Derby County have finally been freed from the horror of administration, after longstanding supporter David Clowes officially took over as the club’s new owner. After Wayne Rooney resigned as manager of the Rams last week, Derby were in dire requirement of this.
After over ten months of suffering, Derby can now look ahead with cautious hope less than a month before the start of the League One season. Because of the Clowes agreement, there won’t be any additional point penalties for Derby. In addition, they are free to sign players.
Clowes said in an open letter to the supporters, “as a lifelong supporter, I could not stand by as the risk of losing Derby County became all too real. It’s vital we start work on recruitment immediately and, for that, we will rely on the expertise of the existing staff as well as bringing in a support structure to help them move as quickly as possible to build a side that will be competitive in time for the new season.”
A number of parties, notably former Newcastle owner Mike Ashley, have showed interest ever since Derby were placed in administration by previous owner Mel Morris in September.
Derby County claim they had to “overcome a magnitude of challenges” to finalise the sale
Joint administrator Carl Jackson said, “We are very pleased to have achieved today’s sale, in a deal which secures the long-term future of The Club. I would like to express my sincere thanks to The Club’s staff players and the fans for their loyalty, and patience, as they supported the Club through the administration.”
Prior to complications delaying the sale, Quantuma had wanted to close the sale of the Sky Bet League One team on Wednesday. Instead, they announced on Sunday that they had formally accepted local real estate developer David Clowes’ bid to purchase the club.
Derby County were demoted last season after having 21 points taken away, including 12 for going into administration and 9 for prior financial violations. However, they are prepared to begin the new campaign against Oxford on July 30 with a blank canvas.
