2025 Arrivals and Departures

[Nesta99]

Benson sort of makes a kind of sense. I'd be a wee bit worried about Derry's midfield being light on numbers and light on creativity with Patching and Fats gone. But yeah, this could also be another player that other teams have already had the best of.

Just had a wee reckoning with how old I'm getting. Saw Benson's birth year as 1992 and thought "ah, he's only a boy" before realising that that makes him 32 and makes me... older.

All life in Ireland began at Euro 88 surely....I struggle with people knowing nothing of Euro 88 and Italia 90!!

Unless Benson has a real new lease of life I dont think he has the legs to be that midfielder that arrives late etc. That or he was just going through the motions last season at Dundalk.

[oriel]

With Patching and Kelly moving on Derry were a bit light in the ex Dundalk players front ! I think he's a better LB now, played there a good bit last 2 seasons for DFC.

[2 Year Contract]

With Patching and Kelly moving on Derry were a bit light in the ex Dundalk players front ! I think he's a better LB now, played there a good bit last 2 seasons for DFC.
Unlikely he’d ever play left back for Derry with Shane Ferguson and Ben Doherty in the squad

[Burnsie]

You're correct, going by their guidelines it should be possible now. I do find that a lot of the people on there that approve articles have an incredible sense of authority and general arsiness about them.

Despite the league not being fully professional up to this point, you can still get an article through for players that have only played LOI in their senior career, so long as it’s well referenced and there are a decent amount of articles with them in national papers that you can link. For example the likes of Jay McClelland, Anto Breslin, Jamie Lennon, Greg Bolger etc all have one.

Here’s a Sean Boyd article I created yesterday after seeing your post here. Will do a few more if I have time

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Se%C3%A1n_Boyd_(footballer)

outstanding work. I'm sure there are nerds supporting each club who could happily fill out their squads over the coming weeks

[Shearer]

Was mentioned in Kerry's Eye ?that James Sugrue was leaving, so interesting McCarthy wasn't long filling in the gap.
So Collopy is the manager? Because Sugrue was the previous manager.

[Nesta99]

Unlikely he’d ever play left back for Derry with Shane Ferguson and Ben Doherty in the squad

I think that was more tongue in cheek, that he's been better at LB than an effective midfielder in recent years. New club could be what he needs and finishes his career on a high but at face value his impact was much diminished of recent when people hoped he could step up a lead by example, driving on a side as he had in the past, but there was no sign of that player. t will be interesting to see if he was just tired of the mess at Dundalk or isnt the same player.

[brendy_éire]

Benson sort of makes a kind of sense. I'd be a wee bit worried about Derry's midfield being light on numbers and light on creativity with Patching and Fats gone. But yeah, this could also be another player that other teams have already had the best of.

Always been a huge fan of Robbie Benson, and, taken in isolation, I'd be happy to have him. As pointed out though, it's starting to look like a old squad we're putting together.

Rumours of a few trialists tomorrow, including a Dutch lad and an Austrian. How exotic.
Though not sure how much you could judge anyone from playing in a half-frozen Finn Park in January.

[nigel-harps1954]

Always been a huge fan of Robbie Benson, and, taken in isolation, I'd be happy to have him. As pointed out though, it's starting to look like a old squad we're putting together.

Rumours of a few trialists tomorrow, including a Dutch lad and an Austrian. How exotic.
Though not sure how much you could judge anyone from playing in a half-frozen Finn Park in January.

*Fully frozen.

[oriel]

Dundalk have offered towell a deal, where on earth are they getting all this bread from?

Just saying to a mate earlier today, we must try this almost going out of business lark again some time - great bunch of lads !

I don't think he will sign though, seems he has a few other offers. Not sure where mind.

[oriel]

Always been a huge fan of Robbie Benson, and, taken in isolation, I'd be happy to have him. As pointed out though, it's starting to look like a old squad we're putting together.

Rumours of a few trialists tomorrow, including a Dutch lad and an Austrian. How exotic.
Though not sure how much you could judge anyone from playing in a half-frozen Finn Park in January.

He did very little last season, but he was far from alone on that front, to be fair the off field nonsense as many managers as wins, circus stuff, would bring anyone down, he still has a fair bit left in the tank and a new club (better) and staying in PD will probably freshen him up, good move for both. He was exceptional and what a double signing he was with McEleney when they joined to strengthen the double winning squad of 2015 to start again in 2016. What days they were.

He played a massive part in the SK era success.

[Nesta99]

Just saying to a mate earlier today, we must try this almost going out of business lark again some time - great bunch of lads !

I don't think he will sign though, seems he has a few other offers. Not sure where mind.

It would be no surprise that he falls in to the being paid by someone else category. Its a strange and long term thing that instead of sponsoring the club directly that there are businesses in Dundalk that will only sponsor the wages of certain players, marquee players that the manaer doesnt necessarily want. Oriel who was the player and when, signed back to the club, manager regularly left him sitting in the stand (was it under Foster? maybe a scottish player?). Horgan's wages are supposedly being paid by a sponsor, and there are plenty of other examples over the years. It happens elswhere, Id say Keith Gillespie was the highest profile of all over the years. How it fits in to licencing would be interesting to see eg how its accounted for in the books, does it impact on who is the actual employer, does a company hand over sponsor money and the dictate how its spent etc. Very GLITW type stuff....

[oriel]

It would be no surprise that he falls in to the being paid by someone else category. Its a strange and long term thing that instead of sponsoring the club directly that there are businesses in Dundalk that will only sponsor the wages of certain players, marquee players that the manaer doesnt necessarily want. Oriel who was the player and when, signed back to the club, manager regularly left him sitting in the stand (was it under Foster? maybe a scottish player?). Horgan's wages are supposedly being paid by a sponsor, and there are plenty of other examples over the years. It happens elswhere, Id say Keith Gillespie was the highest profile of all over the years. How it fits in to licencing would be interesting to see eg how its accounted for in the books, does it impact on who is the actual employer, does a company hand over sponsor money and the dictate how its spent etc. Very GLITW type stuff....


Some amount of turnover during Fozzy era, was it Alex Williams - who incidently ended up behind bars in Scot, or Michael McGowan, not sure, but also heard Horgan wages are covered by outside of DFC party.

[trevy]

Waterford signed 2 goalkeepers and a full back in the last week. Bradley Wade ex CorkCity and Stephen McMullen on loan from Fleetwood are the keepers.
Navajo Bakboord is the new right back and was with Heracles in the Netherlands. He came through Ajax academy and has been capped at underage level with Netherlands and senior level with Surinam.
He's an interesting signing and second player signed from Dutch football lately.

[A N Mouse]

Always been a huge fan of Robbie Benson, and, taken in isolation, I'd be happy to have him. As pointed out though, it's starting to look like a old squad we're putting together.

Rumours of a few trialists tomorrow, including a Dutch lad and an Austrian. How exotic.
Though not sure how much you could judge anyone from playing in a half-frozen Finn Park in January.

Could we actually sign them though? Has something changed in terms of UK work permits? They based at English parent club? Or we now giving trials to underage internationals?

[Another Bohemia]

Could we actually sign them though? Has something changed in terms of UK work permits? They based at English parent club? Or we now giving trials to underage internationals?

Honestly if yous are giving trials to players who you can't get a work permit for then you have bigger problems than an aging squad. Are there any defined footballing structures on DCFC or is it very dependent on the manager to organise players and the like?

[2 Year Contract]

*Fully frozen.
Correct! Game not going ahead

[sbgawa]

Johny kenny on yhe bench for celtic today against ross county. Looking unlikely he will be coming back but some hope maybe he comes back until July maybe....

[Jack B]

Looks like Michael Noonan is off to Rovers from Pats, or at least until he then moves to Man City which seems to be the plan. Hasn't signed pro terms with us yet and apparently his family are big Rovers fans.

See that Derry have announced Whyte and Boyce. The former looks a good signing, though with Boyce I'm not sure I get the point given his age and injury record at a presumably high cost when you've already got Hoban and Mullan there as strikers. The Benson one is a bit of a head-scratcher also for me if it happens. Saw a lot of talk from Derry fans about how an overhaul of the squad was or at least should be on the cards but it just seems like they're continuing in the same vein they had been only with a different manager.

[sbgawa]

Noonan is a great signing for us, surprised to see him leaving Pats though

[sbgawa]

Kenny misses a sitter from 3 yards....might be back yet

[Nesta99]

Some amount of turnover during Fozzy era, was it Alex Williams - who incidently ended up behind bars in Scot, or Michael McGowan, not sure, but also heard Horgan wages are covered by outside of DFC party.

McGowan it was! Probably the bizzarest player situation ever at Dundalk which considering we flew an injured Iain Ferguson in weekly just for matchnights to sit in the stand it says plenty!

[Nesta99]

Honestly if yous are giving trials to players who you can't get a work permit for then you have bigger problems than an aging squad. Are there any defined footballing structures on DCFC or is it very dependent on the manager to organise players and the like?

If they were to live in Donegal, fixed abode with name on a long term house lease etc. Could they train/play ie work in Derry under the CTA. Is there a loophole as Id know a few EU people that live in Dundalk but work in Newry and they'd not have been here when EU nationals resident in the UK had a bunch of paperwork to fill, pre Brexit resident in Ireland etc.

[Another Bohemia]

If they were to live in Donegal, fixed abode with name on a long term house lease etc. Could they train/play ie work in Derry under the CTA. Is there a loophole as Id know a few EU people that live in Dundalk but work in Newry and they'd not have been here when EU nationals resident in the UK had a bunch of paperwork to fill, pre Brexit resident in Ireland etc.

No idea but if it was as simple as that I have no idea why Higgins was complaining last season

[placid casual]

Great bit of business if Rovers can this done .
His family are staunch Rovers.
Hopefully it can make up for us letting Sam Curtis go the other way.
https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-41551825.html

[DCSIL]

Liam Boyce in the door at Derry on a 2 year deal subject to the Ballybofey accounts association reading the contract first

[EalingGreen]

See that Derry have announced Whyte and Boyce. The former looks a good signing, though with Boyce I'm not sure I get the point given his age and injury record at a presumably high cost when you've already got Hoban and Mullan there as strikers.Assuming he settles (only left Pompey for family reasons), GW can rip up the LOI, since he's English Championship standard.

As for Boyce, normally I'd be inclined to agree (esp re injury), except that Hearts fans are saying that since he came into the team recently in place of Shankland, he's been excellent. And since he never had any pace, his age need not be a problem.

And if Shane Ferguson still has some fuel left in the tank (unsure), he should be a good signing for the LOI, for a season or two at least.

[2 Year Contract]

Looks like Michael Noonan has done a reverse Sam Curtis and gone from Pats to rovers before he signed his first pro deal. Saw something on Twitter linking Pats to Conor Carty, would make sense as a third option up top with Noonan gone.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-41551825.html

[Nesta99]

Lynch hasnt done a whole lot wrong as a manaer albeit there is still time, so as long as the squad has some balance to it! I didnt like the P6 indication that players over 27 were not to be significant targets for Dundalk when some players like Gaffney were well in to their 30s and could be a top target and that age isnt everything if a particular type of player including leadership stuff, is needed.

[TonyD]

Looks like Michael Noonan has done a reverse Sam Curtis and gone from Pats to rovers before he signed his first pro deal. Saw something on Twitter linking Pats to Conor Carty, would make sense as a third option up top with Noonan gone.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/arid-41551825.html

Would be happy enough to take Conor Carthy back. In the mid to longer term it might even be preferable to keeping Noonan, who seems set to go to the UK sooner rather than later.

[Shearer]

Mikey Place gone from Ballymena to Harps.

[joey B]

Sligo Rovers sign New Zealander Oskar van Hattum….

[joey B]

Patrick Ferry re-signs for Harps ..

[culloty82]

Alex Dunne signs for Kerry - plenty of minutes for UCD last season, and also for Rovers in 2022, so certainly looks somewhat of a coup on paper, at least. Daniel Okwute has also re-signed.

[oriel]

If they were to live in Donegal, fixed abode with name on a long term house lease etc. Could they train/play ie work in Derry under the CTA. Is there a loophole as Id know a few EU people that live in Dundalk but work in Newry and they'd not have been here when EU nationals resident in the UK had a bunch of paperwork to fill, pre Brexit resident in Ireland etc.

These guys must not be very good at economics, have family in Newry, anyone with sense would look to work in Dundalk (15 mins drive) and earn 30-40% more, same as folk in Derry/ Donegal if opportunities. Was a story a few years ago, an entire hospital ward moved from Derry NHS to Letterkenny HSE, got 30% min 'rise' and most had very little change to their commute. A huge amount who live in Newry work in Dub / DLK, far better wages.

Back to LOI, not sure I can see Towell back to Dundalk, seemingly he has 2 better offers from PD clubs, assuming none of the top 4, that would leave Waterford or Galway and not sure Bohs interested, can't see him going to Sligo, but maybe wild card in Cork C ? Has he one last year in PD or does he want to go out all guns blazing where it all started in LOI?

As always will all depend on $$$$, if I was a player of his age I'd probably be looking at one last decent contract, then move into coaching.

[brendy_éire]

Mikey Place gone from Ballymena to Harps.

Was he injured this season, or just not getting on at Ballymena? Always thought he looked decent enough.

[brendy_éire]

Assuming he settles (only left Pompey for family reasons), GW can rip up the LOI, since he's English Championship standard.

As for Boyce, normally I'd be inclined to agree (esp re injury), except that Hearts fans are saying that since he came into the team recently in place of Shankland, he's been excellent. And since he never had any pace, his age need not be a problem.

And if Shane Ferguson still has some fuel left in the tank (unsure), he should be a good signing for the LOI, for a season or two at least.

I'd generally agree with that. Happy that Whyte has signed a three year contract especially.
Also, and maybe it's fine, but are we paying a clean fortune for these lads? Rumours that Coleraine were offering £3k a week to Whyte, which sounds utterly preposterous, yes, but probably still less than was he was getting across the water. Maybe we outbid them?

Slightly aside, but Coleraine, with Henry Ross and his backers, seem to be throwing the money around these days.

[joey B]

Was he injured this season, or just not getting on at Ballymena? Always thought he looked decent enough.

Could be useful in the First division with his pace and scored a few for us there a few seasons ago,hasn’t seemed to have been up to Premier division level in the north looking at his goal return for Ballymena …..

[Nesta99]

These guys must not be very good at economics, have family in Newry, anyone with sense would look to work in Dundalk (15 mins drive) and earn 30-40% more, same as folk in Derry/ Donegal if opportunities. Was a story a few years ago, an entire hospital ward moved from Derry NHS to Letterkenny HSE, got 30% min 'rise' and most had very little change to their commute. A huge amount who live in Newry work in Dub / DLK, far better wages.

Back to LOI, not sure I can see Towell back to Dundalk, seemingly he has 2 better offers from PD clubs, assuming none of the top 4, that would leave Waterford or Galway and not sure Bohs interested, can't see him going to Sligo, but maybe wild card in Cork C ? Has he one last year in PD or does he want to go out all guns blazing where it all started in LOI?

As always will all depend on $$$$, if I was a player of his age I'd probably be looking at one last decent contract, then move into coaching.

They travelled over and stay with family that were already in Dundalk, Newry just happened to be where they got work. It could make economic sense to live in the North and work in the South but is it allowed if not 'native' and new to either jursdidction?

[Jack B]

Assuming he settles (only left Pompey for family reasons), GW can rip up the LOI, since he's English Championship standard.

As for Boyce, normally I'd be inclined to agree (esp re injury), except that Hearts fans are saying that since he came into the team recently in place of Shankland, he's been excellent. And since he never had any pace, his age need not be a problem.

And if Shane Ferguson still has some fuel left in the tank (unsure), he should be a good signing for the LOI, for a season or two at least.

Yeah i think as far as safe bets go Whyte is up there and looks a great signing, not arguing there.

Just not yet convinced by what Derry are doing generally though. Coming from someone that expected them to challenge/win in in previous seasons and has been underwhelmed by them (as I'd obviously rather them do so than Rovers/Shels). Maybe for the reasons you say Boyce will be a good signing, but there's still question marks and even in the case that he's a success that presumably writes off Hoban because I can't see how they play together, in which case that's their previous marquee signing chalked up as a disappointment because he's suddenly exchanging minutes with another striker of similar profile.

Ferguson is a wing back, a position that lends itself to athleticism, but is relatively old and lacking in minutes considering this, plus they already have a top player in the position there in Doherty. They were already underperforming relative to their position but given what was expected of them I'd be especially surprised that Derry have gone down the route they have if they also sign Benson.

[2 Year Contract]

Alex Dunne signs for Kerry - plenty of minutes for UCD last season, and also for Rovers in 2022, so certainly looks somewhat of a coup on paper, at least. Daniel Okwute has also re-signed.

Dunne was at UCD in 2022 also, not rovers. He came through rovers academy but didn’t feature for the first team

[patsdad]

Best of luck to Michael Noonan. He’s certainly a very hot prospect but at this stage of his career he’d have been unlikely to even be on the bench at St Pats with Melia and Keena covering the sole striker position. It’s being reported that Rocers have guaranteed him first team football to get his signature. That’s surprising to be honest.

[nigel-harps1954]

Was he injured this season, or just not getting on at Ballymena? Always thought he looked decent enough.

Been used as a right back at Ballymena. Only a handful of games and just wasn't fancied by the look of things. Should be a useful addition at Harps and versatility will be key with a small squad and a lot of young players.

[placid casual]

Best of luck to Michael Noonan. He’s certainly a very hot prospect but at this stage of his career he’d have been unlikely to even be on the bench at St Pats with Melia and Keena covering the sole striker position. It’s being reported that Rocers have guaranteed him first team football to get his signature. That’s surprising to be honest.
The only players guaranteed 1st team football at Rovers next season would be Pico and Watts.
Everyone else would need to fight for their place.
Noonan is a prospect and nothing more,but we'll see if he does enough at Rovers to further his career

[patsdad]

The only players guaranteed 1st team football at Rovers next season would be Pico and Watts.
Everyone else would need to fight for their place.
Noonan is a prospect and nothing more,but we'll see if he does enough at Rovers to further his career

Yes, that's exactly what I'd have thought but according to the Examiner it's the reason being given by his family for him going to Rovers. Apparently the same money was available to him from Pats.

[TonyD]

Yes, that's exactly what I'd have thought but according to the Examiner it's the reason being given by his family for him going to Rovers. Apparently the same money was available to him from Pats.

I read somewhere that his family are big Rovers fans, so that may be a factor. I’d also be very surprised if Rovers are offering a 16 year old (or has he turned 17 ?) guaranteed first team football. Given that Man City are allegedly interested it looks like only a matter of time before he goes across the water anyway. I’m hoping we’ll have Mason Melia for the season, and would be happy enough to see Conor Carthy return as rumoured.

[joey B]

Jack Doherty rupturing his Achilles Tendon is terrible luck for the player and Cobh…..

[desaintsno.12]

The only players guaranteed 1st team football at Rovers next season would be Pico and Watts.
Everyone else would need to fight for their place.
Noonan is a prospect and nothing more,but we'll see if he does enough at Rovers to further his career

delighted to hear that about Lopes.

[2 Year Contract]

Derry apparently on the verge of signing a 4th ex NI international of the window in Carl Winchester from Shrewsbury Town. Turns 32 in April so continues the age profile of the other signings too

[EalingGreen]

Derry apparently on the verge of signing a 4th ex NI international of the window in Carl Winchester from Shrewsbury Town. Turns 32 in April so continues the age profile of the other signings tooSeems clear that Doherty is going for it this season.

Which probably suits Tiernan too, since while an owner can afford to think long-term, managers cannot, they're inevitably under pressure to produce within a year or two or they'll get the chop anyhow.

[RealJohn91]

Derry linked with 32 year old Danny Devine too who's a defender with Inverness.