggested the councils can help and this is being pursued tomorrow and there are a number of other options to get the money. That will release the embargo etc and enable us to trade. I don’t believe 2022/23 season tickets will help however as that simply sends the issue down the track. If those owed season ticket money waived it, that would help as reduces the liability.

2) Boro and Wycombe - this issue concerns in essence the position of the bidders... Understandable but the EFL will simply say it’s a commercial decision for them and if it crystallizes it's a football debt. It is a commercial decision and if bidders can’t get comfortable with it- they should move on because nobody will give them any comfort. But that is kicked down the road a bit if we sort problem 1 out.

So my point is this. Whilst Boro and Wycombe are annoying and make people angry, our focus should be on problem 1 above and not get distracted with problem 2. From what I understand, I don’t think I am wrong. As for Boro and Wycombe, they have to demonstrate a loss in contract law and there isn’t a direct loss!