CHARLIE FROM THE STANDS - Knowing the line!

As I was summarising the match on Radio Foyle last Friday night, I glanced to my right and saw the war of words between a few Derry City fans and some players who had gone over to applaud the crowd after the game. Personally, seeing this left me delighted. It was pure passion and accountability at its very best. 

Being a DCFC player: Accountability and Passion

For me, the main governance of a football club should be its’ fans; without their support the league and clubs do not survive. The fans are the heart of the club and local community. The passion from the Derry City fans that was on display in Drogheda was incredible - the tension before kick off, knowing that only a win would keep the dream alive, was evident.

And as a player, you thrive on that passion. It is infectious and really drives you on. But something to remember for everyone on the terraces throughout the league and further afield - players are still only human.

As a player, there was never a better feeling for me than running out on a football pitch. But running out on a football pitch wearing the jersey of your local football team is even more special, but it comes with its risks. I remember after 11 seasons at Derry, I pulled the Bohemians jersey over my head and stepped onto the Dalymount Park pitch for the first time and admittedly, it felt weird. In my first game, the opposing centre-midfielder who I had locked horns with since I made my debut, looked at me and said “Jesus, it’s strange not seeing you in a Derry jersey”. I’ll admit that that was followed with me shouting at the referee for a ‘Derrys ball’ for the first throw in - something that got a few odd looks and laughs. It was safe to say I hadn’t lost my roots. 

Pulling on a football jersey that didn’t have the Derry City badge felt strange. It is difficult to describe the feeling but one feeling that stood out to me was that I felt freer, more relaxed on the pitch. It was only after I had finished playing and through speaking to other ex-Derry players from the North-west, did I realise the pressures of playing for Derry. 

One player that will remain anonymous felt Derry City didn’t see the best of him due to the pressures of wearing the Derry City jersey. I can assure you that he is not alone in that club. Yet he moved on and had an incredible career elsewhere. 

Again, players are only human - we are all made up differently and respond differently, fans the same. But one thing is for sure is that when fans, players, club and communities are one, success comes. The scenes between the fans and players on Friday past are healthy, when fans hold players accountable in a constructive, non-violent, non-abusive way. And that goes for vice versa too, when a player holds a fan accountable for any sort of abuse that steps over the line, that is healthy. 

Make no mistake, the frustration among fans, is likely coming from the knowledge that this Derry side is so close to achieving huge things. Had it not been for injuries to key players throughout the season - Patrick McEleney, Mark Connolly, Micky Duffy, Colm Whelan, Cameron Dummigen - Derry might have been sitting top going into the final rounds of games. 

But remember, players are only human and doing their best to please the fans. They are all individuals with lives away from the pitch, dealing with their own challenges. Pulling on a jersey should not be a challenge. Yes, let it bring pressure - healthy pressure. But for it become detrimental to a person, that is the opposite of what’s needed. 

Passion and accountability are so important, as without them, standards slip and success moves further away. The main objective for everyone (fans, communities, players and staff) is that the standards of Derry City Football club keep rising and success follows. 

Disappointing

The 0-0 draw on Friday night was certainly not the result Derry City needed or wanted, but it was exactly the outcome that Kevin Doherty’s Drogheda needed to guarantee Premier Division football next year. Admittedly, the home side deserved a share of the spoils, and can be thankful to goalkeeper Andrew Wogan and centre-half Conor Keeley for ensuring a clean sheet. Wogan pulled off a number of saves to keep Derry City at bay(especially his save from Sadou Diallo), and at just 17 years old, he is a player that is unlikely to be playing in Ireland for much longer. 

Interestingly, Drogheda have only been able to tie the teenager down until December 2024 with his first professional contract, something that really depicts how tight a budget Kevin Doherty is working with. In most cases, clubs would make that the finances are there secure the future of their brightest assets on a three or four year deal. The word is that the kid currently has a €250,000 price tag on his head, a fee that would probably see Drogheda get around €150,000, something I touched in a previous column around LOI teams not getting enough money for the best young talent. There needs to be PLUS the add-on’s, not a deal built on add-on’s alone. That’s gambling. 

Conor Keeley’s performance just cemented exactly why Notts County have had two bids for the tall, no-nonsense centre-half turned down. He was a colossus on the night - right up until he received his marching orders. Rejecting two low bids is exactly the message every League of Ireland club should be sending to UK clubs when they try and treat the league like a bargain bin - other clubs need to get on the same page as Drogheda.

The performance from Derry simply wasn’t good enough. I was surprised as having watched the warm-up, there was a real intensity about it but they just didn’t carry that into the early stages of the game. The second half was much better but you can’t turn it on for a half and expect that to be enough for all three points. A big positive for me was the performance of Sam Todd, he came in for McJannet after an hour and dominated both boxes. 

Disappointingly, the league looks out of sight now. Shamrock Rovers would need to have an unprecedented calapse for Derry or St Pat’s to get back into the title race and for a team that is bang in form, that looks unlikely. That leaves the European places to play for, with St Pat’s in third, two points behind Derry but with a game in hand, and only a point separating Shelbourne in fourth and Bohemians in fifth.

The permutations are endless with Bohemians and St Pat’s in the Cup Final. That basically means Shelbourne need to finish in fourth place and hope that the team that wins the cup finishes in the top three. Exactly what you want as a fan coming into the last few games.