Derry City supporters packed the Brandywell ahead of their first game in the League of Ireland in 1985.Derry City supporters packed the Brandywell ahead of their first game in the League of Ireland in 1985.
Derry City supporters packed the Brandywell ahead of their first game in the League of Ireland in 1985.

Derry City's League of Ireland arrival

To celebrate Guy King's film - 'Different League: The Derry City Story', which is currently available on the BBC IPlayer - the Derry Journal have gone through their archives.

The Candy Stripes returned to senior football in 1985 when thousands of Derry supporters packed into the Brandywell, to see their team defeat Home Farm 3-1. Striker Barry McCreadie was City’s first goal-scorer that day, while the late Garry Jones netted a brace.

King's documentary film gave every generation of Derry City fans the opportunity to relive the remarkable rebirth of their club and depicted the never to be forgotten rising from the ashes of the Candy Stripes, concentrating on the period from the club’s fairytale return to senior football in 1985 to becoming the only League of Ireland club in history to complete the ‘treble’ some four years later.

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