JAMES McCLEAN LEFT Derry City for Sunderland in August 2011.
England rioted.
The two events were not connected, even if it would feel over the next 15 years that this son of Creggan was a lightning rod for the very worst doses inflicted by Little In-ger-lund syndrome.
No, English cities were already burning due to a week of what The Guardian described as “the largest civil unrest the UK has seen for a generation.”
The killing of Mark Duggan by police in North London was the catalyst for violence, with looting and arson spreading north, beyond Birmingham to Manchester and Liverpool.
On social media platforms – still relatively new among sports people despite growth to 100 million active users per month – players like Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney despaired at the scenes. Indeed, a midweek friendly at Wembley between England and the Netherlands had to be postponed and Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League game with Everton at White Hart Lane also had to be rearranged as buildings in the area were destroyed.
The scenes dominated the front pages in Ireland, too, along with the 2011 Presidential campaign.
Michael D Higgins was deemed one of the favourites in the race but Fianna Faíl had an apparent ace up their sleeve with a celebrity candidate. “FF support me but I am ‘independent’, ran the headline quoting Gay Byrne in the Irish Independent on 10 August.
An earlier poll had also determined that the former Late Late Show host was out in front with 34% of any potential vote and the Sunday Independent described him as “the new people’s choice for President.”
By 11 August the tide was turning somewhat as “Gaybo takes a cut at ‘mad’ EU chiefs” was the Indo headline, with the veteran broadcaster reported to have “unleashed a stinging attack on the European Union, saying the country is being run by ‘mad people in Brussels’.”
Twenty four hours later and Fianna Fáil TDs were maintaining that Byrne was “in a strong position” to become president.
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James McClean (left) in action a Margaret McLaughlin / INPHO
Margaret McLaughlin / INPHO / INPHO
By 13 August, friends were now saying he was not prepared to run, and in that Saturday’s Independent the front page had a blurb for the cover of the Weekend Review with a photograph of a vacant looking Gaybo and a blunt headline: “Where did all his money go?”
He confirmed that weekend that he would not be running and in the days that followed it was reported that legendary GAA commentator Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh was contemplating stepping into the breach as an independent. Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin was now under pressure after his bid to convince Gaybo failed.
Lessons were learned, of course.
While so much of the focus was on these social and political stories – spheres McClean would not shy away from as he found his voice in England – the 22-year-old winger’s move to Sunderland was not just a big deal because of the initial €400,000 transfer fee.
It may have been more than double what Shelbourne got for Wes Hoolahan from Livingston but it was still less than the €500,000 Birmingham City paid St Patrick’s Athletic for Keith Fahey.
Sunderland also held the League of Ireland transfer record at this point when they prised striker Roy O’Donovan away from Cork City for a reported €600,000.
This week in August 2011 was also of significance because just as McClean was about to take flight for the Premier League, he also informed then Northern Ireland international manager Nigel Worthington that he did not wish to be considered for the senior team after a brief foray with the U21s.
Still, the talk was not of McClean using it as instant springboard into the Republic set-up under boss Giovanni Trapattoni.
A case in point, Shane Long had just become West Bromwich Albion’s record signing – £7 million – for boss Roy Hodgson but the Tipperary man was still vying for trust and recognition in a green jersey.
The fact record goal scorer Robbie Keane also headed to America that week to join David Beckham at LA Galaxy in Major League soccer did not make Trap’ consider a changing of the guard.
And by the time Ireland qualified for Euro 2012 the following year McClean had indeed forced his way into the squad for those championships in Poland and Ukraine.
Fifteen years on, he returns to Derry City as an international centurion with 103 caps. He is a husband and a father of four children.
McClean will turn 37 on April 22, two days before the Candystripes host champions Shamrock Rovers. Not at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium – named in honour of McClean’s former teammate and club captain who passed away in sleep – but in the nearby GAA ground Celtic Park.
Derry’s new training base is also an example in co-operation with Derry GAA after they agreed to allow the use of their facility at Owenbeg.
From left: Derry City chairman Philip O'Doherty, James McClean, and manager Tiernan Lynch. Lorcan Doherty / INPHO
Lorcan Doherty / INPHO / INPHO
Derry then to Derry may feel like a different club but the influence of Philip O’Doherty remains steadfast.
The billionaire businessman, who has retired from the engineering industry from which he made his fortune, spoke to the Derry Journal just this week to explain how he will be “full-time now with the club” and have a much more hands on approach as “more like an executive chairman.”
O’Doherty said the aim is to win the Premier Division title – as McClean stated at his unveiling – and that he will be dealing more with manager Tiernan Lynch as they bid to secure the club’s third crown after 29 years.
“The cheque book is there. There was a budget larger than last year’s set and it was near enough spent out but then James McClean was available and all of a sudden I found all the money under my bed and the cheque book wasn’t closed. No, it was never closed,” O’Doherty told the Derry Journal.
“I’m dealing with Tiernan and getting players out and players in. I will be consulting with James (McClean) as well because he has a huge amount of knowledge, information and contacts as well which will help myself and Tiernan.”
Those contacts have been gathered in the 15 years since that week in 2011 when McClean stood at the mouth of the Foyle and bid farewell to the soil.
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James McClean aiming to bring joy back home in Derry as City aim for League of Ireland title
JAMES McCLEAN LEFT Derry City for Sunderland in August 2011.
England rioted.
The two events were not connected, even if it would feel over the next 15 years that this son of Creggan was a lightning rod for the very worst doses inflicted by Little In-ger-lund syndrome.
No, English cities were already burning due to a week of what The Guardian described as “the largest civil unrest the UK has seen for a generation.”
The killing of Mark Duggan by police in North London was the catalyst for violence, with looting and arson spreading north, beyond Birmingham to Manchester and Liverpool.
On social media platforms – still relatively new among sports people despite growth to 100 million active users per month – players like Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney despaired at the scenes. Indeed, a midweek friendly at Wembley between England and the Netherlands had to be postponed and Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League game with Everton at White Hart Lane also had to be rearranged as buildings in the area were destroyed.
The scenes dominated the front pages in Ireland, too, along with the 2011 Presidential campaign.
Michael D Higgins was deemed one of the favourites in the race but Fianna Faíl had an apparent ace up their sleeve with a celebrity candidate. “FF support me but I am ‘independent’, ran the headline quoting Gay Byrne in the Irish Independent on 10 August.
An earlier poll had also determined that the former Late Late Show host was out in front with 34% of any potential vote and the Sunday Independent described him as “the new people’s choice for President.”
By 11 August the tide was turning somewhat as “Gaybo takes a cut at ‘mad’ EU chiefs” was the Indo headline, with the veteran broadcaster reported to have “unleashed a stinging attack on the European Union, saying the country is being run by ‘mad people in Brussels’.”
Twenty four hours later and Fianna Fáil TDs were maintaining that Byrne was “in a strong position” to become president.
By 13 August, friends were now saying he was not prepared to run, and in that Saturday’s Independent the front page had a blurb for the cover of the Weekend Review with a photograph of a vacant looking Gaybo and a blunt headline: “Where did all his money go?”
He confirmed that weekend that he would not be running and in the days that followed it was reported that legendary GAA commentator Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh was contemplating stepping into the breach as an independent. Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin was now under pressure after his bid to convince Gaybo failed.
Lessons were learned, of course.
While so much of the focus was on these social and political stories – spheres McClean would not shy away from as he found his voice in England – the 22-year-old winger’s move to Sunderland was not just a big deal because of the initial €400,000 transfer fee.
It may have been more than double what Shelbourne got for Wes Hoolahan from Livingston but it was still less than the €500,000 Birmingham City paid St Patrick’s Athletic for Keith Fahey.
Sunderland also held the League of Ireland transfer record at this point when they prised striker Roy O’Donovan away from Cork City for a reported €600,000.
This week in August 2011 was also of significance because just as McClean was about to take flight for the Premier League, he also informed then Northern Ireland international manager Nigel Worthington that he did not wish to be considered for the senior team after a brief foray with the U21s.
Still, the talk was not of McClean using it as instant springboard into the Republic set-up under boss Giovanni Trapattoni.
A case in point, Shane Long had just become West Bromwich Albion’s record signing – £7 million – for boss Roy Hodgson but the Tipperary man was still vying for trust and recognition in a green jersey.
The fact record goal scorer Robbie Keane also headed to America that week to join David Beckham at LA Galaxy in Major League soccer did not make Trap’ consider a changing of the guard.
And by the time Ireland qualified for Euro 2012 the following year McClean had indeed forced his way into the squad for those championships in Poland and Ukraine.
Fifteen years on, he returns to Derry City as an international centurion with 103 caps. He is a husband and a father of four children.
McClean will turn 37 on April 22, two days before the Candystripes host champions Shamrock Rovers. Not at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium – named in honour of McClean’s former teammate and club captain who passed away in sleep – but in the nearby GAA ground Celtic Park.
Derry’s new training base is also an example in co-operation with Derry GAA after they agreed to allow the use of their facility at Owenbeg.
Derry then to Derry may feel like a different club but the influence of Philip O’Doherty remains steadfast.
The billionaire businessman, who has retired from the engineering industry from which he made his fortune, spoke to the Derry Journal just this week to explain how he will be “full-time now with the club” and have a much more hands on approach as “more like an executive chairman.”
O’Doherty said the aim is to win the Premier Division title – as McClean stated at his unveiling – and that he will be dealing more with manager Tiernan Lynch as they bid to secure the club’s third crown after 29 years.
“The cheque book is there. There was a budget larger than last year’s set and it was near enough spent out but then James McClean was available and all of a sudden I found all the money under my bed and the cheque book wasn’t closed. No, it was never closed,” O’Doherty told the Derry Journal.
“I’m dealing with Tiernan and getting players out and players in. I will be consulting with James (McClean) as well because he has a huge amount of knowledge, information and contacts as well which will help myself and Tiernan.”
Those contacts have been gathered in the 15 years since that week in 2011 when McClean stood at the mouth of the Foyle and bid farewell to the soil.
Now he’s back home in Derry.
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