This article is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk’ series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Derby County moved to the bottom of the Championship table for the first time this season on Saturday following a 1-0 defeat to Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.

The Rams’ loss and Luton Town’s first win under Matt Bloomfield sent John Eustace’s side to the foot of the second tier, after losing three straight league games, picking up just two points in their last 12 matches.

It’s been a frustrating season for the East Midlands outfit, and it currently looks as though the team will suffer relegation straight back to League One unless there is a radical change in form, starting against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday.

Eustace will be hoping that he can get one over his former team after leaving them for Derby just a few weeks ago, but he will need his players to show more endeavour and quality to help get him that first win in charge.

Kayden Jackson named in Derby player debate

Supporters were told by CEO, Stephen Pearce, in March 2024 that the club would have a budget that was going to let them compete in the Championship this season, but those that have arrived in DE24 over the course of the campaign have failed to impress for the most part.

Goals have been hard to come by and the Rams have lacked a cutting edge constantly in the final third, something that will cost them their second tier status if they do not find a fix in their remaining 11 games.

Football League World has asked their Derby Fan Pundit, Shaun Woodward, which one player has surprised him most this season, either positively or negatively.

He told FLW: “I could probably sit here and talk for ages about sadly the players that have surprised me in a negative way this season, so many of them have underperformed. None of them have reached the heights that we thought they would do.

“The likes of Ben Osborn coming in, major flop. Nathaniel Mendez-Laing this season, his stats are just horrific from where they were last year. We could probably go through most of our frontline if I’m honest and just say none of them have performed to a level that we need to stay in this league.

“But for me, the one I would probably highlight is Kayden Jackson. He came in and he started the season really well. I think he’s got three goals in his first five games in all competitions and since then I don’t know what’s happened to the boy, but it’s like he has just fallen off a cliff with his form and his confidence.

“Everything he was doing in the first five games he has stopped doing. He’s not positive, he doesn’t try and beat a man, he doesn’t look to get a shot off. Everything that he did in his first five games, he stopped doing for whatever reason.”

Shaun continued: “I know the team has been struggling, but he has not rolled his sleeves up and really tried to pull us out of this mess. I think he’s got one goal in his last 30 odd games, which is just woeful for a player that’s supposed to be one of our attacking stars. He’s just majorly underperformed.

“He looks like he’s nowhere near the levels we need in the Championship, and I think it is highlighted even more because he had a good start. He’s shown nothing since. People were talking about him potentially going on to get 15/20 goals this season, which is laughable now when you think about it.

“I think he’s got four in all competitions, and three of those came at the beginning. So I’ve been really, really disappointed with Jackson. I don’t really want to just pick him out because I think a number of them have majorly underperformed.

“But sadly, I’ve got to pick one and he’s probably the one that stands out for me above all the others.”

Jackson’s form has been notably poor for Derby

While there are a number of players that have not pulled their weight for the Rams this season, Jackson has been particularly disappointing, especially after his explosive start to life in black-and-white.

A header against Luton in December was the winger’s most recent goal for Derby, and he has not looked a threat since then.

He has been played on the wing, up front and as a wing-back, with neither Paul Warne nor Eustace being able to work out which position he is best suited to.

His record at Ipswich Town in the Championship and in his final three League One seasons was not impressive, and this lack of threat in front of goal has followed him to the East Midlands with no end in sight to this new drought.

If the Rams do not see an improvement from Jackson before the end of the campaign, then he may just find himself as another on their way out of Pride Park in what looks to be a huge summer rebuild at Derby.

The Crimson Tide softball team got off to a slow start but has improved, recently setting a program record by winning six games in a row via the run rule. With SEC play starting in two weeks, the team needs to improve in several areas.

Alabama came into the season ranked No. 10 in the nation, but due to a rocky 5-5 record in its first 10 games, it has dropped to No. 22.

The defense needs to improve. With a .960 fielding percentage, the Crimson Tide currently has the 136th-ranked fielding percentage in the country and has committed 20 errors this season.

“Putting all the components of the game together — pitching, defense and hitting — will just make us a complete team,” outfielder Kristen White said. “We have a lot to work on but will get it together.”

The pitching also needs to improve. The team is ranked 233rd in college softball with 6.63 hits allowed per game, near the bottom of the SEC. It is also ranked 78th in the country in WHIP with a 1.37, showing that the team allows too many runners to get on base.

“The defense needs to be better all around. You cannot give up two to three errors a game, and you have to eliminate walking, as many hitters are on the mound,” head coach Patrick Murphy said.

Pitcher Jocelyn Briski needs to get off to a hot start on the mound heading into SEC play to put the Crimson Tide in a good spot. Through 11 games and seven starts, she holds a 3-5 record and currently has a 3.00 ERA, with 41 strikeouts to 21 walks across 42 innings pitched.

Pitcher Catelyn Riley, who celebrated her Senior Day on Saturday, has been a big part of the pitching staff and needs to keep it going in SEC play. Through 11 games and seven starts this season, she has a 5-1 record, a 2.14 ERA, and 18 strikeouts to 13 walks in 36 innings pitched.

Riley said the team needs to work on “Cleaning up the back-to-backs and freebies both on defense and as pitchers.”

The top three hitters in the lineup, Audrey Vandagriff, Larissa Preuitt and Alex Pupillio, must set the tone early and often in conference play. Preuitt currently has the third-highest batting average on the team at .400. Vandagriff has the highest at .462.

Vandagriff and Preuitt also lead the team in hits with 24 and 22, respectively.

A big part of the Crimson Tide’s offense has been the hot start infielder Kali Hevilin has gotten off to. She is hitting .354 with six home runs, 14 RBIs and a 1.175 OPS. If she can keep that going in SEC play, that will be a big boost for the Crimson Tide in the middle of the lineup.

The first thing to note though, are two things that Ipswich Borough Council (IBC) can’t do, but is frequently asked to do.

The first request is for IBC to reduce the rents of commercial properties. This is something that IBC has little or no control over.

IBC can only set rents for the properties we own and most properties in the town centre are owned by private landlords. They are free to charge rent at whatever level they want, and the council cannot tell them what to charge.

The second request is to lower business rates. The level of business rates is not something the council has any control over.

They are set nationally by the government. However, because the council is responsible for collecting the money and businesses receive bills from IBC, many people think we set the rates too.

Last Autumn, the Labour government set out a pathway to permanently lower tax rates on the high street.

This is based on an intention to introduce lower rates for retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties with a rateable value (RV) under £500,000 from April 2026.

This would be financially sustainably by charging a higher rate on all properties with RV of £500,000 and above, which includes the majority of large distribution warehouses such as those used by the online giants.

Until 2026, 250,000 RHL premises will see 40% relief off their bills next year.

The new RHL tax rates will provide meaningful support to RHL businesses of all sizes in recognition of the role they play in attracting footfall to the high-street.

A government discussion paper has also been published to engage with businesses months on how to further reform the system outside of RHL.

Another common question asked is: who allows businesses that are clearly money laundering enterprises to operate in the town centre? This is not an IBC responsibility. Suspicions of Money Laundering should be reported to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

Any suspected money laundering activity linked to council-owned premises or businesses in the town centre can be referred to the council’s Corporate Fraud Service for investigation.

The Corporate Fraud Service is contactable at fraud@ipswich.gov.uk. Such investigations are supported by the National Crime Agency and other relevant law enforcement agencies.

Another common question is: why don’t you stop more vape shops or American Candy Stores opening?

The answer? Once planning permission has been granted for a shop, other shops can come along and claim the same rights at the same shop.

Everyone hates to see litter. IBC puts a lot of effort into picking up litter in the town centre. I think the town centre is looking better for that effort.

The town centre team which operates seven days a week, 365 days a year, plus 24 hr call out. Six team members start at 5.30am and put in a shift to clean the town for the day ahead. A smaller shift replaces them in the early afternoon and keeps on top of litter during the day.Ipswich Town-themed bins are placed across the town (Image: Neil MacDonald)

Certain areas of the town centre are pressure washed monthly. A scrub deck on one of the small sweepers completes more regular pavement cleaning. Disinfectant is liberally applied in places where people urinate, such as the alleyway next to the Conservative Club.

ITFC-themed bins put in after the Premier League return look great. The aim is to boost recycling and keeping the town clean.

There’s no magic bullet for Britain’s high streets. Little by little, we can bring life back into Ipswich town centre.

Ipswich Town’s only win in February came in the FA Cup as a much-changed Tractor Boys XI got the better of Frank Lampard’s Coventry City away from home.

Kieran McKenna will be hoping March follows suit in gifting his side a well-needed victory, but it will be a lot trickier than the away trip to the Sky Blues was as Nuno Espirito Santo’s Nottingham Forest awaits at the City Ground.

There will be many selection dilemmas for McKenna to address ahead of this tie, with a whole host of first-teamers perhaps worried their spots will be taken up by fresh blood, including an often hot-and-cold Jack Clarke.

McKenna’s Ipswich selection dilemma before Forest

Clarke has shown brief glimpses of his star quality donning Tractor Boys blue this season, with his showing last time out in the esteemed competition seeing him pick up a goal and two assists in a straightforward 4-1 win.

But, with Sammie Szmodics now back and ready for some minutes, the break from the Premier League could be the perfect opportunity for McKenna to gift his attacking midfielder a chance to impress now he’s out of the treatment room.

After all, whilst the ex-Sunderland man did cause the Sky Blues all sorts of bother, those performances have been rare this campaign overall.

Whereas, his former Blackburn Rovers counterpart has four goals to boast about in the more hostile environment of the top flight and will be raring to go again after his unfortunate injury lay-off.

Hailed as “ridiculous” by football journalist Josh Bunting after his golden boot heroics in the Championship, he could be the breath of fresh air needed to pull off a shock away at Forest, with an equally exciting attacker also in the frame for a first-team chance owing to Omari Hutchinson’s untimely knock.

Ipswich’s perfect way to solve Hutchinson’s injury blow

Ipswich’s forlorn manager recently revealed that Hutchinson has sustained ‘heavy damage’ to his shin after the frantic 3-2 defeat to Manchester United, meaning he will be unlikely to play in any capacity against Forest.

This could open the door for Nathan Broadhead to unsettle Nuno Santo’s hosts, with the injury-prone attacker putting in bright displays from the substitutes bench in recent weeks and could now be bumped up to the first-team picture even more due to a lack of numbers.

Indeed, Brighton and Hove Albion loanee Julio Enciso – who is racing to be fit for Ipswich’s next league test versus Crystal Palace – finds himself out of contention here as he is cup-tied, meaning the ex-Everton youngster’s moment in the spotlight might now arrive.

After all, from just 16 minutes of action away at Anfield back in late January, the £6k-per-week Broadhead looked completely fearless with all three of his dribbles successfully pulled off, with an assist also coming his way in the FA Cup this season from two outings.

It could well be a scramble to get Szmodics, Philogene and Broadhead all in the same line-up, but if McKenna was to revert back to his trusty 4-2-3-1 look, it could see Broadhead deployed down his preferred left flank, the ex-Aston Villa man down the right, with Szmodics just behind the lone striker providing chances and adding to the firepower.

The FA Cup, of course, won’t be a major priority, but if Ipswich were to reach the quarter-finals, some smiles would be raised in Suffolk before the battle against relegation kicks back off.

Nuno previously stated Miguel would keep his place for as long as Forest remain in the tournament. However, the 26-year-old sustained a hamstring injury against the Grecians in the last round and had to be replaced by Sels on the hour mark.

Welshman Wayne Hennessey is the Reds’ third-choice keeper after re-signing for the club on a short-term contract until the end of the season in January. But given he has not played competitively since turning out for his country in October 2023, Sels will be the one to get the nod against the Tractor Boys in the fifth round clash (7.30pm kick-off).

“Miguel is still injured. He is out,” Nuno said. When asked if that meant Hennessey could be in line to start at the City Ground, the Portuguese added: “I don’t think it’s the best decision. I think Matz should start the game.

“It’s very difficult for a goalkeeper to suddenly come in the team, especially if you are… Wayne is doing a fantastic job but he got injured last season. It’s all about getting him back, and for this game Matz will be in goal.”

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Ipswich Town have the distraction of the FA Cup to overcome on Monday when facing off against Nottingham Forest, with a surprise win at the City Ground no doubt boosting the Suffolk side’s bruised confidence.

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Indeed, last time out in the Premier League saw the Tractor Boys lose dramatically to a Manchester United team reduced to ten men for all of the second half, leaving Kieran McKenna‘s men deep in relegation trouble.

His lowly team’s defensive fragilities have been their undoing all campaign long – even when his team have looked competent in forward areas – with January loanee Ben Godfrey failing to add any needed stability when thrown into action at the back.

Ben Godfrey’s poor displays for Ipswich

Of course, it’s not all down to the Atalanta loanee as to why Ipswich have leaked so many goals this season, with the Tractor Boys shipping a concerning 57 strikes.

To add context, only Leicester City and Southampton occupying the bottom two spaces have given up more goals, but Godfrey has been responsible for ten of those hitting the back of the net from his limited game-time.

The ex-Everton defender had a hellish debut back on English shores versus Manchester City, with his relegation-threatened side losing 6-0 to the reigning top-flight champions.

Godfrey would last 64 minutes, but in that time he was on the pitch, he failed to register a single tackle, interception or block, with the Man City attackers surging forward with a certain swagger knowing the 27-year-old was way off the pace.

He was equally run ragged last time out at Portman Road when Ange Postecoglou’s rejuvenated Tottenham Hotspur came to town, with both of Spurs’ opening strikes in the mainly one-sided affair coming from Heung-min Son twisting and turning the ropey number 44 for fun, who only lasted one half of football this time around.

Ipswich must wish they could turn back the clocks to when they had this other loanee in defence, who has since gone on to cement himself as a staunch option for his current club on Europe’s biggest stage.

Former Ipswich loanee now one of the best in Europe

Ipswich has been home to a number of top loanees over the years, with the likes of Omari Hutchinson calling the club a temporary sanctuary last season, before then penning a permanent deal before the 2024/25 campaign got underway.

The relegation candidates must rue not winning the permanent signature of Cameron Carter-Vickers now, however. Indeed, the defender has gone from strength to strength since exiting Suffolk in 2018 after making 17 appearances in blue.

The USA international would show signs of his class during his brief loan stint at the club – with a respectable five clean sheets picked up in league action – but it’s safe to say he’s transformed into a crucial part of the Celtic jigsaw ever since making the switch to Glasgow from Tottenham.

From 23 league appearances this campaign, Carter-Vickers has helped himself to a hefty 13 clean sheets on top of averaging 5.6 duels won on average per contest.

However, it was in the Champions League against an intimidating Bayern Munich attack that he would win the tag of being the “best centre-back outside of the top five leagues” by the Athletic’s Alex Barker.

Previously hailed as “brilliant” for his efforts in Scotland by ex-Rangers player Andy Halliday, Ipswich would love to have Carter-Vickers back in his current pomp to shore up their porous defence.

But, they’ll have to make do with what they already have, hopeful that strong performances will come in their battle to beat the drop.

Over the past 20 years, Albion have either had experience of fighting against some of the biggest names in the Premier League or competing at the top end of the Championship, with many of these types of signings helping them achieve this feat.

One terrific bit of business the Baggies conducted was the arrival of central defender Gareth McAuley.

The Northern Ireland international linked up at The Hawthorns on a free transfer from Ipswich Town, with many of the West Brom faithful at the time questioning whether it was the right move, particularly as Albion were pretty new into their top-flight stint.

But the defender would improve as his career went on, being an ever-present figure in the Premier League, regularly involved in top-flight action up until the age of 38.

Particularly prominent under Tony Pulis, not many could have imagined the impact McAuley would have on Albion having such a long Premier League stay, with him contributing to the club possessing such a watertight defense under multiple managers.

There wouldn’t have been many West Brom fans overly excited about the arrival of Gareth McAuley, with the then 31-year-old having an established career within the EFL pyramid, but not quite good enough for the top-flight step-up.

But the defender surprised by taking to Premier League life with ease, improving season-upon-season to be such a valued and imperative player to Albion’s success.

Originally joining under Roy Hodgson, McAuley was a dependable and no-nonsense central defender, with his ability to get on the end of dead-ball deliveries proving a vital weapon for the Baggies during his time with the club.

A towering figure and natural leader in the backline, the former Rangers man was a prominent figure under different regimes, maintaining solid performances under the likes of Pepe Mel and Alan Irvine as Albion suffered some low points in those periods but just about managed to retain their Premier League status.

But when Tony Pulis came into replace Irvine at the beginning of 2015, McAuley’s stock would rise even further, with the central defender such a focal point from set pieces and netting six times in the 2016/17 season.

Forming an integral partnership with Jonny Evans at the heart of the backline, McAuley optimised Pulis’s style of play, a centre-back who would kick and head anything that came his way, while having a threat in both boxes that turned him into such a well-rounded Premier League defender.

Despite overachieving massively at The Hawthorns and creating some wonderful memories with the West Brom supporters, there will be disappointment at how his Albion career came to an end.

With the Baggies a mess both on and off the pitch in 2017, McAuley had lost his place under all of Tony Pulis, Alan Pardew and Darren Moore following the arrival of Egyptian defender Ahmed Hegazi, featuring just nine times as West Brom returned to the second tier.

It may have been a mistake to leave such an experienced defender at that level out of the squad, and we’ll never know whether more regular appearances from McAuley may have turned around the Baggies’ fortunes.

West Brom could only dream of having £200k ace in their side right now

With McAuley’s career at The Hawthorns on the decline, an argument could also have been made that West Brom should have parted ways the season prior and received a sizeable profit from such a small investment, with his contributions to the team not warranting an eventual exit on a free transfer.

Despite the sour ending, the 6’5′ defender was a terrific buy from the recruitment team, fitting into the mold of the club brilliantly and always being there when called upon.

Albion certainly got the best out of McAuley, with the defender experiencing the best days of his career the older he became, and he will always be remembered fondly at The Hawthorns for his efforts.