The Irish Football Association (IFA) have not ruled out a return to football in the North for Derry City.
Football's governing body in Northern Ireland says its "door is always open" as the club begins its restructuring in the wake of the dual contract row - a wrangle that has seen the Candystripes expelled from the League of Ireland and five board membe
rs subsequently resign over the past week.
Hopes are now high that Derry City will return to senior football in the South after a series of meetings involving senior Football of Association of Ireland (FAI) officials in the city late last week.
But amid the controversy, a number of high profile calls have been made for the club's return to Northern Irish soccer.
Candystripes legend Liam Coyle, Linfield manager David Jeffrey and leading Queen’s University academic Peter Shirlow have been among those clamouring for Derry's return to the IFA fold.
Now the IFA have told the 'Journal' their door remains open to Derry - a club expelled from Northern Irish soccer in 1972 at the height of the 'Troubles'.
Geoff Wilson, the IFA's head of communications, says the governing body would be willing to discuss Derry's return.
“The Irish FA’s door is always open to any one wants to talk to us," he said.
Meanwhile Institute FC - currently the city's only senior football club - who play in the IFA governed league have also said they would welcome the Candystripes back into Northern Irish football.
Chairman Trevor Hewitt says Derry's return would benefit both the city and the league.
“It would be good for the city to have Derry back in the Irish League and, to be honest, I think it would be good for the league in general.
“However, that is up to Derry City, the Football Association of Ireland and the IFA – those three bodies would have to come to some sort of agreement and make that decision."
Derry City were forced into the footballing wilderness in 1972 by an Irish Football Association decision which deemed Derry’s Brandywell ground unsafe for opposing teams and supporters.
Their re-entry to senior soccer came via acceptance in 1985 into the Republic’s League of Ireland - from which Derry were expelled rcently.
