Derry City newboy Daniel Kelly loving new-found freedom on Foyleside

And so the winger is loving life and his new-found freedom in his new apartment in the maiden city.​

The move north has taken some getting used to though, particularly navigating around the back roads of the city during the winter months when he needed to trust the sat-nav to find Sean Dolan's clubhouse where Derry found shelter from the snow.

"It's a change," he admitted. "I'm used to living in my mas, my own box room where you can't even swing a cat in it but I'm in my own apartment now with my missus so it's a bit different.

" I love that and this move was something I couldn't turn down.

"It's supposed to be quite a small city but I've gotten lost three times already," he laughed. "The facilities we have and we've been using have been second to none, especially when there was a lot of snow up here and we were indoors so we're in a privileged position. It's a great city."

When it comes to fitting in around the club and his new teammates there's been no such issues and he's excited to make his competitive Brandywell bow tonight now all the talking's been done.

"Honest to God, it's a great group. I've settled in well and it obviously helps that I know a lot of the lads. In terms of being so welcomed and looked after. They've looked after everything for me. The players have been great and the manager has been great. Everyone around the club has made me feel so welcome so settling in has been fairly easy.”

He's been getting the lowdown on the club and the city from the local lads in the dressing room and he likes what he sees so far since moving up after Christmas.

"The lads were saying once the games start, if you're going well you're the best player ever but if you're losing the fans will give you a bit of stick but that's natural. I had that in Dundalk as well. It's a real football town Derry similar to Dundalk. If I come across fans I'll obviously have a chat and hopefully they don't give me too much stick," he laughed.

The lightening quick winger, who scored 34 goals for Dundalk, is looking forward to strutting his stuff on the expansive Brandywell pitch and playing in front of a vocal home support.

"My da is coming up for the first game along with my ma and they'll be able to stay in the apartment. Once there's a nice boozer close by he'll be a happy camper," he joked.

"I actually went to the cup final and my da was dropping me down to meet the lads and stuff. I was saying to him hopefully next year you'll be at the match waiting for me. So please God well get a good cup run, the Aviva is literally five minutes from my gaff.

"But one game that stayed with me from last year was the European game up in Tallaght and the fans travelled up in a Thursday night and I remember them walking out to the tune and that always sticks in my head. Hopefully we have this place packed to the rafters and the songs playing and we can come out and get a good result against Drogheda."

And in terms of his personal ambitions, having won the league title with Dundalk, he's desperate for another winners' medal.

"I haven't won the league since 2019 and I want to win the league. If we are doing well in the league it will coincide with us doing well in Europe and in the cup.

"The bread and butter is winning the league and I think the European competition will look after itself.

"I know they were unlucky last year with the draw and were unlucky not to win a couple of games I remember watching them.

“Everyone knows we want to win the league but it will be tough.”

He’s well used to the pressure but Kelly doesn’t expect the season to be plain-sailing for anyone.

"When you sign for a big club like Derry there's going to be pressure. I've played at a big club at Dundalk and there was pressure on us and we did well.

"The lads in there know how to deal with pressure. Everyone is talking about us and Rovers but there's been a lot of teams who have invested as well and improved and they've got great managers, the likes of Pat's, Bohs, Shels, Dundalk. There's a lot of teams finding their feet again and they'll do well again this year.

“A bit of pressure in football isn't a bad thing and you thrive off that. It is hard to win a league. I've only done it once but it is. “There's lads there that have done it numerous times but it's hard to win a league and it's getting very, very competitive. We'll hope to start the season well and go from there.”