• 10 months ago
Episode two of the Talking Derry City podcast featuring interviews with John Kelpie from Derry City and Strabane District Council, Nicky Low and Ruaidhri Higgins.
Transcript
00:00:00 [MUSIC]
00:00:12 Well folks, welcome to the second episode in the second season. I'm joined here with
00:00:17 Simon Collins. We're just out of the fans forum here in the City Hotel. We're in here
00:00:22 doing a wee recording. And after last night's start, Derry getting the victory the night
00:00:27 before against Drogheda. Everything's great. And the forum too, Simon, went really well.
00:00:32 And we got a few wee sort of tip-tops of what sort of happened behind the scenes. Not everybody
00:00:37 was here. It was still well-intended, but people weren't at this fans forum. We heard
00:00:43 a few wee different things.
00:00:44 Definitely. So it's all part of it. We'll talk about the match shortly. But if we address
00:00:49 the fans forum, there was a good crowd. There must have been, what, maybe like 50 people
00:00:53 there. They've been better attended, but probably not best publicised.
00:00:58 Well, I'm like in the vault, and he's in the vault there.
00:01:02 But it was a good crowd. It was all positive messages in terms of the stand. And Fullible
00:01:07 Dordogne, the chairman, he's open and honest. When you get him, when you get your hands
00:01:11 on him, when he addresses people, he's going to tell you the truth. He's going to tell
00:01:16 you what's happening, the ins and outs. You had John Kelby there from the council, who's
00:01:20 obviously the go-to man in the council in terms of the brand and the developments there
00:01:25 too. So we have a wee interview with him coming up as well. And he's giving us basically what's
00:01:32 actually happening with the stand and with the pitch as well too, because that's obviously
00:01:37 still rumbling on, still a massive topic, hard topic in terms of the club.
00:01:43 I know that, just listening to Kelby too, he was sort of chatting about the great relationship
00:01:49 that the club and the council now have. It's probably the best they've ever had. And that
00:01:53 has to be positive, because at the end of the day, you know yourself down the years,
00:01:57 it might have been a wee bit frosty with both of them, but they seem to be working hand
00:02:00 in hand. I think it helps when Fullible Dordogne's giving them the money and funding everything.
00:02:04 It certainly does. I knew that about that. I think I would be working hand in hand with
00:02:08 him too. But either way, it's still good. It's still good. You can't put a dampener
00:02:12 in Adelaide. When things are going so well on the pitch, you see last night, obviously
00:02:18 they've started working on the Southend Park, the first two sections of that as well too.
00:02:24 They've ripped up the seats. Obviously, the Drogheda fans weren't too happy. Now Adelaide
00:02:28 fans are going to be a bit disgruntled. But it has to be done. Fullible said there, there's
00:02:34 no point waiting until the end of the season and another season gone by before you start
00:02:38 to work. Costs and everything will go up. Price and everything just keeps going up,
00:02:41 as we all know, the cost of living and stuff like that. So property and you look at everything
00:02:46 that you need to be building a stand, the price has gone up. So Fulible's right. When
00:02:50 you can go and do it now, get it done. Straight with an iron's hot, as they say. He reckons
00:02:54 potentially July time. I don't see it before that, do you Kev? In terms of what has to
00:03:00 be done. The big thing is, obviously now, he was saying it takes a certain length of
00:03:05 time to turn off the electrics and then you can start the well or two plays apart and
00:03:10 stuff like that. Your big thing and your big concern is, I suppose, is you play some pats
00:03:14 live in RTE in two weeks time. You're hoping them electrics are turned off and turned back
00:03:17 on again and everything's grand because obviously when he means electric, he's meaning obviously
00:03:21 the lights and everything else. Ah, the floodlights. You're going to need them like. You're going
00:03:24 to need them like unless you kick off at two o'clock on a Friday afternoon. I don't think
00:03:28 RTE would be impressed with that. No. No, that's the case of, you know, it's positive.
00:03:32 It's going in the right direction and we've seen ourselves. We alluded to it. The place
00:03:36 was packed. There were so many people. I know you would have been tortured. I was tortured
00:03:40 because we're trying to get tickets. We've seen Bert and Martin in there. Bert's just
00:03:43 going spare. He's thinking about throwing his phone into the foil. He's just at that
00:03:46 stage. It's just like, I don't have a ticket. Stop ringing me. I think that's where he answers
00:03:51 his phone. No, I don't have a ticket. Not even hello. Just I don't have a ticket. But
00:03:55 talking about Bert, just because you brought it up and you don't even know what I'm going
00:03:58 to say next year, which is I love this. This is always slightly concerning. This is insane.
00:04:03 He just throws on these shame-worn googly's, but go ahead. I got an email from a guy who
00:04:08 owned a Derry City fan last night as well. I'm not going to read out his whole email,
00:04:12 but it was just about his experience at the match last night. It's a family of four that
00:04:17 go. Basically, I'll read it out to you, but they entered the ground. They gave themselves
00:04:21 plenty of time. They come on at seven o'clock. They got a good place to stand. Terrace tickets,
00:04:26 obviously, they got. There's two kids. They stood behind the rail next to the merchandise
00:04:32 shop, which you know well, Kate. So, they started to pack out, basically. The thing
00:04:42 is, they've paid nearly £50 for their entrance. They get on and they're matching everything
00:04:48 else. But then they can't see. The kids can't see because the guys come and stand in front
00:04:53 of them. It's a level ground there, that sort of way. He was basically saying about it's
00:05:01 not right selling tickets. Marketing is on terrace tickets on flat ground. You need to
00:05:06 be over six foot to see or be ignorant enough to stand in front of someone who you'll block.
00:05:11 He was thinking, hopefully, the club can see that this is an issue at the minute. Could
00:05:15 you not stand behind the goals at the showgrounds end, sort of thing as well, too? Because it's
00:05:22 not fair. The problem is, Bert was very, and as you know, Bert, he's always willing to
00:05:28 listen to people and accommodate and explain as well, too. I didn't even realise that that
00:05:33 was a blue lights area behind the goal. That's the ambulance coming out. You couldn't be
00:05:38 allowed. They stand there. That's always going to be a problem. He's right about you need
00:05:43 to be six foot to see it. That's the problem. I know a few fans, as soon as they meet, there's
00:05:48 all stacks of spits and that over beside the merchandise shop and beside the chippy. I'm
00:05:51 going, I know, but if you go back, you're standing behind the mark for instance, you'll
00:05:55 not see half the pitch. And then the penny drop, people, oh, that's a fair point. She
00:06:00 was trying to keep everyone happy. You are restricted. Restricted viewing, but the problem
00:06:03 is, obviously, if you're not six foot, then you might not get to see the whole thing.
00:06:08 And I think he must have missed a penalty on some of it as well, too. But those are adult
00:06:15 tickets, the terrace tickets, which again, they shouldn't be sold for kids. And the club
00:06:21 has come out and said that before. And they're just reinforcing that. So if you're listening,
00:06:28 I guess it's obviously, Bert's one, they chat to you and explain to you about the issues
00:06:32 they have with that because they're, basically, the club can't police the outlets that sell
00:06:38 the tickets, but they are designated for adults. So because they know the kids basically won't
00:06:45 be able to see. So that's just the situation around the minute.
00:06:50 And the flip side of that, and as I said, Bert's one, they chat to you. You can contact
00:06:55 him at the club, email him. He's very open and honest, too. So the flip side of that,
00:07:01 and that's what this whole meeting was about today, was the plans for that stand at North
00:07:05 Terrace, which we should have by the mid-summer. And then the Mark Farran stand at that sub-regional
00:07:12 Stadia fund, which was 36 million. It's now potentially 100 million. And there, as Sean
00:07:17 Barrett had said, our number one priority because they tick all the boxes.
00:07:21 Well, that's a big thing. Dairy sell out, not just do they sell out, they can't get
00:07:26 enough tickets. So they are, as you see, Sean alluded to, they are A1 for all,
00:07:32 ticking the boxes. They get that sort of funding. Look, we know we're sales. Storming's up and
00:07:37 running and everybody's thinking, "Whoa, we're all red, they're all minted." It's still be years,
00:07:43 years down the line. I hope I'm wrong. And this time next year, it's all looking rosy
00:07:47 in the grounds. Virtually the whole way around. I don't think you'll ever be able to get a stand
00:07:53 in the Southend Park. Or walk in the Southend Park because of the blue lights and that sort of
00:07:59 app and stuff like that. But don't get me wrong, I think if you get three sides going the whole
00:08:04 way around, I think, you know, one, it'll look spectacular. Two, it'll be more than enough,
00:08:10 I would suspect. You know, the club and the city is going in the right direction. So you want to
00:08:15 just keep getting more fans in. But it's just trying to keep everybody happy. And you're not
00:08:21 going to. That's the bottom line. The club will have these mistakes, these wee issues. As you
00:08:27 alluded to, anybody's buying a terrace tickets, they have to realise that they're all for adults.
00:08:32 So if you're buying it and it's for your two kids, you know, a wee bit of it is all new too,
00:08:38 because you know that they were all adults. So it's the same wee things, but look, it's going
00:08:43 to be one of them seasons. I know, having spoken to Seán Barratt myself, from an merchandise point
00:08:49 of view, we're sort of going right, a big match, some pats in the next couple of weeks time. Can
00:08:55 fans still come across from the Southend Park? They go to the Mark Farris stand, they go to the
00:08:59 merchandise shop. So I don't think that'll be a problem. That's something we are looking at.
00:09:04 But look, because there are a small number of away fans being allocated tickets because of the
00:09:09 redevelopment, you can't see that being an issue. But it is the same type of thing. Everybody at
00:09:14 the club is sort of thinking there's going to be a wee bit of hindrance. But you know, sometimes you
00:09:19 have to take the roughest move to get to the bottom line. Would you rather that they just
00:09:24 stop the work, you know, until the end of the season? I know I wouldn't. Get it done now.
00:09:30 Because the more these go on, God knows, again, with Mark Farring, Stormock could be back down.
00:09:35 And 20 minutes, you know. They could be selling up there. No, I think, listen, if there's money
00:09:41 available, in this case for the North Stand being built, the money's available because Fulham's
00:09:46 paying for it. Get it built. You know, and that's the thing when you get the work done, you've got
00:09:50 it started, get the ball rolling. And come July, we're sort of hoping, possibly by the end of July,
00:09:56 but you just don't know with the Weller and whatever else, and whatever problems they may or
00:10:00 may not run into. So if it is up and running by July, August, you'll see some difference in the
00:10:05 brand. The big thing they alluded to, Philip, and the fans, when we talked about Paddy Simpson
00:10:10 being at Celtic Park and all our European venues, that stand is going to have terracing and the
00:10:15 upside European matching with the seats and everything. So it's these wee things that
00:10:19 we're starting to, you know, be coming under like a proper 21st century club, like, and thinking
00:10:24 ahead and thinking for the future. And that's great to see. You know, Tal is the head of the
00:10:28 company, like, you know, in the wind up brand. It could be a real force in terms of the stadia as
00:10:32 well too, when it's all done and completed, everything done on the plans. I don't think the
00:10:36 wings of the Mark Farren stand, I know we're good and fair, it's going to take the money, but in
00:10:40 terms of the construction of it, I think the groundwork's been done on that too. So that'll
00:10:45 be fairly quickly done. I should show them the sort of, alluding to, saying, you know, you're
00:10:49 putting in your business plan, your business case to Stormont. Their business case has been done
00:10:54 eight, nine years ago. So it's just sitting there, literally as a copy paste, change the date
00:10:58 and forward your business plan. So that's basically what the plan is, I would suspect. So
00:11:03 I look, funding wise, how much Derry City and Derry and Stirling Council get is great. And we keep,
00:11:11 obviously, Derry City pockets, we know that, but it's benefiting the whole city, this, you know,
00:11:15 the Foil Cup, that brings big numbers. Exactly, you've got Institute playing there, they get,
00:11:21 we're going to this game today, top of the table of class, they get in the Premier League, they're
00:11:25 playing Lintfield in a couple of weeks. There's a lot going on at the moment. So it's not just
00:11:29 Derry City, it's for the city itself. It would be great if you didn't get the funding to finish
00:11:34 off the Premier League. Well, that's what exactly what John Kelpy was saying, and obviously,
00:11:38 I have to speak for all stakeholders. So I suppose we'll just cut the John Kelpy's interview here,
00:11:44 like I just caught him just after the forum had finished. So we'll see what he had to say.
00:11:49 Obviously, that's for his ideas about the pitch, which is the big talking point, which we're not
00:11:55 really talking about anymore. They'd be Rory Higgins or Paul Hegad or any of the players.
00:12:00 So here's John Kelpy.
00:12:21 John, that was fairly positive. Obviously, it's good to inform the fans of what's going on as
00:12:26 well, too. And lots of positive things happening at the pitch.
00:12:29 Look, it's a brilliant partnership at the minute, working with Derry City Football Club.
00:12:35 I think for far too long, we've been trying to do things that are right for the brand new world,
00:12:40 but maybe we haven't been working together as closely as we have right now at the minute. So
00:12:44 you've got a team of council who are working very, very hard to get the stand approved.
00:12:49 And you've got a team working for Derry City Football Club who are working hand in glove with
00:12:53 them. So it really is a very exciting time for the club, for the council, for the brand new world.
00:12:59 Yeah, obviously, it's a fantastic stand at North Terrace that they've planned as well,
00:13:03 too. And work's getting underway now as well, too, which is, as Philip said, potentially by
00:13:09 July. That could be up and done and dusted, you know, so it would be fantastic.
00:13:14 Absolutely. As you've seen yourself, the demolition work to the South End stand has
00:13:20 started this week. So it'll take about six weeks or so to get the seats out and to get
00:13:25 Blocks A and B demolished and then to make that stand good. And then at that stage, the new work
00:13:30 starts then on the North stand. So it'll all be weather dependent, contractor dependent and all
00:13:35 of that. But the thing is to get it on site and to get it going. And then at that stage,
00:13:38 there'll be a very, very clear picture of how long it's going to take when we get on site,
00:13:43 get the contractor appointed. As you know, look, it has always been the intention of Mark Forran's
00:13:47 stand to be extended each side. Unfortunately, it wasn't possible to do that a few years ago.
00:13:52 The sub-regional stadia fund is there. There's not enough money in the pot. But, you know,
00:13:58 there's a lot of discussion going on at storm at level, as you know, in terms of trying to
00:14:01 increase the size of that pot. The club have to make the application. And we've provided the club
00:14:07 with all the information that we have to enable them to write the business case. So they can
00:14:11 submit as robust an application as possible. And we hope they're successful. And if they are,
00:14:16 and we could go ahead with that, that'll be another 1400 seats. So it together with the
00:14:21 North stand would bring the capacity of the brand new up to over 7000, which will be superb.
00:14:26 The demand for tickets is there to you know, you'll get the bums on seats if they are developed.
00:14:31 The big question was the pitch and obviously, I think the FA last year said would for elite
00:14:37 soccer to be playing on would be, you know, you couldn't see it beyond 2023. Obviously,
00:14:42 has there been an update on that? Has it been tested and done recently? And what's the condition
00:14:48 of the pitch for this season? So there has been testing done and it will get approved. There's
00:14:52 probably another couple of years left in it if we keep, you know, we keep replacing the beads and
00:14:57 making sure that they're compacted well and making sure that it gets through the testing.
00:15:03 For professional soccer, it's not ideal. We know it's not ideal. So the council has commissioned
00:15:09 a report through a set of consultants working with the club and with the FAA to look at
00:15:14 different options for the pitch ranging as I said earlier from grass, right up to grass grown on
00:15:21 site, right up through grass grown off site, right up to various hybrid options right up the very
00:15:26 top end of the scale, which will be a hybrid pitch that's grown off site and imported. And as you
00:15:32 would know yourself, the cost of that goes from the bottom end of that right up to the top end of
00:15:37 that. It's a huge difference. There's pros and cons for all of those. So we're going to work
00:15:42 with the club. We're going to work with the other users. Very importantly, there's many other users
00:15:47 of the brandy well. We have to make sure that all their needs are considered as well. And then we
00:15:53 work with the council and we can come up with an option. And I would, you know, I think the council's
00:15:57 view would be to try and get this matter resolved sooner rather than later for the good of everybody.
00:16:01 That's basically where we're at at the moment.
00:16:03 Well, I was up to a nursery, you know, a few wee things of these coming out, Ben,
00:16:25 obviously from your point of view, you must have been enthused as a fan. It's great that they're
00:16:31 all sort of talking, they're all going the one direction.
00:16:33 Aye, that's how you start it off. They're working like sort of hand in glove together.
00:16:39 And you don't want to be cynical about it because it's, you know, you've seen these things happen
00:16:44 and you say things publicly and, you know, when you say another thing privately. But I think
00:16:50 John Kelby, he's got the experience, he comes from a construction background as well too,
00:16:57 doesn't he, as an engineer. So, you know, he knows exactly what he's talking about. He knows
00:17:02 the difficulties, the intricacies here as well too, which is, you know, I think a lot of people,
00:17:07 it's not as easy as just lifting that pitch and down.
00:17:08 Aye, you say that's what it was. You just get it, put a new one down, it's a little bit undaunted.
00:17:13 A lot of money. And he's not silly enough to say basically, they ignore the fact that it's
00:17:19 very profitable for the council, which is at the end of the day, you know, that's what's going to
00:17:25 be a major factor in all this as well too. Can they still get the funds coming in as well too,
00:17:31 for when whatever kind of surface, hybrid surface was probably the most likely, wasn't it? Like the
00:17:36 grass surface is not going to be profitable. No, I can't see that happening to be brutally
00:17:41 honest with you because, you know, you have your local football, you have your institutes,
00:17:46 you have your academies that are training for the week. You've obviously dairy training on it every
00:17:50 day. You've so many things that a grass pitch just couldn't cope with, no doubt about that.
00:17:55 But I keep in mind that down at Corian, the prime example, there are a couple of years
00:18:00 under their new surface now. It's like anything, it's like your mobile phone, a laptop, you know,
00:18:05 the years go by, the pitches get better, the better surfaces. There's so many different types
00:18:09 of surfaces now too. But the big thing is they have like a sprinkling system that's just second
00:18:13 to none. It literally is as if you're going to like an Old Trafford or a Salt Lake Park or an
00:18:18 Alford. They're setting a timer, the teams go off the pitch and it goes around the pitch and the
00:18:23 entire pitch of Corian is saturated. And you just sit there going, that doesn't really look like a
00:18:29 hard job. Not exactly like Torsham, I remember Torsham. It was remotely, actually. I think that
00:18:39 he was trying to, he was batting off John Kelby too about the sprinkler system as the fact that we
00:18:43 don't want to go on and do work that's probably not needed. If we are, and he was very positive
00:18:49 about, you know, that pitch will be taken out and replaced by whatever kind of surface it is. So I
00:18:55 think he doesn't want to do work that doesn't need to be done. But if you ask the playing staff and
00:18:59 the coaching staff, that doesn't matter. It's an accessory. It doesn't matter if you're grass,
00:19:04 hay or whatever, it's putting on the sprinkler system and it just makes everything just a whole
00:19:10 lot easier and a whole lot slicker and whatever else for teams. And it doesn't matter if you're
00:19:15 in the Foil Cup, you're in the T&D, you're in the Institute, you all want a decent slick surface.
00:19:21 Possibly not the T&D boys who might be out the night before going, "I don't want this slick
00:19:25 surface." But you know what I'm getting at. You know, you want the...
00:19:27 The sari and salieta.
00:19:28 Well, I guess out the night before they can go and just get a bag of chips.
00:19:32 But no, as I say, it's just getting that sort of a good slick surface. Any player you talk to
00:19:37 at any level, that's what you want.
00:19:39 Well, I had a wee sneaky reference to the fact, or asked the question, posed the question,
00:19:46 should Philip fund the new pitch? You know, like he's doing with the Monteros.
00:19:50 Aye, you had the feed, Keoghie. And Philip was actually in the car park. I could see when you
00:19:56 asked that question, Philip was there.
00:19:57 Well, he did come back and say, "You're asking the wrong man."
00:20:00 But he was a goal in the UOF spots or maybe. But if, you know, so potentially if he was
00:20:05 defunded, then, you know, take it out of their hands. But just buy the thing.
00:20:08 But the thing that did sort of strike me was, the FAA, remember we had the story where they
00:20:16 were saying that beyond 2023, that pitch is going to be unplayable for elite soccer, basically.
00:20:22 So what's changed now? They've done the testing, FIFA testing again, and it's passed. It's passed
00:20:29 the test. So that pitch is going to be deemed playable for hosting professional football,
00:20:35 elite soccer.
00:20:36 That's us ruled out then?
00:20:38 For the season.
00:20:39 We'll take one of them.
00:20:41 No, but elite soccer will not be to go on. I'd have been there too, if I hadn't of been.
00:20:44 But obviously, it's there. If anybody was wondering, which I was wondering, you know,
00:20:51 how are we playing on this when it was so, you know, it was going to expire, basically. But
00:20:55 no, they've got the, it's passed now for another season at least.
00:20:58 So, well, that's positive. No doubt about that. So that's a good thing.
00:21:03 Philip also alluded the other day at the fans forum about Europe this year. And
00:21:08 I wouldn't say jokingly with Philip, but he did come out with a remarkable group stage,
00:21:12 as we know it. And you can see where we're headed.
00:21:15 Where will we play?
00:21:16 Where we play. Well, that's the thing. So, it depends. You draw all these things. There's a
00:21:20 lot of ifs, buts, and maybes. But Aviva's been mentioned. But I think the two grounds that they
00:21:25 possibly will nominate will be Talla and Wunser. And he did allude that last year,
00:21:30 the IFA and Lumfield were very much in favour of this idea.
00:21:35 The IFA, he doesn't know how they were. Maybe they were swayed by UEFA. So, you just have to,
00:21:43 you know, work with things they got there. But it's positive that, you know,
00:21:48 Derry's speaking to a lot of people. They possibly make this a lot easier for fans.
00:21:53 Because they did allude to that. The fact that after the Topo match, you know, it was 20 penalties,
00:21:58 extra time penalties. And then you're driving off from Talla, which is three and a half hours.
00:22:02 The way you drive, maybe six.
00:22:05 So, obviously, it would be more feasible for fans on a Thursday night. They go to Wunser,
00:22:15 which is good. They're looking at everything, aren't they? And that's
00:22:18 what I got from everybody that spoke today. Basically, they're all punching the same way.
00:22:24 Well, this is something that a lot of fans maybe don't see. They do it, but
00:22:29 we should do this. And we should, you know, they're not actually seeing that. See,
00:22:33 to be honest, behind the scenes, they are trying this. They're trying to look at every sort of
00:22:37 aspect and every avenue they can go down. And that can only be positive. Like, you know,
00:22:42 the people that are, you know, around there now, you can start seeing Sean Barrett's back in there
00:22:47 in a more full-time capacity. There is a lot going on. It was good to see that the club
00:22:51 thanked Dodie McGillis for his service down the years. We're right on the same and Philip. And,
00:22:57 you know, it's things you get that people don't really see that goes on behind the scenes. And,
00:23:01 you know, people do a lot of work at the club. Yes, I know Dodie was employed and all, but
00:23:05 she's still... There's an employer at a football club and then there's an employer at a football
00:23:10 club. You know, you don't finish 95. You're stuck at the base. European run last year,
00:23:16 the amount that passed. But even the headaches with, you know,
00:23:19 residents and players and, you know, and I don't know, the team with the comment system.
00:23:24 All that. There's so much. And, you know, these are the type of things that people don't really
00:23:30 see. And that's why, as I say, fair play to Philip and Rory. They acknowledge all that.
00:23:35 But no, I think, as I say, it's off the field, it's definitely on the up behind the scenes.
00:23:41 And people may not know and may think, what are they doing? There's a lot going on. There's a lot
00:23:46 of things bubbling on the surface. And it's just trying to keep on top of everything and keep
00:23:52 pushing ahead and dealing with Stormont, dealing with the FAA, dealing with, you know, away fans,
00:23:58 all these issues that you're going to have to have when you're building. You know, it's just
00:24:02 the way it is. You can't do like what Tala did. Tala got built and then they had another stand,
00:24:07 but they still had enough to help away fans and get in this. Now they've got more than enough,
00:24:12 there was about 7,000 at the game last night. So it's these type of things where you're going to
00:24:16 have to just look at it and say, look, you're going to be reteaming probably. Bare with them.
00:24:20 But that's why these forums are fantastic. Because the club are,
00:24:26 I think it's the invitation they seize in ticket holders, isn't it? So just informing them,
00:24:32 keeping them in the loop, which is always good because they said in the past we're renowned for
00:24:37 burying our head in the sand with the tricky issues. So it's brilliant that they are so open
00:24:43 ended and chat to the fans that way. I suppose it's all in the back of last night's performance
00:24:49 as well too. There's a lot of good feeling about the club. It was always going to be a tough one.
00:24:56 It was the first home match since the UCD game in 2019. That was the last time we won one as well
00:25:02 too. So good to get that monkey out of the way. Good to get a home game. The three points was the
00:25:08 main thing. That's something. To be fair, if I'm drawn, I'm a wee bit disappointed. They had a
00:25:14 great chance at 0-0. Brian makes a big save. They obviously had the penalty saved. After they got
00:25:23 it back to 2-1, which incidentally was a massive deflection. If I hear another person tell me it
00:25:29 was a worldie. I don't know how. In people's defence. Must have been from Mark Farney. It was
00:25:34 because I watched it last night on YouTube. They went home and I went, "That doesn't add nothing."
00:25:39 But obviously I know it did because we were sitting in the Southend Park. Everybody there went,
00:25:44 "Ah no, that doesn't add anything." I think it was McDanath's shoulders. He was still screaming
00:25:48 for the cameras afterwards. Exactly. Got them back in it. When they got back in it, while they
00:25:54 had pressure and Derry were bringing on Kieran Cole and stuff like that. And obviously Connolly
00:25:58 went off and you had Brad Sheen. Brehmar didn't have a save, did he, Mick? During that last 20
00:26:03 minutes or so. Peppered the box, didn't they? High ball. He was headed out and cornered and stuff.
00:26:09 But I know, even to be fair, Kevin Doughty, he says the same. He says, "Look, we'll get back
00:26:15 in it." He was delighted with his team's performance. But they never really tested Brehmar.
00:26:20 So Derry were comfortable, yes. But it's the first game of the season. You're not going to be
00:26:25 at the races straight away. So you just take a one and move on. And that's what Derry did. But
00:26:30 as I say, if I was Drogheda, I'm a wee bit disappointed. I didn't get anything.
00:26:35 But I'm not Drogheda. So unlucky. And thanks very much, Derry, for the victory.
00:26:40 Oh, Kevin Doughty, listen to this. I was chatting to him. I imagine he was lovely. He was on with
00:26:46 Damien McGrath, a referee, straight on after because he thought he was adamant that it was
00:26:50 a handball with Jordan McInerney from the build-up to Pat Hoogmans' goal.
00:26:54 I'm not going to lie because he came out to us before the interviews and he was chatting to Pat
00:26:58 Hoogmans and he was talking about this handball. And he looked at Eric White. I'm just dropping
00:27:03 Eric on this premise. Eric looked at the ground. "What's he on about?" So I asked him, "Eric,
00:27:07 what's he on about?" And it was the end of it. See when you go home and watch it, Kevin Doughty is
00:27:12 100% right. Oh, 100%. I seen it at the time. I seen it. It was like his hand was down and it was
00:27:17 a headless hand and sort of under his path until they let it back out there. And he let it back to
00:27:21 Patsy. Bang, go. So I hold my hands up like Jordan and... Now, we'll give him that. We'll
00:27:29 give Kevin Doughty that. We'll also now just say that it's a huge striker. Huge striker. Should
00:27:34 have been sent. He's lucky he wasn't... And you know what I love? Afterwards, Kevin Doughty,
00:27:41 his defence was all out. Because I said, "You took him off, obviously, because he was walking
00:27:46 a tightrope." He says, "No, we took him off to protect him." Because there were three guys on
00:27:51 him every time. There were three guys and he needed protected. I suppose he had that saying
00:27:56 to make a swearing in. No, he took him off because he was lucky he wasn't sent off. He'd gone with
00:28:03 foul of Brian Martin and got caught in for that. And then he just emptied in and got moved. Kevin
00:28:07 Doughty got a nice elbow in the top of the head. He was just rubbing up out the elbows out and
00:28:11 hitting everybody. Now look, if you're Kevin Doughty, you're going, "That's brilliant,
00:28:16 big man. That's great, but we need to just set him. We need to do that every week."
00:28:20 Well, that's what he does say. He says, "Look, see if it happens they run on thee,
00:28:25 you're dropping to the deck." He said he was a big guy. And he was. There was a handful of him
00:28:31 and the other guy too that they got from Sweden. A Swedish third tier team. So,
00:28:37 them two boys won't cause anybody problems, won't they?
00:28:40 Well, listen, particularly at Drogheda, at Weavers Park, Hokey Dory, whatever, United Park. But at
00:28:48 home, I think Drogheda will be a hassle, particularly them two boys up front. But I
00:28:52 think if you're Kevin Doughty, you're bringing friends in, they say, "Settle, big man. It's
00:28:56 great, but you need to just calm a bit." Well, I'll tell you what though. I think the
00:29:01 difference, as we said, last year, obviously we lost that game. In April, they beat us 1-0. It
00:29:09 was two men sent off. Janet was sent off. They were the only man sent off first. I know that.
00:29:16 That was horrible. But we would have probably lost those kind of games in the past. Now,
00:29:24 Pat Hoogan, we keep going on about him, but it was a murky signing. He did the business last night.
00:29:29 Not just his Poachers finish, but his all-around game too.
00:29:33 Well, as I said, I think you're right. You alluded to it there. It was the Poachers finish.
00:29:37 I just went, "Don't I suspect a Keane or a Jimmy?" It was just shot. If you actually see it again,
00:29:45 you can sort of see his first instinct is before Patrick. He's starting to run towards the net.
00:29:48 Yeah, he's ready.
00:29:49 It's coming out. I'm going to be the man to get it. Stuck it in the net. You know, look,
00:29:54 it was any cross. Mickey Duffy had won the first half, crossed the six yard box. It was just behind
00:29:58 it. But he's on that six yard box. He is like, "None of this, I'm going to be out wide and
00:30:02 bucket. I'll get it, hold it up, bring people in, play it. And I'm going straight to get on that
00:30:06 six yard box." And everybody knows. These teammates know from Michael Duffy, Patrick McElhinney,
00:30:12 Walt Paget. They've all played with him. They know what he's like. They know what he brings in.
00:30:16 And then even speaking to, we spoke to Ronan Boyce too, I think Ronan just says he's just
00:30:20 brought that winning mentality in. He's just taking, training up the new levels too.
00:30:24 Because you could see on the pitch too, where he, like I know he was, I was speaking to him
00:30:30 before where he was saying when he was playing for Mirvie, he shouldn't be playing. I'm lying,
00:30:33 I'm on it here. But he was also playing the Hurling as well too for the local club. So he was
00:30:38 playing the both, finishing the Hurling, going to China with Mirvie and stuff like that. But you
00:30:42 see he's got that physical aspect, that G8 background and stuff like that too. Because
00:30:46 he's wrestling boys about. But what you were saying there about Ronan Boyce and stuff,
00:30:52 like him bringing that to training. You've seen that on the pitch too. There was one stage where
00:30:56 he was shouting and roaring. I think it was Jordan McAnaf, he was getting the wrong side out.
00:31:00 He was telling him to press out. Probably because he didn't want to press himself.
00:31:04 I think it was straight after he scored, the kickoff. He was like a sprinter. He was like
00:31:10 "I'm for Chrissie" down the block. And then when they maybe popped it around him, he turned around
00:31:15 and went "How long am I going to be here, boy? See if I'm going Usain Bolt down the block. You need
00:31:19 to be with me." And that's, look I don't mind that. The man will literally say "Take a weekend
00:31:26 off to look at my medals." So you know what I mean? I'd be lifting him. But the fact is, I think
00:31:32 overall, like Rory said before the match, the home record wasn't good. Not a 21 point strap last
00:31:39 season at home. If you're going to challenge Rovers, like Rovers aren't driving 21 points at
00:31:43 Tala. I know they drove a couple last night. They could have dropped more than the highlights. I
00:31:48 think Ryan O'Kane had a great chance at that 1-0 header back post. He headed it well to be fair
00:31:54 to him. He came back off the post. And obviously, Hoopins' replacement, the new number 9 scored
00:31:59 that rugged free kick. It was a wonder free kick when we watched it in the brand new world.
00:32:04 And it's still not taking anything away. It's still a great free kick. But when you actually
00:32:07 go home and watch it in the bigger picture, what we did last night in the highlights.
00:32:10 So he's no keeper?
00:32:11 The keeper was a wee bit tired. I'd be asking questions about the keeper to be honest. He
00:32:15 needs to do better. But look, don't get me wrong. If and when Derry played in Duck,
00:32:20 he could be giving a free kick away in the Aza box. He could be in Bollard.
00:32:23 Well, we'll get a wee bit of a reaction from the match. Rory Higgins was chatting obviously in
00:32:30 good form. He was very business-like. Three points, that's all we needed to get that first
00:32:34 game out of the way. But I like this comment about Brian Maher. How many times have you sold him?
00:32:39 I've no wonder.
00:32:40 I was sold. I know for a fact that he was definitely sold. I'm not going to make the
00:32:47 kit lodge. And they told me why he was making the kit lodge. And the whole place was all tied
00:32:51 around in the photo shoot. Oh, he's gone. He's definitely gone. So yeah, I can feel Rory's
00:32:56 playing.
00:32:56 I thought it was funny. Well, let's see what Rory had to say as reaction to the big one.
00:33:02 [MUSIC]
00:33:24 I believe it was three points. That's all you really want from the opening fixture, obviously.
00:33:28 Performance is probably secondary in the opening day. We had spells in the first half where I
00:33:34 thought we were good. We were on the front foot. We played some good stuff. And I felt we lost
00:33:39 our composure for a 10-minute period after we went a goal in front, which was disappointing.
00:33:43 But we got it over the line. Second half was scrappy. I don't know what it would have liked,
00:33:49 but we got there. He's just got an unbelievable knack of knowing how to score goals and big goals.
00:33:56 Big goals is first goal for the club, competitive goal. And it's great for him to get around the
00:34:02 opening night, and that'll set him off. And if we had to took a wee bit more care at the top end,
00:34:09 we could have had a few more. But listen, it's three points against a really difficult opponent
00:34:15 who have caused us big problems over the last couple of years. So I'm delighted with three
00:34:21 points, and we move on. For the period, as I said, after we got the first goal, we lost the composure.
00:34:25 For the period after we got the second goal, we lost the composure. And I don't want that to be
00:34:30 the case. I want us to really relax and play and show more experience and more class about us,
00:34:40 because we're more than capable. But it's the first game of the season, and we'll improve.
00:34:46 25 years ago or something, the last time we had a home game, we started the season. But
00:34:50 we got one tonight, and thankfully, we made it a wee bit more difficult. But thankfully,
00:34:59 we leave you three points, and our supporters will go home happy, I suppose.
00:35:03 Brian's. Many times that we sell him in the off-season. No, listen, it's a brilliant penalty
00:35:13 save. You're right, he made a really good one-handed save from the chance that they
00:35:16 created in the first half. It's a big moment because it was soon after we went the goal in front,
00:35:21 and it was a big save. He's been a brilliant player. I've said it numerous times, he's been
00:35:29 an absolutely brilliant signing for this club, and the best in the country. I know it's early,
00:35:34 but obviously the only downside is Mark Connolly picking up an injury and stuff like that. That's
00:35:38 not what you wanted in the first half, is it? No, it's not ideal. I thought Shane as well
00:35:43 came on and was excellent, and steadied us up. Mark got a wee niggle in the first half,
00:35:50 so we need to see what that is. But if we can avoid injuries, great. Obviously,
00:35:55 we're going to pick ones up here and there, but we've got an outstanding squad and players who
00:36:00 are top level, ready to come on. Just tell us about the squad, as you say,
00:36:04 the substitutes you make. Compared to last year, 12 months on, it's definitely a bigger squad and
00:36:09 a better squad that you're bringing on. It's not any bigger. I just feel that the balance and the
00:36:15 quality that we have now is the best that we've had. They were getting big players on, they were
00:36:23 targeting us from set pieces, so we had to get Kieran Cole on the pitch as well and stuff like
00:36:27 that. You want the one being really pretty and scoring loads of goals, but we found the way
00:36:35 they won tonight, which was really important. Obviously, Patrick McDonnell, the squad,
00:36:40 has he picked up an injury? If tonight was the last game of the season, he'd have been able to play.
00:36:47 He played in every pre-season game, he'd pick up a really minor groin issue that,
00:36:53 if he aggravated it, it could have set him back for a few weeks. We just weren't prepared to
00:36:58 take the chance. He's in a really good place physically, but tonight he sat it out and
00:37:03 thankfully we were able to get the three points in his absence.
00:37:05 [Music]
00:37:27 There you go, he was delighted. The performance was secondary, he was getting that result.
00:37:33 Which is up to you know what I mean. The first half, Cape possession didn't really harm them
00:37:37 that much, they had a few wee chances, Patching they didn't make it up across the six yard box
00:37:41 in the cutback. But it was just getting the tempo going. You can't complain then, it's what 62
00:37:47 seconds in the second half, Owen Boyce, Curls on the top corner, that just got everything going.
00:37:52 It's going to take six or seven matches, you'll start seeing the league then just pan out,
00:37:57 what way it's going to be. It's going to take a while, and there's no doubt about that.
00:38:03 As I say, first match, as Rory alluded to, it's the first victory in a number of years in
00:38:08 the opening night they've got the victory. 25 years apparently. 25 years exactly.
00:38:11 That was their first home match in 25 years. That's insane, it's just getting that victory,
00:38:17 moving on. You look at the rest of the league, it's all tight. There's a lot of draws in there,
00:38:23 obviously Shelbourne's moving Waterford, Galway were disappointed they lose at home,
00:38:28 the pats looked an awful night. I haven't seen the highlights of Galway and the pitch didn't
00:38:33 look the best. Waterford too looked an awful night. You then had Dundalk getting a point
00:38:39 down at Tallah, didn't look an awful night, looked like a boulder table and looked like a great
00:38:43 pitch and whatever else, but it's going to be at Tallah. And then you had Bowes last minute
00:38:47 getting an equaliser against Sligo 2-2. I think he'll not be happy because the second goal,
00:38:53 they hurt him and people are going "he's messy this, messy that". He is skinning boys,
00:38:58 but there's any chance he's put the tackle in. But they got the equaliser too, but it just tells
00:39:03 you how we all expect it in Derry 2-1. We've always said this year could be the most competitive
00:39:09 and I think they go over the first night, sort of backing that argument up. I can't remember who
00:39:14 says it, I know Pat Hibben said it, I think Paul Higgerday actually says it too. If you keep
00:39:22 the Derry squad fit, all your main men, you wouldn't swap that squad for any other,
00:39:26 would you? I know Rovers are what they are and they're the best of the best here too, but I fancy
00:39:32 Derry, I really do. The fact that there was no fats last night, we were all worried. He said in
00:39:38 today's forum as well that it's just a minor groin strain and he could be back for the Sligo game if
00:39:47 they feel like they need him. Mark Connolly, we're not too sure. He's going for a scan,
00:39:52 he was saying. He's going for a scan, so that'll be later in the week before they find out and see
00:39:56 how he is. The aloe we know about for a couple of months, but in good health at the moment. You
00:40:02 keep these guys all fat and healthy and they have a real chance. Definitely, and you mentioned about
00:40:08 Collie Whelan, he's probably the longest out of the injured players, probably the longest
00:40:13 before he's back. Ciarán Harkin, Jaggie, talking about getting games maybe in the under 20s this
00:40:18 year. You can play a few older players, so I think in the case of getting him six or seven games
00:40:23 before you even think about getting in around the first team squad. Probably the best, I would
00:40:27 assume that's what Rory's plans would be, because Rory knows himself, he's been through a lot with
00:40:32 injuries to try and get him back at it. But that's healthy, having Ciarán Harkin around the squad and
00:40:38 training every day and that bubbly character, it's good to have him on around there.
00:40:42 Talking about bubbly characters, seamless link, hey we're wasted on this.
00:40:48 We are, 100% like that now.
00:40:49 He's like self-posed.
00:40:53 That's a yellow thing, you're not going to view.
00:40:55 Well, we were, look you ruined the link, because I was beautiful under Nicky Lowe.
00:41:02 Nicky Lowe, we had met, well I met him at the brandy, we had arranged to meet him and do the
00:41:09 podcast with him, that was before Kevin got his hands on him.
00:41:13 I met him in the rocker before the game, I was on a pre-match meeting, so you can imagine.
00:41:21 Pre-match meeting.
00:41:21 I definitely scrambled egg and toast in the rocker.
00:41:24 Half late.
00:41:26 Exactly, got him a pint. I was disappointed Dan Dumbles wasn't working there. When I say
00:41:31 disappointed, I wasn't shocked. Dan wasn't, it just doesn't happen. But that's where I was,
00:41:35 then we got Nicky a pint and he came down to the match and watched it. It was good to
00:41:41 have a wee chat with him.
00:41:42 Well, let's hear what Nicky had to say, he was glad to be back.
00:41:46 Well, we're just after Derry's Big One, opening day of the season, 2-1 against
00:41:59 Drogheda and we're here with an old Brandywell favourite, can we call you that there, Nicky
00:42:04 Lowe?
00:42:05 A few years ago I'd say aye, but no it was a good win time and obviously it was hard
00:42:10 fought, obviously they're all a bit physical, they play long balls, fight for second, but
00:42:15 them and top, a lot of possession, stuff that I felt probably, watching the game back and
00:42:18 thinking about it, and the final third they can create a lot more chances to be honest,
00:42:22 because they get up there well, but obviously going forward I'm sure they'd want to have
00:42:26 more chances in the game, but it's a great three points to start the season.
00:42:29 I'm going to have to introduce Kae McLaughlin here, because he was going to get on to me
00:42:32 for pretending he's not here every week.
00:42:34 Like every week, he's like a wee man show.
00:42:36 Kae McLaughlin's here and you've already met apparently before the match.
00:42:39 Well, we did, yes I went for a bite to eat before the game, Nicky did the same, but the
00:42:46 man also had a wee beverage on the way, and Nicky fair play, I did buy you a pint, so
00:42:51 that's, you know what I mean.
00:42:52 Not like him.
00:42:52 Yes, I will give him that, he did buy me a pint, but he said make sure you buy me one
00:42:56 back as well.
00:42:58 No, to be fair, he bought me a pint back, he got me a pint, sorry, so I'll own one back.
00:43:02 Well, it's good they see you Nick, I'm sure, has it been a while since you were back?
00:43:06 It's the first time since I left, and obviously I've been dying to come for years, but obviously
00:43:11 I still play myself, so every Saturday it's tough to get here, and I'd actually want to
00:43:16 move here once I retire, so I'm trying to get a wife, aye, I love the place.
00:43:20 A lot of friends here, Nicky, haven't you?
00:43:22 A lot of friends, and fans like me, but not only the fans like me, I love the place, and
00:43:26 just going out day to day basis, going for something to eat, or whatever, just living
00:43:29 here, on a general basis, I love it, so I'm trying to get a missus, once I retire, hopefully
00:43:34 I'll come and move here and buy a house somewhere.
00:43:36 Well, I see she's like carrying the bag of balls and everything, I see it on your social
00:43:40 media, so you must have her wrapped I think, like you do.
00:43:43 Exactly, I know, the old coaching business is going well, so I'm trying to expand, so
00:43:46 I said, listen, if you want to earn your keep, you need to start carrying the balls and getting
00:43:50 them cleaned.
00:43:51 You may hope she's not, but I'll sort of do this.
00:43:52 No, absolutely not, she didn't make my dinner last night.
00:43:55 But there's a lot of hype around Derry, I'm sure you keep a close eye from over in Scotland,
00:44:03 you know, and you see what's happening, what Rory's building here, like what have you thought
00:44:07 of it?
00:44:07 I watch every game since I've been, because I was a player Saturday, I watch every Friday
00:44:11 night game, and last year I thought they ran out of steam to be honest, towards the end,
00:44:15 as I say, same as tonight, I think he built up defensively, so in the middle of the park
00:44:19 they're looking after the ball well, and in the final third, for me, it's only one game,
00:44:22 but on the base of last year, they need to create more chances, whereas that wide man
00:44:26 from the opposite side get in the box, vice versa, which I thought tonight, Holman holds
00:44:30 the ball well, so you've got to trust them, I don't know if it was last year that they
00:44:33 trusted Stryker, I know when I play, I think, Gordon Strachan said this to Paul Hartley,
00:44:37 when Paul Hartley's my manager, your Stryker is the biggest part of your team, because
00:44:42 see if it goes up to Stryker, and you try and go and support it, see if it gets a break
00:44:45 and down, you're not going to make any runs, whereas watching tonight, compared to last
00:44:49 year, I think Holman links it up well, so I think he'll be massive going forward, but
00:44:53 I think Derry will be right up there, and I watched Rovers a lot last year as well, and
00:44:56 they're good if they set plays, good team, good individuals, but I think the difference
00:45:00 for me was last year, Rovers won it, when in fact I set plays and see when they're not
00:45:04 playing well, they win it early, late at night, I don't think Derry were brilliant, they were
00:45:08 better and drawier, and they deserved to win, so that's the difference, can you win when
00:45:11 it gets ugly, but I think Derry will be right up there this season.
00:45:15 That's part of what brings that, knowing how you won those games.
00:45:20 He scored what Derry were probably missing last year, and that's no disrespect to Jamie
00:45:23 McGonagall or Keane, is that poacher in the six yard box, come back off the keeper, touch
00:45:29 goal, and that's what Derry's been missing, and you know yourself, playing at that level,
00:45:33 you need an out and out goal scorer to just get you goals.
00:45:36 100%, I totally agree, and that's what I watched last year, and that's what I'm based on a
00:45:39 minute ago, that's what I've seen from watching on, I'm not here live and it's maybe different,
00:45:44 but watching Jamie running in channels, not for me, watching from afar, but hoping he's
00:45:49 that different, he's that presence, he's been there, he's done it, he gets respect, because
00:45:53 I remember playing against him myself, and as far as the Alliance defenders, they don't
00:45:57 like playing against him, and that's for sure, and I've seen him, he went to press one time,
00:46:01 it was the first half, and I'm sitting on the far side, and he got on to his teammates,
00:46:04 get up with me, if I'm going, if you see me running, get up behind my back, so I liked
00:46:08 that about him to end, if there's any wee niggles, any wee fighting on, he's going to
00:46:11 back you up, so he'll add that from experience to his team, and hopefully it'll go and kick on.
00:46:15 And from your point of view, as you were saying, you're talking about your
00:46:18 repowerment, you're still playing away, and you're up challenging two,
00:46:21 wee bit of honours, two fees?
00:46:22 No, we're doing well just now, obviously the last two games we've actually lost,
00:46:25 two big games, which has made it hard for us, we've got nine games to go,
00:46:29 all because we're at AstroTurf, which we're always on, but our team's had maybe 15 games,
00:46:34 so if they win they can go four clear, which is still right saying they need to win them, so
00:46:38 this game's in hand, but obviously they're playing at Grasse Park, and they've got to play
00:46:41 Saturday Wednesday, so junior, you know, it's like people's working and stuff, so
00:46:45 I decided to take a step back, because I'm doing coaching now, so my missus,
00:46:48 once I had my second kid, she's like, get close at the end, why he's kind of
00:46:51 dropped in the leagues, but I really enjoy it to be honest, and obviously
00:46:53 Paul Cummins, who comes to a lot of derby runs as well, he's a big bankie,
00:46:57 so he always said, hopefully you go and derm it, I'll buy you a beer, I'm still waiting on that.
00:47:01 I'll derm it, 100%, I know Paul was down at the Kop Finale a couple of years ago,
00:47:05 we actually picked him up at the airport, so I know Paul well, and you're right, he's a big
00:47:10 Clydebank man, as you say, just keep things ticking over, and always follow the results
00:47:14 for yourselves, and as you say, the two big defeats, yes, but you're still enjoying your football.
00:47:19 Absolutely, that's the main thing for me now, obviously I was at Abroath a year previously,
00:47:23 we nearly got a premiership, we got beat last day of season against Kilmarnock, when
00:47:27 I think they assigned Kyle Lafferty in January, and he won him the league basically,
00:47:31 we thought we were going to win it, we were only part time team in the league,
00:47:34 so it was like a big hang on Scottish football, I don't know if he's not fair far, but we nearly
00:47:38 won it and got beat last game of the season, so obviously after that I was a wee bit disappointed,
00:47:42 I just thought, you know what, I win the day, and I spoke to the missus, had another kid,
00:47:46 she's like, no, you're coming, she kind of took it in my hands, she's like, you've been moving close,
00:47:50 I got a good deal, decent dough at Clydebank, I really enjoy it, so,
00:47:54 no I'm enjoying it, and hopefully we can get promoted, but it's a long way to go.
00:47:57 You mentioned AstroTurf, you know, that's a big talking point here,
00:48:02 probably keeping the club back, keeping that team back slightly, what's your take on it,
00:48:07 because when you came here, that was just the start of things, the new stand,
00:48:12 and we were just coming back to the branding mill at the time, and at that stage it was the thing.
00:48:17 Probably a billiard table.
00:48:18 Aye, what are you making of it? You played on it?
00:48:21 You can't beat, a good grass park is the best, but there's pros and cons, see like tonight,
00:48:28 it's a bit wet out here, the surface moves well, so it's steady when they pass and move the ball,
00:48:32 because it's a slick surface, it's fast paced, see if you go to a grass drive
00:48:36 pitch and it's bobbly, I don't think that suits the other team to be honest with you,
00:48:39 but then as your cons is, you get injuries on it and stuff, there's a lot of injuries,
00:48:44 but I always think a grass park you can't beat if it's good, which in this league,
00:48:48 when I was here, because it's a summer league, you always get good parks, you know what I mean,
00:48:52 sometimes it's dry, and you always want that wee sit to it, but no, you want a grass park to be
00:48:57 honest, there's a lot of injuries on AstroTurf, when it can be it, and I'm actually off training.
00:49:02 Yeah, there's a few Scotsmen here as well, do you know them, Paul McMillan obviously,
00:49:07 and Danny Mullen as well, you know those guys?
00:49:11 I know of them, yeah, obviously I think Paul's father, if I'm not wrong, was Jerry Dock,
00:49:16 who's my physio at Dundee, and obviously at Dundee, that's where my career went down the
00:49:20 hill, because I ended up injured, came here, and I wasn't too bad here, but my groin from there
00:49:25 went down the hill, but that's football, and I know Danny, Danny was a young boy at Aberdeen
00:49:29 when I was there, I can't forget you, he's a wee few years younger than me, so I know of him,
00:49:32 and obviously Ben's still here.
00:49:34 There's always that connection, the Scots connection, even going way back, you know what I mean?
00:49:39 Yeah, it's kind of a good idea, his location is a local, for me, my local team is Greenock
00:49:44 Morton, and Stuart, I used to go to a Morton game when I was young, so I love Stuart, he was a
00:49:48 commanding centre-half, so having big Peter Wilson was my favourite Morton player, so not much,
00:49:52 and obviously I scored the win and goal I think in the FA Cup, is that right?
00:49:55 I thought you scored a header, an equaliser, yeah, that's right.
00:49:57 That's good knowledge, yeah.
00:49:58 I did do my homework for a game in Sydney a few years ago, not just there, a few years ago.
00:50:04 Just for the podcast, Niggie?
00:50:05 Yes, yes, that's how much it means to me to go on the podcast.
00:50:08 Well, talk us a wee bit about your time when you were here, Niggie, because obviously it wasn't
00:50:16 like it is now, everybody, it's just the expectation levels are through the roof now,
00:50:20 it was, obviously Kenny Sheeds was a real character as well, you got on well with Kenny,
00:50:25 and it probably wasn't Kenny's fault for the way things went on in the pitch and stuff like that,
00:50:31 and the fact that he had to sign a lot of players because there wasn't that sort of
00:50:35 long-term vision at the time, wasn't it, Nick?
00:50:36 Yeah, that was the thinking.
00:50:38 But now there is, but talk us a wee bit about that time, because it was a good time personally
00:50:43 for you, wasn't it?
00:50:44 Aye, obviously I just touched on it a minute ago, when I was at Dundee I was injured a lot,
00:50:48 so it kind of got to the stage where Ancestor Field, Barnet and stuff,
00:50:51 wanted me in England League 2, and I kind of watched, I said to my agent,
00:50:56 watch videos for me to see what we were playing, they went a lot of long ball,
00:51:00 and I said to myself, if I'm going to England I know there's a lot of big boys here,
00:51:03 I'm not going to win second balls, you better put me on the bench, and I've always said that,
00:51:06 any manager who wants to kick the ball in my head, I'm better, that's not my game,
00:51:09 I'm good at getting on the ball and I'll keep the ball all day, I don't really lose the ball,
00:51:13 that's what I like to think, so when I came here, before I came I spoke to my agent, I said,
00:51:16 listen, I need somebody to play football, and he's like, listen, I know Kenny Shields,
00:51:20 Fibonacci, I thought, let's speak to Kenny, let me go over to pre-season and try,
00:51:25 if it's decent I'll sign, if not I'll leave and I'll find somewhere else that suits me,
00:51:29 so I came over and I really, really enjoyed it, and obviously I thought I did well for the club,
00:51:33 sometimes there was a few injuries, before the cup final against Cope I had a hernia which I
00:51:38 missed 14 games, but I loved it here, but as you said, with Kenny it's not as good a club as it was,
00:51:43 back then it was not as good as it is now I don't think, because back then Kenny was signing
00:51:48 players for their length, basically they made a job for six months, whereas I always said,
00:51:52 me and Ger, we were always focused on vision, but as now, actually I mean players, sometimes people
00:51:57 are signing, like you, to videos, they're not going to sign any bad bits, and I think we probably
00:52:01 signed some players from that which didn't go well, obviously sometimes training wasn't great
00:52:06 to be honest, and I lost the plot a wee bit sometimes because I wasn't good standards.
00:52:09 A lot of people thought it was mercenaries coming over just for a pay day, because it was,
00:52:15 Kenny's hands were tied in terms of, he just had to get people on quick.
00:52:19 Of course that's what it is, I mean maybe back then I don't know what money people was on and
00:52:24 what his budget was, but he made it in players so he thought he had to go and do that, you know
00:52:28 what I mean, whereas for a player playing in that scenario, when people come in and I don't think
00:52:31 they were good enough, I would let them know, I'm training and stuff, I'm not here to just pick up
00:52:35 a wage, I'm here to do well for the city, and obviously especially when you, long as you stay
00:52:39 here and you meet people and you live in a city and people come and talk to you, you've got to
00:52:43 even do better for them, which for me at the time, we didn't do, to be honest, especially towards
00:52:49 the end of my tenure. Obviously you just talking with Gerard Norther, you're a big mupper with Gerard,
00:52:54 you're a big mupper, but still quite a few of the squad and you keep in touch?
00:52:58 Yeah, obviously I always like to think I'm a good team mate, everywhere I've been I think,
00:53:03 I always speak in contact, I still in contact with the boys from 10 years ago as well,
00:53:07 I've always mean Gerard got on really well and he's always kept in touch as I've been away,
00:53:11 every month or so, a few texts back and forth and he was brilliant, especially at the end as I said,
00:53:17 he was being a proper captain about this place because it wasn't, it was a wee bit of poison to
00:53:22 be honest, fans maybe wanted Kenny to go and stuff, Kenny didn't know what he was doing,
00:53:26 and the weekend I tried to keep the place running as best as we can to make sure the
00:53:30 club stayed division and stuff and try and win games for the fans who were coming, but we always
00:53:34 knew like, for Derek to kick on, obviously there was a wee kind of revamp, which I'm happy to see now at Scott.
00:53:40 That's just what they say, even though them bad times was going on, you could see the sort of
00:53:45 potential of the club and it was there and just unfortunately from your time, it just
00:53:50 doesn't happen then but you could always see the potential.
00:53:53 Absolutely, it's spot on obviously, when you come to a club and you don't know it and you're starting afresh,
00:53:58 you don't really know, but my first few months walking about the city myself, you speak to people,
00:54:03 you're getting stopped every five minutes and I was like myself, you realise like this is a big club,
00:54:08 looking back to here from obviously it was at McGinn Park we were playing at the first season,
00:54:12 looking back to here at Brandywell when it was such a buzz and obviously we'd all let the fans down,
00:54:16 Hings Afford Park now obviously affected that, but obviously I could always say when I was here
00:54:20 I tried my best and obviously I feel as if I did decent enough for the club.
00:54:25 And playing in Europe too was a big thing, I know you were at Aberdeen, you were in Europe weren't you?
00:54:29 Yeah, but coming here I know the Michelin game sort of sticks with us, probably why do you want
00:54:35 to forget does it? But it was still nice to be playing in Europe in those days?
00:54:40 Absolutely, playing in Europe is one of your pinnacle in your career, you know what I mean?
00:54:43 I was at Aberdeen, albeit I was a young boy then, so I was on the bench, I'd come against Real
00:54:49 Solskjaer, I'd come off the bench first leg, second leg and all that stuff, which is very nice, but
00:54:53 when you're not starting the games, I was part of that, but you still don't feel like I've properly
00:54:58 done my bit, so then we obviously played the Michelin stuff, it was good to start games,
00:55:02 but obviously we got a bit of doing, and I've looked at the players and I say to all my mates now,
00:55:07 this is where they've been wanting to go, look at their careers, I'm thinking, alright we didn't go
00:55:10 as bad. That was a young side too, remember? Considering how young we were, you know what I mean?
00:55:16 To go and play there, and there's actually, we conceded right away a set piece I think for
00:55:19 wide free kick away from home. Slago wasn't it?
00:55:23 No, no, it definitely wasn't.
00:55:24 Away from home first, you come across the front, the boy flicked in, I could be wrong here,
00:55:29 then after that we had a few chances, I think I played Curtis and a few times in between
00:55:33 full back and centre half, I think I made a good three or four passes, so Curtis if you're listening,
00:55:37 I got you a move after that, and I think a few Swedish teams wanted you after that.
00:55:43 That's right, that's right.
00:55:43 With bad passes.
00:55:44 My grandfather was in.
00:55:46 And you've still not paid me a...
00:55:47 Foster sons, wasn't it?
00:55:48 You've not even bought me a fiver for a pint or whatever, so I'll hold you to that boy.
00:55:51 That man has it too, like I say.
00:55:53 That man has it now with a mind picture running.
00:55:55 Wombled him, eh?
00:55:56 Exactly, I remember they wanted him and obviously it kind of got knocked back of it,
00:55:59 but then he went to Portsmouth, so I'll hold him to a pint for sure.
00:56:02 Wee Josh was on that team too, Josh Daniels.
00:56:05 We were both, the both of them were playing a wheel team, I know.
00:56:07 Some talent, like in terms of you being young.
00:56:09 Yeah, obviously been stuffed there actually, I just watched young Josh and Rory play against
00:56:14 Falcook on BBC Alba, they were playing in the, I don't know what you call them in Scotland,
00:56:19 Caramell Waver Cup, it keeps getting changed, but I watched them, it was that semi-final,
00:56:23 I went to Falcook who are flying in Scotland, so I thought Falcook would have enough to
00:56:27 take care of them, but no, they did really well, I think Josh was winged back then, Rory
00:56:30 played in Mirley Park and got on the ball and looked after it well.
00:56:32 But they are young boys when I was here who you could tell had potential and went on and
00:56:37 did well, which is good because you want to see good guys do well in football to be honest.
00:56:40 Obviously a lot's changed, you know, after Feeding Through, since you've got the two
00:56:46 young girls now as well too, and then how's fatherhood and things like that been like,
00:56:51 and you know, you still want to play the football, you still want to go out for your pints I'm
00:56:54 sure, but you're a family man.
00:56:56 When I left here, the reason I left, I was a bit injured before the season I left, it
00:57:03 was a couple of months ago, I think two months, but my house collapsed down in Scotland, and
00:57:06 obviously a lot of people probably know this, I had a bus pipe, so all I had was beams,
00:57:12 my roof, my walls collapsed and everything, so I had to go back, start a new house, and
00:57:16 obviously after a few weeks of being back, they said to me "I'm pregnant", so that
00:57:21 kind of ruled coming back to the city out.
00:57:23 It only grew up when Dek got the job, so just before Dek left to go to Baymans, I was in
00:57:28 talks about his sign actually to come back, and he misses it at the last minute, changed
00:57:32 their mind.
00:57:33 So it's weird how football works, but obviously after the fact, life's really good, I've
00:57:37 got two kids now, I've got my own coaching, I'm doing really well with that, and I'm
00:57:41 still playing, so I can't really complain, life's good for me.
00:57:45 The way you still got that draw to Derry though, and if you're serious, potentially playing
00:57:50 yourself loving here again, it would be fantastic.
00:57:53 No, absolutely, I love the place, and I was only here for two years, some people think
00:57:57 it's crazy, but actually I call it a second home, and obviously I get in the taxi, and
00:58:01 I text my phone, and after I got off the airport, I text my missus, and I was in a taxi, and
00:58:06 I was like "I'm emotional", and she's like "why?"
00:58:08 I was like "I don't know, I feel amazing to be back, it's the first time since I
00:58:11 left, so it's going to be emotional, but obviously I love the place, everybody looked
00:58:15 after me here, and obviously I got on well, I'm one of the guys I think I'd like to
00:58:19 think people say he's a nice guy and gets on with people, so no, hopefully my missus
00:58:22 will come round to Vananna Tyre and I'll manage to love here one day, and maybe bring
00:58:26 coaching to Derry.
00:58:28 Well on that note, we'll just say we'll let you go and get your cup of tea now.
00:58:32 Exactly, three cups of tea and then get your bed early.
00:58:35 Exactly, is your missus listening?
00:58:36 I hope she is.
00:58:37 For the last thing, thank you very much.
00:58:40 Cheers.
00:58:41 [Music]
00:58:45 Well there we are, and it also alludes that I did buy him a pint, you on the other hand
00:58:51 bought nothing, as usual, you could even have brought him a packet of Christmas on or a
00:58:54 burger at half time, but nothing.
00:58:56 We kept him waiting for a while.
00:58:57 We did, we did, well you certainly did, I came out and went "seriously, stop asking
00:59:00 another question of Kevin Dornie".
00:59:02 He says he was hungover by the time we did it, it's not a sales.
00:59:05 100%, he was 100%, he was sober and hungover by the time you'd finished with Kevin Dornie,
00:59:10 but no, he was top form.
00:59:12 Just tells you, we talked about how much Derry, he loves it.
00:59:17 I mean really, last year we were saying this on the rails about Derry people really love
00:59:21 Derry.
00:59:22 We like returning to Gaelow, the Scotsman absolutely loves Derry.
00:59:25 He really does, and he was at a time, as we were chatting about, it wasn't an easy time
00:59:29 for the club, obviously they won the league cup, but he's built a lot of good relationships
00:59:36 here as well too, and he's trying to get the missus over.
00:59:38 Exactly.
00:59:39 You know, but obviously it was great to chat to him again, and he watches them steady as
00:59:45 well as I said there, so he's got big hopes for Derry this year as well too.
00:59:49 No, that's, like it is a case where, even talking about when he got here, getting the
00:59:54 taxi in, he was just feeling a bit emotional, and speaking to his wife and all, and saying
00:59:57 that there and all.
00:59:58 We always lightly laugh and joke about it, but players they got, just sort of tells you,
01:00:04 the Scottish connection with Derry has been very good down the years, they haven't been
01:00:07 that many where you think, "Nah, he hasn't put it in."
01:00:10 They've all come over and given their all, like he's just joined that brigade I suppose.
01:00:15 I guess so, hopefully those come back and advances the missus, they maybe practically
01:00:19 made in City here.
01:00:20 But I suppose we'll finish off and chat about the Sligo game, because obviously Mr Max
01:00:28 Malla's back, it was a big shock wasn't it?
01:00:31 Well, unbelievable signing for Sligo, to be fair, their top end in the pitch and the bottom
01:00:36 end in the pitch is decent again, no disrespect to them, but Ed McGinty's a top signing getting
01:00:41 him back, and obviously getting Max Madda back, that's a great coup, John Russell getting
01:00:45 that.
01:00:46 I had watched him a couple of weeks ago against Van Herpst in a pre-season friendly, and first
01:00:50 20 minutes they started like a house out there, and were superb.
01:00:53 Now, you can imagine the volleyball fade pitch was absolutely like a builder table nut, but
01:00:59 they were brilliant the first 20 minutes, they just couldn't get a goal, and then you
01:01:03 sort of add Max Madda nowadays, I think if they create chances he'll get eagle, we know
01:01:08 he'll get the goals.
01:01:09 So look, they're going to be a lot tougher than people may have thought, but no disrespect,
01:01:16 if I'm very higgins, I just need to say, just in training this week and then at the pre-match,
01:01:23 we played down here twice last year, and actually we came down here twice last year, we didn't
01:01:29 play exactly.
01:01:30 Aye, because that was two tough nights, and you wonder, because that was the first, that
01:01:35 was where he, that was his first game in charge for the A, wasn't it?
01:01:40 So first one down there, but it's a tough place to go, I mean people are writing him
01:01:45 off as well too, and they've got one of the smaller squads, but you mentioned those games
01:01:49 at Hartman as well too, these guys are quality players, and you do have to be on it, as Pat
01:01:56 Hoodman was saying afterwards too, you have to be prepared to stand up and battle here
01:02:00 when you're down at the Sugarhorns.
01:02:02 That's the biggie, that's what happened the two times last year, and there's also a chance,
01:02:08 similar to last year, playing on the Saturday night, Sean McRovers, Pat's, they're all
01:02:13 playing the night before, everybody else is playing the Friday night, you have Shelbourne
01:02:16 playing Rovers, could be a wee bit tisty, you might have Rovers okay on four points,
01:02:21 they might be on one point, there's so many ifs and buts, but you have to work with yourself
01:02:28 at the end of the day, and because you're playing 24 hours later, you're going to know
01:02:31 what's happened the night before, so this is what happened last year, they had a chance
01:02:35 last year to open up a seven point gap, and instead they lost to Sligo, and it was still
01:02:39 four, so it's the same wee things.
01:02:40 I don't know, they fresh my head too, don't they?
01:02:42 Exactly, that's exactly it, well if it's not I've just done that, but I know I don't care.
01:02:47 Well, you've just got to keep it going, and then you never know what's going to happen
01:02:51 here, because they've got a couple of tough games coming up, Pat's game, and then the
01:02:55 Rovers game, the Friday and the Monday, so you want to go on there, we waste six points
01:03:00 on the board, as Fáil Mhudóirda kept telling them, they were top of the league, so he doesn't
01:03:06 want anything to change, but in terms of predictions, what would you, because we were both, I wasn't
01:03:14 too far out in terms of, you said three didn't you?
01:03:17 I did say three, yeah.
01:03:18 I said three-one, didn't I?
01:03:20 No, you said one chance answer, you said that, I'm not even biting you, but I did.
01:03:24 No, I think this week's going to be equally as tough, I think Sligo getting Mata in, getting
01:03:30 that, they'll be gutted that they didn't make those, because then the Rebs are 94th
01:03:34 man equaliser, so they'll be a bit gutted they didn't get that result down there, so
01:03:38 they're going to come, pack showgrounds first game this season as far as they're concerned,
01:03:42 it's going to be a tight one, we're no two ways about it, I can see, I'm going to say
01:03:48 probably two-one, Derry, they snatch it, but it could be a Ronan Boyce special, the last
01:03:54 time they won was a last minute wonder goal, you know, he sort of got, I think it's going
01:03:58 to be a wee bit tight, I think it's going to be another tight one, but I think Derry
01:04:02 might nick it two-one.
01:04:03 I would agree with you, just a one goal difference, one-null, there's never too many goals down
01:04:08 there, so I would say one-null, I'm going to give it to the Hoobinator again, like the
01:04:12 way he was explaining, I didn't know that, did you know the reason?
01:04:16 No, I didn't know.
01:04:17 I was going to ask him, but I didn't want to ask him in front of everybody.
01:04:19 No, sorry, what are you doing?
01:04:21 What's the crack of the hand, the fizz?
01:04:23 Well, I think, to be fair, we're all a bit stupid when you think it, because I remember
01:04:27 when Dundalk tweeted that, they would sort of put the Hoobinator, and that's when you
01:04:31 go, oh right, that now makes complete sense.
01:04:34 You're more of a 70s sort of, I mean, I was, what?
01:04:42 So hopefully we see that celebration a few more times.
01:04:44 Exactly.
01:04:45 Well, we'll wrap it up with that, folks, hope you enjoyed this week's episode, and
01:04:50 we're always going to enjoy it when Derry are winning, I suppose, I mean, we've plenty
01:04:54 to talk about.
01:04:54 We've plenty to talk about.
01:04:55 No real annoying, anybody.
01:04:56 No depression, and we're already rocking along.
01:04:59 So next week, if you want to give a wee exclusive here, what we're going to have next week.
01:05:05 Next week, we've, Michael, the heart of the Derry City goalkeeping coach has now come
01:05:10 in as a full-time to the club.
01:05:13 He's running the academy goalkeeping coaches, and obviously the first team affairs, so we
01:05:18 have a sit-down with you, Michael, and a lot of positive, that's why we keep talking about
01:05:22 things behind the scenes going on that maybe not everybody knows about, but Michael's
01:05:26 just another addition to the sort of full-time aspect of the club that they're trying to
01:05:29 do.
01:05:30 So that's an interesting interview with Michael.
01:05:32 Excellent, looking forward to that.
01:05:33 Cheers, folks.
01:05:34 As I said, get in touch whatever way you can.
01:05:37 If you have anything that you want us to put to the club, or put to any of the players,
01:05:42 or the manager, or whoever the guests we have on to, make sure you get in touch just the
01:05:46 usual ways.
01:05:47 Cheers, folks.
01:05:48 See you next week.

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