Derby County fan’s superstitious beard to be shaved off after decade

A beard that has adorned the face of a Derby County fan for a decade is to be shaved off.

Buoyed by his team’s 5-0 win over their bitter rivals Nottingham Forest in March 2014, Richard Scott made a pledge not to shave again until Derby made it out of the Championship.

At the time, Derby were among the favourites for automatic promotion.

Instead, it took 10 years until this season for the Rams to finally secure Premier League status.

Now Derby city centre resident Richard is to reach for the razor for the first time in a decade this month and reveal his naked chin, to raise funds for charity Mental Health Matters.

He told the BBC: “I enjoy my horse racing and I’d been down to Cheltenham Festival, so I’d got myself all smart, shaved, suit, tie, what have you.

“So when Derby played Forest, I’d had a clean shave and they won 5-0. We were all ecstatic so I said I’d not have a shave until we got promoted.

“At the time I was thinking we’d get the second promotion slot, but play-offs it was. I thought we’d easily beat QPR but then up popped Bobby Zamora.

“I didn’t think I’d have to wait 10 years. We got into the play-offs a couple of times, it became a bit of a joke that the beard was in danger.

“I actually quite like the beard now – I might grow one again, but not as wild and woolly as this one.”

After more than a decade, Richard’s beard will go for good on May 24, at the Dandy Gent barbers in Derby.