The new season is upon us, and yet Derby County fans remain impatient. Alongside the usual mix of tension and excitement that accompanies the start of a new campaign, there is a rather large elephant in the room. That being the pending investment from Saudi government official and billionaire boxing supremo Turki Alalshikh. Four years on from David Clowes’ reluctant act of heroism, this has potential to be a season that is most consequential, as the lifelong fan hands over

It might not be pretty, but survival on the pitch, and stability off it, are crucial for the club’s long-term plan.