For Derby County, this was a day that just a few weeks ago many worried would never come. But as Conor Hourihane, fresh from scoring the only goal, moseyed along the bottom of the South Stand, putting his left hand out for those in Row A to reach out and touch, Derby supporters were able to drink in the moment that earned them a victory that carries much more weight than the three points it earned them on the first afternoon of the League One season. There were seven minutes of second-half stoppage time but that suffering was nothing compared to what Derby have endured in recent months, Hourihane’s strike enough to edge out Oxford United.
In some ways, given how close to the precipice Derby were little more than a month ago, the actual football – the possession, the tactics and the box entries – was irrelevant, though of course it will not be that way for long. Derby supporters are grateful to still have their team, chuffed to be able to make the pilgrimage to this arena and the fact that almost 19,000 season-ticket holders have signed up for their first season in the third tier since 1986 speaks volumes of how embedded the club is in the community. There is at least one seat going spare in the North Stand these days, with the new owner, David Clowes, a local property developer, conceding that giving up his regular spot for a place in the directors’ box is one downside to his takeover. Clowes could no longer watch the suffering from afar and instead rescued the club amid fears of liquidation. “Thank you, David Clowes,” was the chant from Derby fans with two minutes remaining.
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