Last week I had one of those odd experiences, where a trivial memory from decades ago surfaces unexpectedly.

As I took a turn down this particular lane of my memory, I remembered that I had just finished a days work and was walking through derby town centre on the way to catch the bus home. It would have been August, 1970; I know because I have checked the historical record.

My eye was caught by one of those newspaper placards (for the local evening paper) which stated: “Rams Sell International”.

The Rams were managed by Brian Clough, and were starting their second season back in the old First Division. Unwilling to part with my shilling, or whatever it was for a paper in those pre-decimal days, I wondered who it could be: Roy McFarland, Dave MacKay? Perhaps Alan Durban or Alan Hinton?

Then I realized the wording on the placard was a little strange: not “Rams Sell Star Player”, or “Rams Receive Record Transfer Fee”, but “International”. Could there be an international whose loss would be no big deal to Rams fans, so it had to be disguised this way?

Then I had it: Arthur Stewart. An Irish international wing half, Stewart had been signed by Clough, and had been a regular for half a season or so before losing his place to Dave MacKay. Sure enough, he joined Ballymena in August, 1970.

You may now ask; what caused me to hark back to that incident of days earlier? Well, late last week, I was sitting at my desk in the Ramzone offices; these are located in a single storey brick building on the West Meadows Industrial Estate.

Actually, in the interests of truth and honesty I should add that I made up that last part: there are no RamZone offices, but I have wanted to write that sentence for a long time. Haven’t we given you the address for RamZone towers yet Bill? Remind me to send it to you with a key and security code — Ed.

I was sitting on the couch at home, when it struck me that with late November approaching I should write down a few thoughts on possible Rams January transfer window activities.

A little while later, I was on the Derby Evening Telegraph web site, and saw the headline “Steve McClaren Discusses Derby County Plans For January Transfer Window”.

What could be better? I clicked on the link.

The sum total of the article was;” There will be no big overhaul of Derby County’s squad in the January transfer window, says manager Steve McClaren”. That was essentially it.

But what did I expect? Was Steve Mac going to list the players he wants to sign in January? Was he likely to tell us those Rams players he thinks need to be replaced?

Was he going to tell us how much money he would be allowed to spend. I cannot imagine that any Rams fans anywhere thought it likely that the Rams would rebuild in January; I have said many times in this column that the Rams have wasted too much money and given out too many long contracts to spend much money any time soon.

So I had wasted one of life’s clicks. I had needlessly flexed my finger. I may have avoided it on that day in 1970, but this time I had been, as we might say, Arthured.

So, without any input from Steve McClaren or the Derby Evening Telegraph, what sort of January activities look plausible for the Rams? I do not see us spending much money, unless some oil-rich chairman forces his manager to offer millions for Andreas Weimann (he’s very quick, you know), Nick Blackman and Abdoul Camara.

I think incoming players are more likely to be loans than permanent signings, which in my opinion is fine; remember previous Steve Mac loan signings Andre Wisdom, Patrick Bamford, George Thorne, Jordan Ibe, Darren Bent and Tom Ince.

It is his permanent signings who tended to be less successful players such as Simon Dawkins, Ryan Shotton, Stephen Warnock, and the exception of course, George Thorne.

I could see us bringing in a loan right-back, as long as we are still in the running for a playoff place; as well as a loan winger, and a loan defensive midfielder — unless Bradley Johnson can really make the position his own.

What about players who may be leaving? The most likely seem to be those who are out of contract at the end of the season. Lee Grant looks to have revived his career at Stoke — they have only lost once in seven Premier League games with him playing — so I would not be surprised if a deal is worked out to take him there permanently; and good luck to him.

Chris Baird is another out of contract in the summer, but he seems likely to be too valuable as a spare part to allow him to leave early. Another is Darren Bent, though I would not be all that surprised to see him offered an extension before much longer, especially if his form holds.

Scott Carson and Cyrus Christie are the final two with extensive first team experience who are out of contract in the summer. Carson has an optional year, and surely will be staying, and Christie will also be getting an extension sooner rather than later, I should think.

I would not be at all surprised if the three mentioned earlier — Weimann, Blackman and Camara — were to go out on loan in January.

Finally, there is Jason Shackell. He has another season left on his contract after this one, but will be thirty-four shortly after next season starts. Given the continuing good form of Alex Pearce, I could see Shackell potentially going out on loan in January.

So, that’s it, then; no January rebuilding.

We should not be too sorry though; Steve’s strength seems to lie more in getting the most out of players he inherits rather than using the transfer market.

He even seems to be getting performances out of some of Paul Clement and Sam Rush’s less successful signings.

Some of them, not all.

Not yet.

Photo: Action Images

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