Derry City boss Declan Devine wants Jack Malone to inspire next generation

The Top of the Hill Celtic prodigy, who signed a new two year deal with the Candy Stripes, played an important role in last night's win at St Patrick's Athletic.

“Jack has been outstanding since I have come to the club, he has really, really thrived,” he stated.

“He comes in on a daily basis works extremely hard and he has got lots of quality, but there’s more coming through and that’s what we are looking for at this club.

“We are looking for people to use Jack Malone as an icon to say ‘well I want that type of thing at Derry and I want to be involved’.

“I’m ecstatic that he has signed a new extension and I have no doubt he’s going to be a brilliant servant to this club.”

The Candy Stripes boss also praised ex-Coleraine and Institute midfielder Ciaron Harkin, who like Malone has shone since returning from the Bannsiders, but he was also quick to point out to fans that down through the years players from outside of Derry have also gone down in the club’s folklore.

“Another man Ciaron Harkin for instance, a young fella from Creggan, he has been absolutely sensational for us since he has come back to the club," he insisted.

“Yes of course we would like more local players, but we shouldn’t underestimate the power of the players we have brought from outside the city, but all I would say is give us a bit of time to get more Jack Malone and Ciaron Harkin’s into the squad, because those type of players are coming."

In fact another youngster who came off the bench against Sligo Rovers last Friday evening was striker Patrick Ferry and he became the sixth youth team player who Devine has promoted from the youth set-up to the first team.

"Patrick came off the bench against Sligo and I thought him and Jack were the two shining lights in the team. I think they were the only two who came out with a bit of credit," he added.

“We understand that there’s Derry based players all around the leagues and we have had some here that didn’t work out and they have had to move on, but there’s a limited availability of having local players at this moment in time, because some of them are at real top clubs, whether that’s England or throughout Ireland.

“But I remember so many good players in the history of this football club that came from outside the city.

“You could go through a list the length of your arm, there’s people still living in this city that came a long time ago and they are now living here permanently.

“I see the guys that we are bringing in from outside the city as real additions to the group, but yes we have to build and create our own new generation of players.

“Paddy (McCourt) and all the other academy staff are doing that brilliantly, I have given a couple of opportunities to a couple of players and Jack Malone is one of them.”