Arlo Doherty ready to fight for Derry City's coveted number one shirt

​However, that is about to change if new City keeper Arlo Doherty has his way with the confident ex-Leicester City U21 custodian staking his claim for Maher's gloves this season.

There's certainly no shame in playing second fiddle to the talented Maher who delighted City fans when agreeing his return to the Brandywell club last month despite several offers to go elsewhere.

The news would lead many to assume Doherty is already fated to become a perennial back-up to the Dubliner.

And yet the Englishman - who spent three years studying and training alongside current Celtic No.1 and Premier League winner with Leicester City, Kasper Schmeichel - is embracing the challenge to push Maher all the way.

"Yeah, definitely," he agreed. "No keeper enjoys being on the bench. The downfall of a keeper is there is only one position and you don't get subbed on.

"Brian knows I want to be number one. I know Brian is number one and wants to stay there. So there's competition but we make sure it's healthy competition.”

That pathway to the coveted No.1 jersey has become a lot clearer for Doherty following the recent departure of Tagh Ryan to Glenavon.

Whatever happens, Tiernan Lynch goes into his first season a City boss with the luxury of having two top rated shot-stoppers who will be pushing each other all the way.

Doherty, who was first introduced to goalkeeping coach Michael Dougherty and his team last September, admits he 'looks up' to his teammate and rival for that No.1 shirt and has been enjoying the 'healthy competition' in training.

"Brian is a goalkeeper I like to look up to," said Doherty when he officially signed for the club last month. "Everyone knows how talented he is and we speak a lot on and off the pitch. I learn a lot from him. I'll be here to push him and he'll be here to push me so I'm excited to see what happens.

"We all push each other and I think we all have very different attributes and we all look and take different bits from each other.

"We get on well and 'Doc' knows how to balance it all out and training never gets feisty. If someone makes a worldy we'll all stop and congratulate them. We all want to fight for No.1 but we all know that whoever is No.1, we all support them."

They say goalkeeper is the loneliest position in football and so the back-up keeper must certainly have its fair share of challenges.

For someone as young and ambitious as Doherty, he sees signing for Derry City and keeping Maher on his toes as a timely opportunity for his career progression.

He has represented the Republic of Ireland through the age groups and he's hoping his move from England to the League of Ireland enhances his chances of moving up the international ladder and replicating his teammate who came so close to qualifying for the UEFA European Championships in 2022.

The towering 6ft 2'' Londoner is ready for a 'fresh start' after learning his trade at elite clubs like Norwich City, Manchester City and the Foxes where he earned his first professional deal.

"I would say 'Doc' played a big part in me coming," he explained. "I didn't know him before I came but once my agent and I spoke with him I was pretty set on coming here.

"I had a two week trial period for me to come in and see if I like it and for the club to see if they like me. I've loved every minute of it.

“I've played U20 games just to get match experience and keep me ticking over and travelling and doing the warm-ups and stuff with the first team since I've come over.

"The club plays the way I want to play and I think my attributes will help the squad. I haven't played yet but I've enjoyed being around the squad and everyone has made me feel welcome so hopefully this season, it's a new beginning, a fresh start so hopefully I'll be ready."

The Kentish Town native is still eligible for the Ireland U21 squad and is hoping to get a shot with Jim Crawford's squad.

"I know there's a lot of scouts here [at Derry] and a lot of eyes watching. Playing U21a football in England might not get me in there. I know the goalkeepers playing at the moment are all on loan and getting first team experience so if I want to show I'm better than them I need to be playing first team football as well.

“Playing 21s won't mean a thing! I want to do well with Derry but if I can get myself in the national team then it's a win-win."

The strong London accent might disguise his Irish roots but his surname has its origins in the north west of Ireland. Clonmany to be exact where his grandparents hails from. Doherty is proud of his Irish heritage and boasts family links in Co. Donegal and Limerick, making his move to Derry feel like a homecoming of sorts.

"I'm from London but my mum's side is from Donegal, from Clonmany. So that’s where my surname comes from," he explained. “Not many people realise I'm Irish from looking at me," he smiled. "But I do have Irish in my roots and I've been involved with the Irish set-up since U16s to U19s. So hopefully coming here will get me back into the national side because it's something I'm honoured and love doing."

Having been tasked with stopping the likes of Leicester City and England international striker Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho in training and come up against established Premier League stars like Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo while playing Man United in the FA Youth Cup, it's easy to see why he's rated so highly.

"I was at Leicester for the last four years but the last year I didn't have Kasper obviously. He left unfortunately but those three years were amazing. The goalkeeping coach at the time wanted the U18s up to the first team keepers all training together so every day I was with him. There wasn't a day where I didn't learn off him.

"Sometimes he would be strict on us but that's only because he wanted the best for us. There's so many things I learned from him but the other keepers as well. It was a great experience at Leicester, great facilities, great coaches and it made me the player I am today.

"I was at Man City before Leicester. They're one of the best teams playing it out from the back so being there I needed to do that well and I feel it's something I've always been good at.

"From there I felt it went to another level. Brian [Maher] is good at it and the new gaffer likes to do that as well so I feel it will fit me well and I won't feel out of place in this team."

So how's he been settling in since making his move to Ireland permanent?

"The place is amazing. The weather isn't great at the moment, it's different to London. Very quiet and the complete opposite to what I'm used to but I like being away from everything.

"While I'm here all I can do is focus on football. There's no other distractions. My main schedule while I'm here is football - gym. I feel being in Derry is the best thing for my career."