Derry City's absent friends will be close to our minds - says Declan Devine

The Brandywell club bid farewell to club stalwart Willie Curran and lifelong supporters, Hugh Curran, Hugh McMonagle and John Campbell in recent months.

Devine insists the football club now has a ‘responsibility’ to work hard in honour of those who have passed away as well as the supporters who will be watching on WatchLOI.

“We have to understand we’re missing some real characters this year,” said Devine. “We can’t have our fans at the Brandywell but very much in our minds are people like Willie Curran, Hugh Curran, Hugh McMonagle and John Campbell.

“These are people who have spent a huge part of their lives travelling throughout Ireland and watching us play.

“To know they’re not there, that’s something I feel personally and we must remember that these people have given huge parts of their lives for this football club.

“We have to carry that through on Saturday night knowing that we’ve had so many setbacks over the last six months with some of our major supporters of the football club.

“I was able to witness it first hand, what the football club means to some of those families, and that’s something I want to take into this season - that understanding that this football clubs means a hell of a lot to a hell of a lot of people. We have a responsibility to make sure we work hard for everyone.”