Ryan McBride: The nine days that changed Derry City Football Club

This week marked the seventh anniversary of a nine-day period which changed Derry City Football Club forever.

Just a month into the 2017 season, and with Derry City top of the Premier Division with four wins from four games, the club, and the city, had its collective heart broken with the sudden, unexpected and utterly tragic news that club captain Ryan McBride had died at home at just 27 years of age.

It was completely surreal as fans tried to come to grips with news they just couldn’t and wouldn’t believe, the image of Ryan celebrating a goal against Dundalk at Maginn Park with his arms outstretched and a huge smile on his face just days earlier now all the more devastating as a young man’s life had been lost.

Over the days that followed, a stunned city tried to come to terms with the news, with thousands if fans, as well as representatives of clubs throughout Ireland attended his funeral at St. Columb’s Church, where the last goodbyes were said to a young man who was a leader, an inspiration and a legend of his local football club.

March 10

Having played his part in Derry City’s 4-1 opening day victory against Bohemians at Dalymount Park, Ryan led his team out in Dublin again as the Candystripes took on Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght.

The game was tense and chances were few and far between, but on 67 minutes the game swung in Derry’s favour.

From Aaron McEneff’s corner, Harry Monaghan headed down into the heart of the penalty area and Nathan Boyle took a touch to set it up for Ryan to smash it home for his first league goal since he scored in a 2-1 win against Sligo Rovers at the Brandywell in September, 2014.

The City captain sped away delighted before doing a Klinsmann dive across the grass, the joy on his face unmistakable. Although the Candystripes had to play the last 20 minutes with 10 men following a red card to Lucas Schubert, they held on, restricting Rovers to just one shot on target in the 90 minutes with Ryan’s goal proving to be the winner.

Fans at Dundalk and Drogheda United pay tribute to Ryan in the days after his death. (Photo: David Maher / SPORTSFILE)

Afterwards, manager Kenny Shiels praised his captain and match winner, insisting “He wears his heart on his sleeve.”

March 13

Dundalk, under Stephen Kenny, had dominated Derry for years at this stage, and they took the lead on a Monday night at Maginn Park when Dane Massey headed in from a corner after just 17 minutes. Derry kept their heads up, no doubt confident after wins at Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers, and they equalised on the stroke of half time through Nahan Boyle’s third goal of the season.

The game was right in the balance in the second half, but Derry took the lead for the first time on 69 minutes when Aaron McEneff cleverly worked a shooting opportunity and tried his luck from 30 yards, but his effort was spilled by Gabriel Sava right onto the path of Barry McNamee who slammed the rebound into the roof of the net to make it 2-1.

Dundalk were unbeaten in 14 league games against Derry City heading into this game, but that run came to an end when Ryan sealed the win just six minutes from time. The Derry City captain met Nicky Low’s corner and got there before Sava to head in his second goal in three days, before he ran, arms outstretched towards the joyous City fans.

March 18

Maginn Park, Derry City were already 1-0 up through Ronan Curtis when yan met a kick out from the Drogheda goalkeeper and headed the ball deep back into Drogheda territory, where the visiting defence got themselves in a mess, which Barry McNamee took advantage of to score the first of what would be his first senior hat trick.

McNamee scored his three goals in just eight minutes to keep Derry City top of the league with their fourth win in four games.

It was the perfect start to the new season for Derry City, but as fans left a rain-soaked Maginn Park, they had no idea that their worlds were about to come crashing down within hours, and they had no idea that they had just seen Ryan McBride in the red and white of Derry City for the last time.

March 19

Derry City sat top of the Premier Division and all the talk was about the possibility of making it five wins in a row in their next game against Limerick. But on Sunday, just over 24 hours after the win over Drogheda, some unnerving rumours began to do the rounds in the city that Ryan was unwell. These whispers refused to go away, and that night the devastating and awful news had been confirmed – Ryan had died.

March 20

The club held a press conference the following morning at da Vincis Hotel here the players gathered, stunned and dazed and still uncomprehending at the loss of their friend and team mate.

Vice-Chairman Sean Barrett had the difficult job of putting into words how the players, manager and everyone at the club was feeling.

“As a club we’re all absolutely devastated with what’s happened,” he said. “We haven’t come to terms with it yet and we probably never will.

Ryan celebrates his goal against Dundalk at Maginn Park. (Photo: Oliver McVeigh / SPORTSFILE)

"The players in there are just a bunch of kids who just don’t understand that their leader has left them. He was the man they all looked up to. He was our man. When you had the big bullies from the other clubs coming up, you could say “We have Ryan and Ryan will help us”, and that’s what he did. It’s such a big, big loss for this club.

“We’re Derry City Football Club and we’ll continue – do you know why? Because Ryan McBride would have wanted it that way. He was the heart and soul of Derry City, and because he was, we will endeavour to continue on.

“Ryan epitomised everything about Derry, about what people are in Derry and the struggles they’ve had over the years. He was the guy, he was our leader, he was a true warrior.”

March 23

In scenes never to be forgotten, thousands of people attended Ryan’s funeral, which took place at the family church, St Columba's Long Tower, at 10am on the morning of March 23. Hundreds of people packed the chapel which overlooks the Candystripes' Brandywell stadium. President of Ireland Michael D Higgins was among the mourners.

Derry City team mates carry Ryan’s coffin on the morning of his funeral. (Photo: Oliver McVeigh / SPORTSFILE)

Ryan's team-mates formed a guard of honour for their skipper as he was carried into the church for Requiem Mass.

In an emotional poem Derry City manager Kenny Shiels told those gathered: "Ryan we love you with all of our heart. A giant so gentle, and now we’re apart. In your absence we will still play the game, but in your absence, it won’t be the same.”

In Derry City’s first game back at Maginn Park following Ryan’s death, the club paid tribute to Ryan. Local schoolchildren released red and white balloons into the night sky, each with Ryan’s name as 1600 fans chanted his name – Our Captain, Number 5, Ryan McBride’.