Derry City has helped put a smile back on the face of Gavin Whyte

​The 29 year-old Northern Ireland international left Portsmouth Football Club abruptly last summer for family reasons and spent three months out of the game before Tiernan Lynch convinced him to join his project on Foyleside.

Understandably it took several weeks for the Belfast man to 'get up to speed' but not only has he rediscovered the form shown during spells with Oxford United, Cardiff City and Portsmouth but his move to Brandywell has also put a smile back on his face.

He displayed glimpses of his undoubted attacking talent during the opening phase of games but he announced himself to the League of Ireland with a stunning solo goal in the 3-0 win over Sligo Rovers at Brandywell and he's loving every minute of his time at the club.

"I always knew the ability was there," he said. "It was about getting me up to speed. With having a lot of time off it didn't really help me.

"Now I'm playing with a smile on my face again. When you get that into me then you start seeing what I can do on the pitch which is really important for me." He credits the City boss for reigniting his passion for the game and he's fully bought into his new club and its ambitions.

"I think Tiernan's definitely brought that out of me. I just think the club as a whole, the fans, the players that are there every day, has definitely helped me.

"That's been a big, important thing for me but I've definitely bought into it all. I've loved my time here so far and I just want to play as many games as I can and see where we go from there."

Derry will seek to follow up two morale-boasting wins against St Pat’s and Shelbourne when they meet Cork City at Turner’s Cross tonight.

Whyte admits the efforts during the double header at Brandywell over the May Bank Holiday will feel wasted if they don’t keep that winning run going.

"We're doing well at the minute but it's obviously going to be another tough game but hopefully we make it three in a row and kick on from there. Everything is going well at the minute.

"There's no point beating Shels and Pats and then going on an away game and travelling that long to not get a result."

“We need to build on those games at home definitely. We need to keep going from here. We're all in a good place and the camaraderie is good. It is going to be a tough game. You don't get any easy games in this league but we're all looking forward to it.”

With Shamrock Rovers hosting leaders Drogheda and St Pat’s travelling to Shelbourne, it’s another opportunity for Derry to make ground on those teams expected to be involved in the title race.

"We had two big wins and we're right up there so we definitely need to capitalise on it. It's good that those sides are all playing each other as well so we need to go out and make our mark.

"We take each game as it comes and try to tick them off. All the boys are working hard to do that.”

Whyte and the rest of the City team embarked on the longest trek of the season to Cork on Thursday morning and while those lengthy trips to the south of Ireland will take some getting used to for some new faces in the squad, it's not something that's totally alien to the former Pompey man who spent a season on the south coast of England.

"I think I'm just used to it. Playing at Portsmouth we always had long away trips. To be fair, I actually enjoy the long trips.

"Being around the boys, staying in a hotel overnight. I actually prefer that to be honest. You have good craic with the boys on the way down and that obviously helps, playing a bit of cards, losing a bit of time and losing a few quid as well," he laughed.

Lynch is blessed with attacking talent in this Derry squad and Whyte is relishing playing in his favoured No.10 role.

"It suits the way I play as well. I'm enjoying playing in the 10 and drifting out in the wings. ]

"I like playing with Dom [Thomas] and like playing with Mickey [Duffy]. Even if wee Paul [McMullan] is in there, he brings something else and is very energetic in there.

"The good thing for us is we have so many attacking options. If boys are tired or play two or three games in a row we have players who can just step in and do the same job which is testament to the club for having those players there.

"I'm really enjoying it and I'm a really attack minded player so when I get the ball it's attack from me.”

He scored two goals on the bounce in wins against Galway and Sligo and admits that solo effort against the Bit O’Red at Brandywell was ‘special’.

Admittedly, he knows he must start working on his celebrations.

"It was a special moment to be honest. I haven't scored in a while so it was nice to do it especially at home.

"I don't know what the celebration was about like. It was just one of those things. When you score you don't know what you're going to do. I'm going to have to change that up,” he laughed.

Let’s hope he gets the chance at Turner’s Cross tonight.