Honorary Derry man Cam McJannet ready for season of real promise

​"I'm not sure if that's a good thing," he laughed. "I'm probably starting to annoy people now. I suppose I've got a good bit of experience now and hopefully I can use that to help the team and the club out this year again. From a personal point of view I'll be doing my very best to help the team."

He's still not lost his distinctive Milton Keynes accent but he feels at home on Foyleside and he's considered an honorary Derry man since his FAI Cup heroics at the Aviva Stadium in 2022.

"I need to get rid of this accent just," he joked. "At the start when I came here it was tough with Covid but since the world got normal again I've felt right at home and comfortable. I like the culture in the city and everyone is so proud and happy and friendly and I've enjoyed every minute of it."

The former Stoke City defender is one of the longest serving players in Ruaidhri Higgins squad and has stood in as captain on numerous occasions last year in the absence of club skipper Patrick McEleney.

While much of the talk surrounding Derry's title ambitions this year have centred around the arrival of Pat Hoban and the Candy Stripes attacking options, it was the defence which served them so well last year.

Indeed, Derry finished the year as the best defensive side in the division and McJannet is intent on keeping that particular accolade intact. With the addition of Sam Todd last summer and return to fitness of Mark Connolly, it bodes well for the season ahead.

"It's brilliant. Every one of us defenders are as good as each other so it keeps everyone on their toes and keeps you striving to try and get into the team or keep yourself in the team which only makes the team better when you have competition for places so from that point of view it's very good."

Last year was a season of 'ups and downs' and with the expectation of winning that elusive league title building towards a crescendo, McJannet hopes it affects the team in a positive way.

"When you walk across the white line it's all about winning that next game. That's how we have to think. The pressure is good. If there was no pressure then we would probably be doing something wrong so with that pressure we know we're doing something right and people believe we can have success and improve on last season . If it affects you on the pitch then hopefully that's just in a positive way."