Derry City striker Pat Hoban eager to make instant impact at Brandywell

​The 32 year-old Galwegian hitman has scored 12 times past the Candy Stripes and alongside ex-Shelbourne striker Stephen Geoghegan sits behind League of Ireland legends David McMillan (14), Pat Morley (15) and Jason Byrne (16) who regularly found the net against the Brandywell club for their respective clubs.

He's been a thorn in the side of Derry City teams for the past 10 years and so the obvious solution was to bring Dundalk's record goalscorer - the man who is the second-leading goalscorer in the summer era of the League of Ireland (122 goals) - to Foyleside.

Hoban has arrived hungry to prove any doubters wrong after his apparent acrimonious departure from Oriel Park and he's already shown his ruthlessness in front of the posts in pre-season friendlies for his new club.

He's here to rectify Derry's goalscoring issues which arguably cost them the league title last season and he's ready to face that particular challenge head on!

"Hopefully," he smiled. "You never know what happens in football. I had one season at Dundalk, I think it was in 2018, I scored 32 in one season.

"I scored 29 league goals and everything was right. I was getting into the right places at the right times and scoring goals, all types of goals. I'd like for that to happen here but sometimes you're not gifted anything, you have to earn the right and I'd be willing to earn the right here.

"It does help obviously scoring goals in preseason but unfortunately they don't really count. No one remembers goals scored in preseason so I can assure you I'll put that right when the league starts.

"With the calibre of players that are already here and watching them from the outset, they create a lot of chances and put a lot of balls into the box, that's the style of play that does suit me. I'm just looking forward to getting out there and hopefully doing the business."

Derry City has boasted some magnificent strikers in the League of Ireland era, most notably the late Mark Farren, the club's record scorer (114 goals), legendary treble winner Liam Coyle (112) and the prolific Johnny Speak who broke the record for most League of Ireland goals scored in a Premier Division season with 24 in 1987-88.

Hoban is a natural goalscorer and there will be significant pressure on shoulders this season as he's tasked with firing Derry to the title.

"That's what I get judged on at the end of the day but I'd like to think I bring more to a team than just goals, general play and hold up play, getting lads into the game and the leadership side as well at my age now," he said when asked if he felt pressure to deliver goals.

"I've definitely grabbed that side of the game since I was probably 26 or 27 being a leader on the pitch and I think all those things definitely help the team.

"But pressure is a part of the game. I didn't win leagues and cups at Dundalk without any pressure being on us. They weren't just given to us. We had to earn them and there's always pressure as a player.

"There's always the pressure to hold a No. 9 shirt. I've had that pressure the last eight or so years at Dundalk so there's always pressure holding onto your shirt and you just have to do the business yourself and that's not just scoring goals, that's all round play. I feel I'm getting sharper out there and when I feel like that, let's go!"

Of the current squad Patrick McEleney (42), Mickey Duffy (33) and Will Patching (28) have scored the most goals for the club. Hoban is well versed on all the goals he's scored throughout his career and while he won't say it publicly for now, one gets the feeling he will have more records in his sight in the red and white Candy Stripes.

The former Oxford United man says he doesn't make preseason goal targets but he's confident he will make his mark at Brandywell.

"It was something I used to do, setting yourself a target but I've kind of gone past that now. I used to put a lot of pressure on myself and then I started learning a long time ago, you don't need to do that. You have the ability to score goals. Just keep getting in the right positions.

"If it doesn't happen in a game don't beat yourself up too much. There's always another one. I used to be my own worst critic, I'm not any more.

"I'm a firm believer that if I keep getting into the right positions I will score goals for this football club and that's just the way it is and I'm looking forward to doing that."

Surprisingly there's only 11 players who have reached 50 goals for Derry City but with Hoban committed to the club for at least two years, few would be surprised if he didn't become number 12!

His transition into the team has been seamless, helped by the many former teammates at the club. He was impressed with Derry last season and he's been pleasantly surprised at how good the current squad is having spent the past couple of months at close quarters.

"With the lads I've played with it's very similar. Coming in and realising how good the team actually is. From the outside looking in the last two years, playing against Derry they were the best side technically I always thought.

"Coming into the training the proof is in the pudding when you're actually there. So hats off to the boys, they've been really welcoming since I've come in the door and yeah I've fitted in like a glove.

"There is a full package here. It's just about putting it together and I'm sure that will happen."

With Hoban's arrival Derry will be expected to mount a serious title challenge this season but the striker knows how difficult it is to get over the line at the end of the year and isn't taking anything for granted.

"It's definitely starting to look like that [competitive league] from the outside looking in I suppose. A lot of teams are buying players and that tells you one thing that there's big budgets out there and a lot of teams going for it. Teams like St Pat's, Bohemians and obviously Shamrock Rovers but you have Waterford who are pumping money in, buying players. So you're going to have to be on it this year.

"If you're off one per cent in the game you won't win it or you'll end up drawing the game. It's definitely going to be a tight league this year but I fancy what we have here."