Derry City boss Declan Devine hails new WatchLOI streaming service ahead of the big kick-off

Derry City and Sligo Rovers will be the first game to feature on the league’s first streaming service this evening when the Premier Division resumes on at the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium behind closed doors.

And while Devine acknowledges Friday night football won’t be the same without the fans in the grounds, he reckons the streaming platform is ‘the next best thing’.

The Creggan man insists he will certainly be purchasing his own WatchLOI season ticket and can’t wait to get access to almost every League of Ireland Premier Division game until the end of the campaign.

Indeed, given the staggered kick-off times over the weekend, Devine won’t need to travel around the country to watch opposition teams and believes it will help with his own team’s preparation.

“It’s absolutely brilliant,” he said. “We have to show our fans, with or without them in the stadium, that we are working our socks off for them and we want to have a really successful season.

“Of course we want the fans in the stadium but the service which is being provided is the next best thing. Hopefully it’s only a matter of time before we get the fans back in there.

“But even for myself, the streaming is something I’m really looking forward to having in the house in terms of watching the other games and helping our preparations.

“It’s something I certainly will be investing in and looking forward to watching staggered games over the course of the week.”

Almost 800 Derry City season ticket holders will have received access to the service while other fans can subscribe to the platform for E55 or E5 per match which represents good value for money according to Devine.

"First of all I think it's really good value for money. It's a service where you can get any one game for E5 or £3.50. I think that's really good value.

"The ability to get every League of Ireland game, home and away, of every club for E55 which is maybe £48 or £50 which is really good value for money.

"It's the next best thing. We've all been sitting down these last few weeks watching a Premier League game nearly every night, Championship games or watching Bundesliga matches.

"So it's an opportunity for our fans to watch us but also an opportunity for our players to impress our fans and show that we're good players and we really want to do well for Derry City.

"It's a fantastic service and I'm really looking forward to watching the games on the opposition myself. Ultimately we would love the fans in the stadium but it can't be at this point and time and for me this is the next best thing."