Frank Lampard has come out and defended Derby County owner Mel Morris after the club entered administration on Wednesday afternoon.
The Rams confirmed that they had called in administrators after suffering £20 million in losses due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Wayne Rooney’s team have been automatically disqualified 12 points. This has resulted in them falling to the bottom of the Championship table, minus two points.
The club is still being reviewed by the EFL. Middlesbrough chairman Steve Gibson continues his legal case against them for financial violations under the profit- and sustainability rules.
When these allegations are resolved, it is likely that Derby County will be subject to an additional nine-point deduction.
(Image: GETTY)
Having seen the club enter administration, owner Mel Morris has been called unscrupulous by many Derby fans, but that opinion is not shared by ex-Rams boss Frank Lampard who has leapt to defend his former chairman.
“I don’t know the current circumstances but Mel Morris cares deeply about the club,” Coral was informed by the ex-Derby boss.
“He has invested a fortune into it and I can only speak so highly of him and how he treated me. People will have different stories about Mel but he was amazing for me during my time there.
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(Image: PA)
“He was brilliant on the human side of things. He looked after me, the people who worked there and all the players.
“I really hope that they find the right solutions because I had a great time there.”
Now under the stewardship of Wayne Rooney, the Rams narrowly avoided the drop to League One last season, surviving on the final day in what was labelled a relegation play-off against Sheffield Wednesday.
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The 3-3 draw kept the Rams in the Championship for another season. Rotherham’s late goal to Cardiff saw the Millers move up to the third tier.
Even after the season was over, there was an investigation into financial irregularities in the accounts. There was also an interchangeable fixture listing with Wycombe Wanderers that was published in the event Derby was deducted points.
Instead, the club were fined £100,000 but now face the threat of a 21-point deduction for the current campaign.