Patterson joins Derry City
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Derry City have signalled their intent for a Premier Division challenge with the capture of Rory Patterson on a three year deal.
The club have also confirmed that David McDaid has committed his future at the Brandywell, signing on a new deal with the Candystripes.
Patterson who is from Strabane, cut short his loan deal with Linfield to sign on for the Candystripes and is Declan Devine’s first major signing since taking charge at Brandywell.
The 27 year old started his career with Rochdale but first came to prominence with FC United of Manchester scoring 107 goals in 126 appearances as the club was promoted three years in succession.
After spells with Bradford Park Avenue and Droylsden, Patterson returned to Northern Ireland and signed for Coleraine. He enjoyed a rich vein of form in the Irish League, scoring 30 times for the Bannsiders in the season.
He signed a pre-contract with Glentoran but was snapped up by Plymouth before he ever played for the Glens. The big striker struggled with a Plymouth side that was in freefall and returned to Linfield for a season long loan.
He has struggled with injury this season but showed that he is back to his best with a recent hat trick for the Blues in the win over Ballycare.
The big striker won several caps under Nigel Worthington and scored against Morocco in 2010. With Michael O’Neill promising to consider League of Ireland players, The Brandywell may provide the platform for the striker to force himself back into the international fold.
Following a succession of high profile exits from the Brandywell, City fans are bound to be excited by the arrival by Patterson and will hope he can replicate the goal tally of Eamon Zayed last season.
Linfield manager David Jeffrey said that the player leaves Linfield with their ‘full support’ and the club’s “best wishes”.
“Rory has considered not just the contractural and financial implications of the offers but also the practicalities of undertaking a 4 hour round trip to Windsor 3 times a week, as opposed to a shorter 15 minute drive to the Brandywell. Having weighed up all these considerations and factors, he has decided that it is in his best interests to sign for Derry City”, Jeffrey added.
“In his time here, he was totally commited to Linfield. He is a special talented player and the longer I got to know Rory, the more I knew what an absolutely solid character he is."
