Season Review 2016 - Derry City

Team:Derry City 

Manager: Kenny Shiels

Top Scorer: Rory Patterson (17)

Highest Attendance: 2500 (est) v Shamrock Rovers 

Lowest Attendance: 900 (est) v Bray Wanderers

Star Player: Aaron McEneff

This a very hard call. Kenny Shiels decided to place his faith in the youth talent throughout the season and it has paid off big time for the Candystripes. The likes of Conor McDermott has been superb at full-back, while the likes of Ronan Curtis, Patrick McClean, Nathan Boyle and Joshua Daniels have all played their role in the club’s success this campaign.

 To be quite honest, I can’t think of a player who hasn’t brought the fans some kind of joy from March until October. However, there is one player who stands out from the rest. Aaron McEneff didn’t get the start he would have wanted for his boyhood club last season, but he went another level this time around and has contributed with big goals and assists for the team this year when needed. Being asked to take on both attacking and defensive roles, he has all the qualities to be a real leader of any team one day and has shown that throughout the campaign with mature performances.

Best Young Player: Conor McDermott

 It has to be Conor McDermott. Dubbed a young Seamus Coleman by Dundalk midfielder Daryl Horgan, the full-back went from strength to strength this season and has really become a fan favourite amongst the supporters.

A defence with Conor McDermott is certainly a better, stronger defence for Derry, there can be no argument. The young talent has been touted for a possible big move across the water in the future by many of the supporters and media alike.

The 19-year-old, who was capped recently by the Northern Ireland Under 21’s team, will only get better and better under Kenny Shiels and he will be one to look out for next season. 

Best New Signing: Niclas Vemmelund

Again, this is another hard call because Kenny Shiels did a fantastic job in the market place this campaign.

Affordable, but quality acquisitions was the motto for the Derry manager as he has added strength and depth to the Derry City squad.

From Keith Ward, who was fantastic in spells for Derry after a difficult few seasons with injuries, to Lukas Schubert, who returned to football courageously after an 18-month layoff with heart complications put the Austrian’s football career on hold indefinitely.

The Candystripes were really unlucky in defence for their campaign as they lost their captain Ryan McBride and his defensive partner Aaron Barry half way through the season. Shiels brought inreinforcements, but they too struggled with injuries and failed to adapt quickly enough.

That’s why Niclas Vemmelund has been the best new signing for Derry City. The Danish defender expected to play in the full-back role for Derry for much of the season, but he alongside Dean Jarvis were forced into a central defensive partnership at times and they did a fantastic job overall. Vemmelund looks like he has adapted well to life at the club and the city and has been a valuable asset to Derry for most of the season.

His fabulous performances turned a lot of heads and Derry City will do well to keep the defender when the transfer market opens before the start of the new season in February.

What we expected they would do:

This season the club needed one thing and that was major stability. After a rocky few seasons flirting with the bottom of the table, Kenny Shiels has brought the Candystripes back to where they belong, however, that’s not what I predicted in my mid-season report in June.

Narrowly missing out on a Europa League place was the call from myself and a missed opportunity to sign former Derry star Paddy McCourt was questioned by many including myself, but Shiels has stuck to his instinct and he has proved to everyone why he is arguably one of the best manager in the country. 

What they actually did:

The Candystripes finished in third place quite comfortably in the end. A return to European football next year for them and most impressively quite a few young local men helped the club achieve their success this season, which is a bonus for the supporters and for the club. 

What they need to improve on for next year:

Derry haven’t done a lot wrong this season. They have only been beaten five times in the league all campaign, but if there was a problem it was the draws that let Derry down. Not the worst problem for Kenny Shiels and his coaching staff to fix and they will be very confident they will be able to eradicate those problems during pre-season. 

#GreatestLeagueInTheWorld moment of season:

I would say a collection of moments throughout the season led to the best moment the club and fans have had for a long time. Playing attractive attacking football brought delight to many Derry City supporters this season, and now they can look forward to watching that side playing European football next season.