Derry City manager Kenny Shiels
DERRY City FC are to launch their first of many new ‘footballing satellite centres’ throughout the North West.
The search kicks off in Killygordon, Co Donegal this evening, Monday February 1 at 6.30 pm.
The centres will be based to get the best young talented players from their respective clubs throughout the North West area, to train and eventually one day possibly play for Derry City.
“We’re starting our first satellite centre in Killygordon in Donegal to nurture young players without any commitment,” said boss Kenny Shiels.
“Our aim is simply to nurture them and nourish them in a way in which we feel will help them in the professional game.
“It’s to try and promote the Derry City badge.
“We’re doing it to have an affinity with the best young players in that part of Donegal and Strabane and Castlederg and the rest of that whole area. We just want to connect with that part of the country.
“The whole youth staffing such as John Quigg, Hugh Harkin, Eddie Seydak and Gary Duffy have all been involved.
“We’ve met and we’ve spoken about it and we feel it is the way forward. It will be reciprocated in Derry.
“It’s not just Donegal, it’s about both areas. We’ve been having chats with the Derry and District Youth League and that’s the next stage for us.
“Looking at the first team squad, we don’t have any players from Limavady, Dungiven, Greysteel, Eglinton, Park or Feeney; we have no players from there and I’m sure there are a lot of really good young soccer players in those areas.
“The programme we are trying to put in place is to capture all the best young players, not for now, but for the future.”
