Former Dundee United defender Kevin Holt explains reasons for swapping SPL for League of Ireland

Holt has been a key figure in Dundee United's rise from the Scottish Championship to fourth place in the SPL as the Tangerines battle for a place in Europe next season.

Despite the club's lofty position the 32 year-old opted to make the shock switch from Tannardice to Brandywell on transfer deadline day last Saturday.

The move, understood to cost Derry in the region of £40,000 raised a few eyebrows but Holt insisted on the security of a two year deal, conversations with former teammates who played in the league and the prospect of winning silverware convinced him to move to Ireland.

"It's been a bit of a whirlwind few days," said the man from Dumfries. "Obviously I thought it [the move] was put off until at least the summer. I spoke to the manager [Tiernan Lynch] back in January and he expressed an interest in me. At that point Dundee United said 'no, it's not happening'.

"That was fine. That was their decision and I just played away for the last six weeks since that happened. I got the phone call on Saturday morning to say it was back on again and I was delighted to get it done.

"I was at Dundee United for two years and I had made the decision I was going to leave in the summer. Obviously when Derry came in and I spoke to the manager it was something different for me.

"I've played the majority of my career in Scotland and I spoke to a few different people about playing League of Ireland and the different season, playing through the summer. IT would be completely new challenge and at the age I'm at I just wanted to try something new, challenge myself and see how I get on."

His former teammate at Dundee United Alex Grieve spent a short period at Bohemians, making 15 appearances in 2024 while current Bohs player Archie Meekison is another he's been keeping close tabs on. He becomes the fourth Scotsman in Lynch's new-look Derry team and reunites with his former Partick Thistle teammate Danny Mullen.

"There's a few of my former teammates that have come over and played with various teams in the league. I've spoken with them over the last three or four years and they've all spoken really highly about the league, the level of the league and the players in the league so I'm excited to get going."

Another reason behind his decision to move to Foyleside was his conversations with Lynch who made him 'feel wanted'.

"I think it was more the feeling wanted part. When I spoke to Tiernan and he stressed how desperate the club were to get me over and make me a big part of his plans it makes you feel wanted and I think that's huge for a player.

"It was something I wanted to get involved in and hopefully win a league title this year.

"It was good timing. My contract was coming to an end at Dundee United in the summer and when they said about getting it over the line when they did in the last day of the window it was something I was keen to do. I wanted to get over and get it done and look forward to this season, starting now." There was much made about his omission from the Dundee United squad for games against Celtic and Motherwell over the past couple of weeks but despite claims by his former employers that he was threatening to not line out for them again should they not facilitate his move to Derry, he explains it was a long standing groin injury and a 'tidy-up' operation which forced him out.

"My contract was up in the summer and we had agreed, between that point in the summer I had a couple if injections to play through the season at Dundee United but I never really missed any games with it.

"There was a small tidy-up operation I needed which was like a week or two that I had agreed to get between now and the summer because obviously my contract was up in the summer so they felt it was right that they stood their ground and I got their operation done before I left Dundee United.

"So they were taking care of me which was good. I had a conversation with the manager and physio and it was good to get that done sooner rather than later and I'd be back for the remaining games at the end of the season.

"It was a groin issue," he explained. "A tidy up issue. I had a couple of injections and it's been great to be honest. The head physio at Dundee United

Marcin [Szostak], I can't speak highly enough of him. He was really good to me during my time there and there's been no issue since. I've played a lot of games since I had the last injection so it's been fine." He's been one of Dundee United's stand-out performers this season chipping in with four goals from centre back and he's hoping he can continue that form with Derry.

"I loved my two years at Dundee United and obviously the happier you are the better you play. Coming over here I heard a lot of good things and that was big for me making the decision to come over. I want to carry on enjoying my football and carry on playing well."

A luck would have it, Holt happened to be on the same flight from Glasgow as his new teammate Dom Thomas who offered him a lift to Owenbeg for his first training session on Monday morning.

"I was actually on the same flight as Dom this morning and he run me to the training centre. He was back home in Glasgow for the weekend and text me last night saying he would pick me up and he drove me to training this morning from there.

"So that was handy because I don't have a car over here. So that was good to know people wherever you go to a new club it takes the stranger feeling away.

"Everyone, to be fair to all the boys this morning they were all really welcoming and I've heard nothing but positive news about the group being really strong, really together so I just want to get know the rest of the group much better and even boys like Dom who I know from playing against him and being around Glasgow but you can always build on that bond and it's the same with all the boys in the changing room."