Derry City - semi professional?

**Paddyfield** · 19/09/2006, 6:07 PM

I thought that Derry City had gone full time but I met a wee man from Derry today who told me otherwise. All of the players are based in the vicinity of Derry but most have other jobs. Is this true?

.

**monzo** · 19/09/2006, 6:13 PM

iirc, I'm open to correction of course, most of their players are full time with the exception of a few.

**Sniffer** · 19/09/2006, 6:29 PM

Read the other day that Liam Beckett is the obligatory postman. Apparently French TV followed him as he readied himself for work at 4am or somesuch ungodly hour pre UEFA Cup last week.
WARNING:

NO 'BECKETT DELIVERS GOODS' 'BECKETT STAMPS AUTHORITY' etc. comments.

Read McHugh commenting on getting some sort of business up and running and how it affected his early season form also.

**Sniffer** · 19/09/2006, 6:30 PM

Thought the same about Cork but heard that Billy Woods is a car salesman and Joe Gamble works in a menswear shop?

**Krstic** · 19/09/2006, 6:35 PM

It's Gary Beckett.

And Derry City's players are not full-time, although they do train every day and are expected to adopt a professional attitude.

Most player have jobs.

Beckett-Postman
Hutton-Training to be a Social Worker
Martyn-Sells mortgages
Delaney-Accountant

Those are the ones I know.

**Sniffer** · 19/09/2006, 6:40 PM

[QUOTE=Krstic;538269]It's Gary Beckett.

Yep, brainfart.

**steno** · 19/09/2006, 7:10 PM

Originally Posted by Sniffer

Thought the same about Cork but heard that Billy Woods is a car salesman and Joe Gamble works in a menswear shop?

Think Joe Gamble and Neal Fenn own two clothes shops in Cork, read that somewhere and I think I heard that from a cork city fan I used to work with when I lived down there.

**Aaron** · 19/09/2006, 7:12 PM

Kevin McHugh works in a computer firm in Letterkenny last I heard. As far as i know Darren Kelly, Steve O'Flynn, Killian Brennan and Ruiadhri Higgins are full time.

**ger121** · 19/09/2006, 9:20 PM

So would the bulk of the team be fulltime and then some who have jobs which they don't want to or can't leave?

**A face** · 19/09/2006, 9:23 PM

Originally Posted by Sniffer

Thought the same about Cork but heard that Billy Woods is a car salesman and Joe Gamble works in a menswear shop?

Billy is the only one now .... Joe owns that shop with Neale fenn, they dont work in it (although they probably drop in all the time, its their shop)

**OneRedArmy** · 19/09/2006, 9:49 PM

A lot are full-time students, which as everyone knows, is anything but full-time.

**pete** · 19/09/2006, 9:57 PM

Originally Posted by A face

Billy is the only one now .... Joe owns that shop with Neale fenn, they dont work in it (although they probably drop in all the time, its their shop)

Yeah City have maybe 18 fulltime pros. Billy is the car salesman, Colin O'Brien is FAI regional coach, Neal Horgan trainee solicitor/barrister...

**Mr A** · 20/09/2006, 1:52 AM

McHugh work for Donegal County Council and owns a couple of sports shops as well.

I think the confusion sometimes arises due to two definitions of full-time clubs, one that means clubs with mostly full-time (professional) players and one that refers to clubs paying 52 weeks a year.

**Risteard** · 20/09/2006, 9:52 PM

I think Neal Horgan is full-time now as all his exams are done.
Someone told me recently that Billy Woods trains with the young fellas 2 or 3 nights a week and then Thursday mornings with the first team..

garyderry · 20/09/2006, 9:57 PM

Originally Posted by Galway Harps

McHugh work for Donegal County Council and owns a couple of sports shops as well.

I think the confusion sometimes arises due to two definitions of full-time clubs, one that means clubs with mostly full-time (professional) players and one that refers to clubs paying 52 weeks a year.

Did he not take a career breal to go full-time with derry and see how it goes? Though i think he still puts in the hours in his shops too