Graham Richards (BBC Radio Derby) original commentary dubbed onto video footage of Derbys goals in their first game back in the first division against Leeds Utd in August 1996
When even the legendary Graham Richards is either struggling to be heard or lost for words with mere shouting , you know it's either a monster goal or a monster game. Brilliant atmosphere and great fight from the super Rams.
I was at that game & it was one of the best ever for atmosphere. The thing I'll remember most though isn't the goals. It was a moment of agonising revenge. In the previous season in the Championship, we lost a cracking match 4-2 to a Premier League Leeds surrounded in controversy as that bastard Brian Deane injured Igor Stimac, got either Dean Yates or Gary Rowett sent off & he scored. Brian Deane makes the Derby "Revenge Pending" file. Some months later, Derby are promoted & this match is the first game of the season. As the game progressed, there was a hoof ball out of the Leeds defence that left Deane at full speed vs a stationary Yates with 30 - 40 yards between them. If Deane gets it, there's nothing between him & the keeper, so Yates just has to win it. It's a pressure moment to which our Yates handles with consummate skill, ease & some unbridled violence. As the ball falls out of the air like a meteor, Yates looks to the ball, looks to Deane, checks the ball again & as Deane closed the gap & just as the ball is about to pass between them, I saw a look of absolute hatred like a man about to bayonette someone on the face of Yates as he intentionally kicked Deane as hard as he could in the bollocks. It was a life defining moment for Deane. The devastating nut power kick forced Deane about 8 feet into the air & landed in a crumpled heap face down clutching his well crushed balls & destroyed sack & in far too much pain to even make a sound. Revenge Pending moved to Revenge Complete & justice served as Deane took no further part in the match. Yates even escaped without any sanction as the ref waved play on. Dean Yates, if you ever read this, know that you were one of our greatest ever centre backs, are remembered fondly & are still loved by the sheep army.
