New Derry City signing Kevin Holt refutes claims he tried to hold Dundee United to ransom

The 32 year-old defender was unveiled as Tiernan Lynch's NINTH new signing of the transfer window on Monday evening at a press conference in Da Vinci’s Hotel in Derry after his deadline day deal was completed at the weekend.

Dundee United, who are battling for a top three spot in the Scottish top flight, were reluctant to let him leave and claimed 'the player and his representatives made it clear that he may be unavailable for selection between now and the end of the 2024/25 campaign should the transfer not be agreed'.

Holt strongly denies the claims in Dundee United's statement, stating 'those words never came out of my mouth'.

"I've not spoken to anyone since the statement," said the Scotsman. "Obviously I'm disappointed in the statement to be honest because I have never ever turned down playing a game of football. I've never expressed to the manager I would never play for the club. Those words never came out of my mouth," he insisted.

"I had a conversation when the move came about. The offer got put in and I made it clear it was something I wanted to pursue, something I wanted to take.

"The two-year contract was on the table. Good security for me and my family. We had multiple conversations and at the start I got on great with the manager [Jim Goodwin]. We had loads of conversations beforehand and after the move was done and I've nothing bad to say about him at all.

"He's been brilliant for me throughout my whole time at Dundee United. All the boys were brilliant. They all knew about the situation as it was going on. Obviously not playing in the Motherwell game, I wasn't even there because it [the Derry deal] was all kind of getting done.

"The boys were texting me asking me what was going on and they've all been brilliant. I'm just disappointed that they [Dundee Utd] would put that out as if I almost held them at ransom when that was never the case.

"There was never a comment from myself that I would refuse to play in those games. I've never refused to play a game of football for a club I'm signed for."

The former Queen of the South and Partick Thistle defender, who is understood to have cost Derry in the region of £40,000, played 67 times for the Tangerines over a 20 month period, scoring 12 goals and was included in the 2022/23 Scottish Championship team of the year.

He thoroughly enjoyed his time at Tannadice but was excited for a new challenge once he learned of Derry's interest in the New Year.

"I had a good 20 months or whatever it was I was at Dundee United and the club was good to me. It's a great group of boys and I got on really well with the manager and all the staff.

"So it was a hard decision to leave but when I spoke with the manager here and a few players at the club that I knew and with the direction the club is going and stuff like that, I just decided to get over and try something new and I'm really looking forward to it.”