Derry City FC - last updated on 21 April 2008
(Courtesy of Johnny Beaufays)
Club name: Derry City Football Club
Foundation: 1928
City: Derry
Colours: Red, white and black
Website: www.derrycityfc.net
Honours:
FAI Premier Division - 2 (1988-89, 1996-97)
FAI First Division - 1 (1986-87)
FAI Cup - 4 (1988-89, 1994-95, 2002, 2006)
FAI League Cup - 8 (1988-89, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1993-94, 1999-2000, 2005, 2006, 2007)
FAI Shield - 1 (1985-86)
Irish Football League - 1 (1964-65)
A bit of history:
Founded in 1928, the club decided against using the official title of the city — Londonderry — in their name, while also deciding against continuing the name of the city's previous main club, Derry Celtic, so as to be more inclusive to all football fans in the city. Derry City were granted entry into the Irish League in 1929 as professionals and were given permission by the Londonderry Corporation to use the municipal Brandywell Stadium. The club's first significant success came in 1935 when they lifted the City Cup. They repeated the feat in 1937, but did not win another major trophy until 1949, when they beat Glentoran to win their first Irish Cup. They won the Irish Cup for a second time in 1954, beating Glentoran again, and for a third time in 1964 — that year also winning the Gold Cup — despite the club's conversion to part-time status after the abolishment of the maximum wage in 1961. This led to the club's first entry into European competition, in the 1964-65 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, in which they were beaten by Steaua Bucharest 5-0 on aggregate. The club won the 1964-65 Irish League and subsequently became the first Irish League team to win a European tie over two legs, beating FK Lyn 8-6 on aggregate in the 1965-66 European Cup. Derry did not complete the next round, as the Irish Football Association (IFA) declared their ground as not up to standard, even though a game had been played there during the previous round. Derry suspected sectarian motives, as they played in a mainly nationalist city and so had come to be supported largely by Catholics. The IFA, Belfast-based, was a cultural focal point of Protestant Northern Ireland and it was widely suspected that it would rather have been represented by a traditionally unionist team. Relations between the club and IFA quickly deteriorated.
There had been no significant history of sectarian difficulties at matches in the first 40 years of the club's history, but in 1969 the Civil Rights campaign against Northern Ireland's government disintegrated into communal violence, ushering in 30 years of the Troubles. Despite the social and political unrest, Derry still managed to perform, reaching the Irish Cup final in 1971, in which they were beaten 3-0 by Distillery. As the republican locality surrounding the Brandywell saw some of the worst violence, numerous unionist-supported clubs were reluctant to play there. The Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) ruled the zone unsafe for fixtures and with the use of no other local ground feasible, Derry had to travel to the majority unionist town of Coleraine, over 30 miles (48 km) away, to play their "home" games at the Showgrounds. This situation lasted from September 1971 until October 1972 when, faced with dwindling crowds (most Derry fans were unwilling to travel to Coleraine due to the political situation and the longer journey) and dire finances, the club formally requested permission to return to the Brandywell. Despite a new assessment by the security forces concluding that the Brandywell was no longer any more dangerous than any other league ground and a lifting of the security ban, football rivalies were seen as echoing of the wider sectarian nature of Northern Irish society and Derry's proposal fell by one vote at the hands of their fellow Irish League teams. Continuing without a ground was seen as unsustainable and on Friday 13 October 1972 Derry withdrew from the league amidst a perception that they were effectively forced out while a complex of victimisation and marginalisation developed within the nationalist community behind the club.
The club continued as a junior team during the 13-year long "wilderness years", playing in the local Saturday morning league, and sought re-admission to the Irish League. Each time, the club nominated the Brandywell as its chosen home-ground but the Irish League refused re-admission. Suspecting refusal was driven by sectarianism, and believing they would never gain re-admission, Derry turned their attentions elsewhere.
Derry applied to join the reorganised Football League of Ireland (the league in the Republic of Ireland) in 1985 with the Brandywell as their home. The move required special dispensation from the IFA and FIFA, but eventually Derry were admitted to the league's new First Division for 1985, joining as semi-professionals. As their stadium was situated in a staunchly republican area once known as "Free Derry", with a history of scepticism towards the RUC in the local community, Derry received special permission from UEFA to steward their own games. The presence of the RUC was regarded as more likely to provoke trouble than help prevent it. The policy continues today and although effective, has, along with the participation in the Republic's league, confirmed Derry's identity as a nationalist club, alienating many original or potential Protestant supporters.
Derry's first match in the new system was a 3-1 League Cup win over Home Farm of Dublin at the Brandywell on 8 September 1985. The return of senior football to Derry attracted large crowds. Later in the season, after turning professional, they won the League of Ireland First Division Shield with a 6-1 aggregate victory over Longford Town. The following year — 1987 — Derry won the First Division and promotion to the Premier Division, staying there since. The club reached the 1988 FAI Cup final, but lost to Dundalk. The next season — 1988-89 — the club were financially forced to revert to semi-professional status but Jim McLaughlin's side managed to win a treble; the league, the League Cup and the FAI Cup. Qualifying for the 1989-90 European Cup, they met past winners, Benfica, in the First Round.
Since 1989, Derry have won the Premier Division once — in 1996-97 — but have been runners-up on three occasions. They added three more FAI Cups to their tally in 1995, 2002 and 2006 and were runners-up in 1994 and 1997, and won six further League Cups.
However, the club has also been beset by financial problems and was on the verge of bankruptcy due to an unpaid tax bill in 2000. An extensive fund-raising effort was undertaken by local celebrities and the city's people to save the club from extinction. Derry played high-profile friendlies against clubs such as Celtic, Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid to raise extra money. This helped keep the club in operation, but difficulties remained and Derry nearly lost their Premier Division place in 2003 when they finished ninth and had to contest a two-legged relegation-promotion play-off with local rivals, Finn Harps of Donegal. However, Derry won the game 2-1 on aggregate after extra-time at the Brandywell and remained in the top-flight, avoiding further damage.
With finances secured, the club became the first in Ireland to be awarded a premier UEFA licence in 2004. Derry re-introduced professional football and their form improved, as they finished second in 2005. Derry's 2005 League Cup victory also saw the club qualify for the cross-border Setanta Cup for the first time in 2006. They entered the 2006-07 UEFA Cup's preliminary rounds, beating IFK Göteborg and Gretna to reach the First Round where they faced Paris Saint-Germain; after a home 0-0 draw they lost 2-0 away. Derry finished second again in 2006, but went on to win the FAI Cup and League Cup double. They qualified for the 2007 Setanta Cup, as well as the preliminary rounds of the 2007-08 UEFA Champions League, and were accepted into the restructured FAI Premier Division for 2007. The club had a disppointing league campaign last season, finishing 7
th despite being pre-season favourites. They did manage to win their 8
th eircom League Cup, though, thanks to a 1-0 victory over Bohemians at the Brandywell.
Club crests: (roll on the crest to get more informations)
Derry City FC -
Founded in 1928
