2025 SQUAD

[magspat]

When Eddie Mahon buys fort George sure he can rent it to DC.

[dcfc_jp_1989]

I think the complex is a great shout that wasteland to the right hand side of the Meadows? I think this is something the club are looking at

Its probably the most obvious of spots. I wouldn't have thought the wasteland beside the Meadows would be big enough for what Sean Barrett is describing I would've thought the land further down near Woodbrook on the pitch that was known as The Bara would be more spacious

This exactly wete Phil and Co where.

The Bara? A great location for development, great access & as someone else said a great catchment area

[Keyser Soze]

More importantly, what was Phil wearing?

[brandyball]

More importantly, what was Phil wearing?

A white helmet obviously.

[stevebradley]

Its probably the most obvious of spots. I wouldn't have thought the wasteland beside the Meadows would be big enough for what Sean Barrett is describing I would've thought the land further down near Woodbrook on the pitch that was known as The Bara would be more spacious

This exactly wete Phil and Co where.

The Bara? A great location for development, great access & as someone else said a great catchment area

Access and catchment area are important for a stadium, but not so much for an elite academy.

I've always thought a new multi-purpose civic stadium at the Complex made the most sense for the club's long-term future (that's where the access and catchment area would be helpful), but the clob has unfortunately let that ship sail.

Apparently POD owns some land down there already.

[stevebradley]

SB has suggested a stadium down that way but a training hub looking a bitter fit. Not too many sites that this remaining that ticks so many boxes.

Cheers Marco.

An academy is less restrictive re locations than a stadium is. It's not a mass attendance venue, so you don't have to worry as much about access etc. And any young Academy players with transport issues would presumably be helped out in that by the club.

I thought the Complex for the stadium and then the Brandywell for the Academy. But as mentioned - the club has zero interest in moving anywhyere, so that ship has now sailed. Though it still remains to be seen if Brandywell can be made a Category 4 stadium for group stage football (e.g. 150 VIP parking spaces, multiple TV studios etc)

[marcoloco]

SB has suggested a stadium down that way but a training hub looking a bitter fit. Not too many sites that this remaining that ticks so many boxes.

Cheers Marco.

An academy is less restrictive re locations than a stadium is. It's not a mass attendance venue, so you don't have to worry as much about access etc. And any young Academy players with transport issues would presumably be helped out in that by the club.

I thought the Complex for the stadium and then the Brandywell for the Academy. But as mentioned - the club has zero interest in moving anywhyere, so that ship has now sailed. Though it still remains to be seen if Brandywell can be made a Category 4 stadium for group stage football (e.g. 150 VIP parking spaces, multiple TV studios etc)

Templemore works as it opens up the Donegal hinterland for young players to attend training whilst also still living at home. The accessibility and convenience for those players (and their parents) would be greater at Templemore than say the Brandywell or Prehen - the other possible locations across the city. There's also a sense that Derry are a City side club so it also makes sense to keep their operations on that side of the river and not step on the toes of others. The offering at Templemore, with an abundance of land, does offer the opportunity for a new building and several pitches. So generally speaking the size of it also is favourable. If you built a new stadium down that way you end up building acres and acres of car parking just to accommodate 1 big game a fortnight. I'd rather see land used for pitches and facilities rather than more car parking.

[barry]

Has there been an update on our backroom team. I've heard Micky Hegarty has left, Fats supposedly returning as a coach. I suspect Loughery and Higgsy have gone with Higgins?

[marcoloco]

Maher re-signed until 2026. Happy days.

[brandyball]

Maher re-signed until 2026. Happy days.

Early Christmas Present.

[IfYouTolerateThis]

Maher re-signed until 2026. Happy days.

[marcoloco]

SB has suggested a stadium down that way but a training hub looking a bitter fit. Not too many sites that this remaining that ticks so many boxes.

Cheers Marco.

An academy is less restrictive re locations than a stadium is. It's not a mass attendance venue, so you don't have to worry as much about access etc. And any young Academy players with transport issues would presumably be helped out in that by the club.

I thought the Complex for the stadium and then the Brandywell for the Academy. But as mentioned - the club has zero interest in moving anywhyere, so that ship has now sailed. Though it still remains to be seen if Brandywell can be made a Category 4 stadium for group stage football (e.g. 150 VIP parking spaces, multiple TV studios etc)

I genuinely believe that all that will follow in a 4th stand project. When you consider the opportunities to extend that area behind the goals the options are endless. Still years away but we can dream.

[stevebradley]

SB has suggested a stadium down that way but a training hub looking a bitter fit. Not too many sites that this remaining that ticks so many boxes.

Cheers Marco.

An academy is less restrictive re locations than a stadium is. It's not a mass attendance venue, so you don't have to worry as much about access etc. And any young Academy players with transport issues would presumably be helped out in that by the club.

I thought the Complex for the stadium and then the Brandywell for the Academy. But as mentioned - the club has zero interest in moving anywhyere, so that ship has now sailed. Though it still remains to be seen if Brandywell can be made a Category 4 stadium for group stage football (e.g. 150 VIP parking spaces, multiple TV studios etc)

Templemore works as it opens up the Donegal hinterland for young players to attend training whilst also still living at home. The accessibility and convenience for those players (and their parents) would be greater at Templemore than say the Brandywell or Prehen - the other possible locations across the city. There's also a sense that Derry are a City side club so it also makes sense to keep their operations on that side of the river and not step on the toes of others. The offering at Templemore, with an abundance of land, does offer the opportunity for a new building and several pitches. So generally speaking the size of it also is favourable. If you built a new stadium down that way you end up building acres and acres of car parking just to accommodate 1 big game a fortnight. I'd rather see land used for pitches and facilities rather than more car parking.

On the Academy - realistically are there going to be Donegal players who would say yes to joining a Derry City Academy only if it was on the Buncrana Road? I doubt that severely myself. It's not as if that part of town is blessed with great public transport links (a handful of buses a day), or that Derry's a difficult place top drive across. In reality essentially every Donegal player using any Academy facility we have will be driven or driving themselves there. That's just the reality of this region. In which case it wouldn't matter if you were driving them to Templemore, the Brandywell or anywhere else - It's all just a difference of a few miles. So I thin k the 'Donegal access' point re a Templemore Academy is overstated to be honest. Beyond that, what will ensure Donegal players go to our Academy will be the quality of its facilities and the fact that we're the biggest club in the region. Not whether the McGonagles bus goes past the facility twice a day.

On the car parking requirements for a new stadium at Templemore - Translink are planning to open a large park and ride site along the Buncrana Road when it is eventually widened, as part of measures to get people out of cars and onto buses (we'll eventually be getting a Glider-type service in Derry along there, but not for a few decades realisticaly). It would make sense in such a built-up area for that to be bundled in with something else, rather than having a big tarmac commuter car park sitting under-used for the vast majority of the time. So by combining that with a civic stadium you'd kill two birds with the one stone, and ensure a Translink contribution towards the costs of the ovrall stadium development (i.e. by funding the car parking side of things). And it would also enable car-free access to matches there by having a cheap or free park and ride shuttle bus running there regularly from town (how are we gooing to accommodate 8,000 fans at games in the Bramdywell when most are driving?). But as stated, the club have no interest in anywhere other than the Brandywell (though how they're going to make it a Category 4 stadium, and where 8,000 fans will park, remains unclear).

[stevebradley]

SB has suggested a stadium down that way but a training hub looking a bitter fit. Not too many sites that this remaining that ticks so many boxes.

Cheers Marco.

An academy is less restrictive re locations than a stadium is. It's not a mass attendance venue, so you don't have to worry as much about access etc. And any young Academy players with transport issues would presumably be helped out in that by the club.

I thought the Complex for the stadium and then the Brandywell for the Academy. But as mentioned - the club has zero interest in moving anywhyere, so that ship has now sailed. Though it still remains to be seen if Brandywell can be made a Category 4 stadium for group stage football (e.g. 150 VIP parking spaces, multiple TV studios etc)

I genuinely believe that all that will follow in a 4th stand project. When you consider the opportunities to extend that area behind the goals the options are endless. Still years away but we can dream.

I can only see it happening if we get rid of the dog track. And the councillors bottled that decision back in 2016/17. We're not going to have 150 VIP spaces in that other stand, for example There also need to be things like 100 VIP seats, 3 camera platforms (we currently have none - the roof o the stand currenrtly being built would have been an ideal location for one), 10+ commentary positions, 30+ media desks, a much larger referee's dressing room etc. So you'd be placing a lot of requirements on just one small stand. Hopefully the finishing of the Mark Farren Stand will cover off some of these issues, but it would be good for the club to signal that they have identified a route to making Brandywell a Category 4 stadium. Otherwise we'll be on the road to Belfast or Dublin if/when we make group stage in Europe.

[dcfc_jp_1989]

Cheers Marco.

An academy is less restrictive re locations than a stadium is. It's not a mass attendance venue, so you don't have to worry as much about access etc. And any young Academy players with transport issues would presumably be helped out in that by the club.

I thought the Complex for the stadium and then the Brandywell for the Academy. But as mentioned - the club has zero interest in moving anywhyere, so that ship has now sailed. Though it still remains to be seen if Brandywell can be made a Category 4 stadium for group stage football (e.g. 150 VIP parking spaces, multiple TV studios etc)

Templemore works as it opens up the Donegal hinterland for young players to attend training whilst also still living at home. The accessibility and convenience for those players (and their parents) would be greater at Templemore than say the Brandywell or Prehen - the other possible locations across the city. There's also a sense that Derry are a City side club so it also makes sense to keep their operations on that side of the river and not step on the toes of others. The offering at Templemore, with an abundance of land, does offer the opportunity for a new building and several pitches. So generally speaking the size of it also is favourable. If you built a new stadium down that way you end up building acres and acres of car parking just to accommodate 1 big game a fortnight. I'd rather see land used for pitches and facilities rather than more car parking.

On the Academy - realistically are there going to be Donegal players who would say yes to joining a Derry City Academy only if it was on the Buncrana Road? I doubt that severely myself. It;s not as if that part of town is blessed with great public transport links (a handful of buses a day). So in reality almost evfery Donegal player using any Academy facility we hav ewill be driven or driving themslves. That's just the reality of this region. In which case it wouldnlt matter if you were driving them to Templemore, the Brandywlel or anywhere else. It's a;l just a difference of a few miles. Beyond that, what will ensure Doinegal players go to our Academy will be the quality of its facilities and the fact that we're the biggest club in the region. Not whetehr a McGonagles bus goes past it twice a day.

On the car parking requirements for a new stadium at Templemore - Translink are planning to open a large park and ride site along the Buncrana Road when it is eventually widened, as part fo measures to get people out of cars and onto buses (we'll eventually be getting a Glider-type service in Derry there, but not for a few decades rrealisticaly). It would make sense in such a built-up area for that to be bundled in with something else, rather than having a big commuter car park sitting undetr-used for most of the week. So by combining that with a civic stadium you'd kill two birds with the one stone,l and ensure a Translink contribution towards the costs. And it would car-free access to matches there so much easier by having a cheap or free park and ride shiuttle bus runing there regularly from town. But as stated, the club have no interest in anywhere other than the Brandywell (though how they're going to make it a Category 4 stadium, and where 8,000 fans are going to park to get there, remains very unclear).

I had a read at UEFA's stadium categories last night & I think if we managed to get the Brandywell to 8000 seated capacity UEFA would work with us on the other stuff (they worked with Larne to allow them to host their play-off & Sligo a few yrs ago to host their 3rd round tie). Not sure what the plans are for the Mark Farren stand extension but I'd assume it includes bigger & better hospitality spaces, surely there would be a room within it that could be transformed as a tv studio with a view of the pitch & I'd also hope it includes proper press facilities. The car parking is something that I feel could be easily managed, the Long Tower car park could be closed off & used as the VIP spaces whilst Foyleside with a possible shuttle bus to & from the Brandywell could be used for the spectators as we're not going to need 8000 car parking spaces

[Nige92]

Maher re-signed until 2026. Happy days.

The most important signing we'll make this off-season in my opinion. It would have been very difficult to find someone on Maher's level within our budget.

[marcoloco]

Cheers Marco.

An academy is less restrictive re locations than a stadium is. It's not a mass attendance venue, so you don't have to worry as much about access etc. And any young Academy players with transport issues would presumably be helped out in that by the club.

I thought the Complex for the stadium and then the Brandywell for the Academy. But as mentioned - the club has zero interest in moving anywhyere, so that ship has now sailed. Though it still remains to be seen if Brandywell can be made a Category 4 stadium for group stage football (e.g. 150 VIP parking spaces, multiple TV studios etc)

I genuinely believe that all that will follow in a 4th stand project. When you consider the opportunities to extend that area behind the goals the options are endless. Still years away but we can dream.

I can only see it happening if we get rid of the dog track. And the councillors bottled that decision back in 2016/17. We're not going to have 150 VIP spaces in that other stand, for example There also need to be things like 100 VIP seats, 3 camera platforms (we currently have none - the roof o the stand currenrtly being built would have been an ideal location for one), 10+ commentary positions, 30+ media desks, a much larger referee's dressing room etc. So you'd be placing a lot of requirements on just one small stand. Hopefully the finishing of the Mark Farren Stand will cover off some of these issues, but it would be good for the club to signal that they have identified a route to making Brandywell a Category 4 stadium. Otherwise we'll be on the road to Belfast or Dublin if/when we make group stage in Europe.

100% needs dogymen to move on.

I envisage a large 4th stand that will incorporates quite a bit of commercial floorspace and extend well into the showgrounds. The 50 odd dogymen will be long gone by then. I think the that type of larger development is premature for now. North stand and MF stand will naturally give us room to grow in the short to medium term.

[Keyser Soze]

How is the development of a new stadium being held to ransom by having to accommodate doggy men? What a joke. How have they so much power?

New Zealand banning the 'sport'. Hopefully will be followed here too some day.

I suppose when you don't own your own ground, you can order people out. But can the council not tell them they need to find an alternative venue as the long term plan is to have a 21st century modern stadium for the NW, and can't let a small group of people hold this back?

[stevebradley]

How is the development of a new stadium being held to ransom by having to accommodate doggy men? What a joke. How have they so much power?

New Zealand banning the 'sport'. Hopefully will be followed here too some day.

I suppose when you don't own your own ground, you can order people out. But can the council not tell them they need to find an alternative venue as the long term plan is to have a 21st century modern stadium for the NW, and can't let a small group of people hold this back?

That was the original plan when the Brandywell was refurbished - that the dog track would be relocated elsewhere, and the entire pitch would then be shunted further down a bit into that area. But councillors got leaned on and buckled (as they seem to do under even the slightest pressure tbh) so they got the council to retain the dog track aspect of the redevelopment insteadd. As a result, the proverbial tail of the dog track has wagged the entire Brandywell project design - and a vast sum of money has been spent on what we currently have accordingly.

In a functioning democracy you'd have a political party in charge of decisions who would have decided that the dog track should go elsewhere, and then stuck to their guns on that and ensured it was delivered. But under NI's system our councillors run nothing, and therefore have nothing they can use to justify seeking your vote - except to say' remember when you came to me about that issue and I got it sorted for you'. Which is what the councillors who the doggymen lobbied to get the plan changed could then say to them afterwards.

It all goes back to the fact that we don't own the stadium, so have no real control over what hapoens there. From plastic pitches to greyhound racing to not being abke to use the facility to make money for ourselves on non-matchdays. This is what our club is committed to for decades to come by refusing to consider alternative options re our stadium location. So we may as well all get used to it until something major changes.

[brandyball]

Looks like Shane Ferguson has signed.