'The final day doesn't define a season'
Derby County supporter Amelia Warren reflects on the Rams' play-off near miss and the club's incredible turnaround over the past year.
[BBC] [Getty Images] The play-off dream proved to be a step too far for Derby County this season. In previous Championship campaigns, losing on the final day and finishing eighth in the table would have been disappointing, particularly with a play-off place up for grabs. However, looking around Pride Park on Saturday, I didn't see disappointment.
Instead I saw a lot of excitement for the future, and a sense that the pressure was off, despite what was on the line. Most fans were just eager to express their pride in the players, the staff, and the board for a much improved season. The play-offs felt like a bonus prize.
As I started to feel frustrated when Derby fell behind in the game after leading, I took a few minutes to remember how the final day felt this time last year. How League One football became so close to being a reality again, and how we survived by the skin of our teeth with a win ratio of just over 28% all season. Then I thought about this campaign.
How we took over Sheffield and put three past both United and Wednesday on the road, how we won 5-0 at Bristol City away on a Friday night in front of the TV cameras, how we went on a five-game winning run in the league, how we gave some of the best and most in-form teams a run for their money, how our win rate increased to more than 43%. With all that, I came back to the same conclusion I have reached multiple times this season: This season was never about success, it was about progress. The Rams have progressed massively over the last 12 months.