Local footballers delighted with the reopening of facilities

The reopening of a popular football facility in Derry has lifted the spirits of locals who love nothing more than playing ‘the beautiful game’.

Amongst easements announced this week, there were changes to the number of people allowed to play sport outdoors.

From Monday, groups of up to 15 people, were permitted to train and play sports together.

Speaking to the Derry News, Patrick Simpson of Bay Road Soccer said the past year has been ‘tough’ mentally as well as financially.

Like many businesses, uncertainty hung over every decision as lockdowns were put in place and then lifted again.

The ‘next generation’ outdoor soccer centre on the Bay Road reopened over the summer to the delight of service users but was forced to close a few months later.

Mr Simpson hopes lockdowns have now been resigned to the past and that people can get back to some form of normality.

People of all ages use the facility for recreation.  Coaches make use of the all-weather 3G pitches to train young football teams such as the Oxford Bulls and it hosts soccer camps during the summer.

Mr Simpson said: “Every time we’ve opened there has been a great appetite for people to get back outside and to play football again.

“A lot of people are saying it’s like Christmas again for them, some people are there three or four days a week.  That is their hour of exercise and the hobby they enjoy.”

He added: “I hope this is the last lockdown because it really is having a detrimental affect on people’s mind when they can’t get outdoors to take part in activities that really give them a lift.

“It’s about children as much as adults.

“People are delighted to be back now.  There’s a big smile on their faces.”

Regular user of the facility, Kevin McGowan (below), has missed playing badly.  It’s rumoured that Bay Road has a special video archive containing the Derry man’s best finishes.

Kevin, who works as a Peer Support Volunteer at ARC Fitness, is an untiring advocate of the physical and mental health benefits of playing football.

He explained: “The Bay Road to me is like meditation. It's a place where you can forget about everything else going on for an hour where it's just you, your mates, two nets and a ball.

“It is a great way to get rid of stress and after one session I'm already reacting to things in a calmer way.

“It's great to be back at it and the usual slagging has already started with the football WhatsApp group.

“I forgot how much I missed that.  Everything just seems easier to handle when you can have that hour away at the glorious Bay.”