Nottingham Forest and Derby County rivalry charted in new football book by Stamford author

An author has chosen a life’s passion as the subject of his second book - and explored the origins of one of football’s bitterest rivalries.

David Marples has written about the rocky relationship between Derby County and Nottingham Forest in ‘Reds and Rams: The History of the East Midlands Derby’.

It is David’s second book about football - and Forest - following The History Boys: 30 Iconic Forest Goals.

He has written a column in the club’s matchday programme for the last seven years and, as a season ticket holder for ‘donkey’s years’, has regularly sampled the derby day experience at uncomfortably close quarters.

“It’s one of those games where towards the end you don’t want to leave the ground - it’s just horrible and genuinely nasty,” he said.

“There were times when you’d go to Derby and get a police escort to the ground. I’m thinking ‘I’m a teacher, I’m a respectable person!’

“It’s a spiteful rivalry and quite heated, especially over the last 40 to 50 years because they have been stuck in the same division for much of that time.”

David moved to Stamford about 15 years ago, but became hooked on Forest after a trip from his native Rotherham to the City Ground in 1982.

The side he saw that day was led by enigmatic manager Brian Clough who had guided Derby to a league title before moving to their deadly rivals. There he won another league crown and added back-to-back European Cups.

“The only thing Derby and Forest fans agree on is the genius of Brian Clough,” he added. “That is the only common ground they share.”

David has researched the social history of the two cities to find the roots of the club rivalry which dates back to Victorian times when both were formed.

He believes economic backgrounds helped reinforce the division, with Derby’s wealth formed from mills and engineering, while lace put Nottingham on the map.

“I wanted to know why these similar cities hate each other so much,” he said.

“There is an idea, perhaps, that Derby is a little more earthy and industrial whereas Nottingham was more artisan.

“The cities are far enough away from each other to consider themselves different, and have a different way of life, but also close enough that there is so much in common.”

The book took about nine months to research and write, including interviews with former players from different eras such as John McGovern who helped both sides to league titles under Clough.

David believes his South Yorkshire roots have helped him to remain impartial in his writing while having a Rams fan as editor has helped the balance.

“The people have more in common than each would like to admit,” he added.

“They’re cut from the same cloth, but entirely different garments.”

Reds and Rams is available from all major book retailers.