Derby County’s negative display at Swansea City only produced another away defeat. The Rams’ poor away record has put them under pressure to win home games in order to avoid falling into the Championship’s relegation zone.

Reading visit Pride Park Stadium on Saturday, 28th November, so fans may be able to check out manager Nigel Clough’s early Christmas shopping. He’s signed Leicester City striker DJ Campbell on a month’s loan to bolster the attack, so Campbell joins fellow Foxes’ loanee Paul Dickov as support to Rob Hulse.

Derby’s home form has been adequate and their hard-fought victory over Coventry City in the last home game provides some optimism that the players are up to the task on their own patch. After the feeble display at the Liberty Stadium, the Rams   still have a point to prove that they can compete consistently at Championship level.

The RamsTrust Rendezvous will be operating as usual before the game, so come down and see us between 11.00 am and 2.30 pm in the foyer of the DW Soccerdome opposite the stadium. We are always keen to hear your opinions on the Rams’ season to date! The Ram match day programme will be available from us – and it’s always a good pre-match read.

You’ll remember that we launched a ‘Don’t Ditch it - Donate It’ charity appeal for those unwanted DCFC-QPR T-shirts before the Coventry game. Almost 150 shirts were donated, which have already gone to orphanages in Africa! Thanks again to all who donated their T-shirts.

By popular request, we are keeping this appeal open tomorrow. Quite a few fans advised us that they had forgotten to bring their T-shirts to the Coventry match, but don’t worry - just bring them to us at the Rendezvous collection point before the home game with Reading on Saturday!

We’ve also been advised this week by the DW staff that another pile is waiting there for us! Some fans also told us that they have other garments to donate and these are also welcome - there are many good causes that can use your unwanted shirts. We are also looking into linking up with a national group’s similar appeal into 2010.   

If you can’t get to the game, you can also bring in those Rams-QPR T-shirts at any time to the DW Soccerdome, as it is open between 9 am & 10 pm.

During the Christmas shopping season (groan!) we can also solve those gift dilemmas for the Rams fans in your life! Why not shop conveniently at the RT Rendezvous before the game as you take in your pre-match drink at the DW?

You can give them the great holiday read of Derby ‘Til I Die, the book written by the fans for the fans, or avoid those treacly Xmas pop records with Kevin Moore’s excellent CD of Rams songs. The high-quality Rams calendar prints devised by Kev’s artistic partner Miki, exclusive to RamsTrust, are still available, but this limited-edition collector’s item will soon be sold out.

We have some new and exclusive Rams Heritage design tee shirts on sale and the classic DCFC Match of the Seventies DVD, alongside other Rams DVDs and our range of books. Every customer who buys RT merchandise can ask for a free copy of the special edition Derby Evening Telegraph, as issued when Brian Clough passed away in 2004.

Here’s looking to the players to capture three much-needed points against Reading on Saturday and also to meeting you before the game at the DW Rendezvous - see you there!

Dave & Paul Mortimer