Wayne Rooney pleads for ‘sensible’ decision as Derby rescue late Birmingham draw

Derby boss Wayne Rooney pleaded with Middlesbrough, Wycombe and the English Football League to be “sensible” after watching his troubled side show fight on the pitch to snatch a 2-2 Championship draw in stoppage time at home to Birmingham.

Both Middlesbrough and Wycombe are in the process of mounting legal challenges arguing that they have been on the receiving end of Derby having broken the EFL’s financial rules in the past.

The Rams, who are now seven points from safety despite a 21-point deduction, have also been given a month to prove they have sufficient funds to finish the season.

But an emotionally-charged afternoon, which saw more than a thousand home fans stage a protest march from the city centre to a sell-out Pride Park before kick-off, ended with a stoppage-time equaliser from substitute Krystian Bielik after Luke Plange had reduced the deficit after 87 minutes to cancel out Lyle Taylor and Scott Hogan efforts for the visitors.

A proud Rooney gave Rams fans his “100 per cent guarantee” that no players would be leaving before the closure of the transfer window on Monday and on the vociferous support of the Pride Park faithful, he added: “Things happen for a reason and – with there being no Premier League games today – it was a chance for us and the fans to show the country and the world what a massive club this is.

“I also think Middlesbrough, Wycombe and the EFL have to be sensible now because people’s livelihoods are at stake and people have to come to the right decisions.”

Rooney went on to admit his team’s performance had disappointed him, but he was happier with the spirit showed as Bielik’s spectacular overhead kick secured a share of the spoils exactly a year to the day that the Poland defender had