The Minister for Culture, Arts, and Leisure, DUP MLA Edwin Poots, said moving back into the Irish League would secure the Brandywell club's financial future.

The club withdrew from the Irish League in 1972 after violence between home and visiting supporters and were out of top-flight football until 1985 when they joined the League of Ireland.

Speaking during a debate at Stormont on plans to redevelop the Brandywell Stadium, minister Poots called on Derry City to play in what he described as "their own country.""I would reiterate my desire to see Derry City come home and play in their own country with their home team. I think it would be good for football in Northern Ireland. I think it would be good for Derry City football club. It would give them much larger audiences at their matches and benefit the viability of that club," the DUP man said.

The Minister indicated that moving back into the Irish League would not be a prerequisite for funding for the new stadium but repeated his call for the cityside club to play in the North.

"Others may wish to put guns to people's heads. I have not been one of those who would put a gun to someone's head but I would encourage Derry City football club to come back into the Irish Football Association (IFA) and to play with local teams."

Derry City have played a number of high-profile Setanta Cup games against Irish League teams in recent years and have also staged several successful friendly games against Linfield in the Brandywell.