New Recruits for 2026

The 2026 League campaign gets underway tonight and there will be a raft of new faces wearing red and white. Pól O’Hare has taken a look a new arrivals ahead of tonight’s opening game.  You can read more from Pól and many other contributers in Cityview, the official match day programme.  Grab yours at the ground tonight.

James McClean – Creggan native James McClean scored on his Derry City debut in 2008
and, after leaving for Sunderland in 2011, always said he’d come back to finish his career at
the Ryan McBride Brandywell. Fifteen years, 103 caps for Ireland, nearly 700 professional
appearances and 180 goal involvements later, and Derry City’s most famous export of the
2010s is back. Now 36, the winger turned wingback has lined out for Sunderland, Wigan
Athletic, West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and Wrexham in his decade-and-a-half in
England and Wales. With some huge moments for Ireland across his career, James
McClean is finally home and will be desperate to clinch City’s first league title since 1997.
Winning the President’s Cup on his second debut for the club, assisting Darragh Markey’s
winner last week, he played in the midfield alongside Carl Winchester.

Patrick McClean – Just a day before his older brother stole the headlines with his own
Derry City return, 29 year old defender Patrick McClean signed for the Candystripes for a
third time after the club agreed a fee with Sligo Rovers in January. He first broke into the City
team in September 2015, making his debut as a 19 year old, before making the move to
Waterford in 2017. A First Division winner in Munster, McClean moved to Sligo Rovers in
2018, before rejoining Derry in 2019. Six months later, the centre back had moved to
Glentoran, where he’d play more than 150 times before returning to Sligo Rovers in 2025.
Following a stellar half season in Connacht, the left sided centre back now finds himself back
at his hometown club, where he’ll play alongside his brother James for the first time, hungry
for an elusive league title.

James Clarke – Excelling for Bohemians after signing from Drogheda United in 2022, Derry
City fought off interest from Irish and Scottish clubs alike to land attacking midfielder James
Clarke on a long-term deal. One of the Premier Division’s standout performers, the Meath
native was a First Division winner with Drogheda in 2020 and was named in the PFAI Team
of the Year in 2023. Now 25, Clarke scored eight goals and assisted a further three in the
red and black of Bohs in league action last year. A versatile attacker, Clarke can play across
the front three or in attacking midfield and adds that extra bit of star quality to City’s frontline.
Darragh Markey – Originally coming through at St Patrick’s Athletic, midfielder Darragh
Markey made almost 100 appearances for The Saints between 2015 and 2020 and lined out
for Ireland U17 and U18 squads. The Dubliner made the move to Drogheda United ahead of
the 2021 campaign and quickly became the creative fulcrum of the Louth side’s midfield.
One of the most underrated players in the league in recent years, Markey won the League’s
Player of the Month award in November 2024 and March 2025. City fans know Markey’s
quality all too well – he starred for Drogheda United in their 2-0 FAI Cup final win over the
Candystripes in 2024. At 28, City have landed a top midfielder at the prime of his career – his
debut goal last week saw Derry clinch the President’s Cup for the second time.

Rob Slevin – After losing centre backs Sam Todd, Mark Connolly and Hayden Cann,
Tiernan Lynch swooped to sign long-term target Rob Slevin from Galway United ahead of
the new campaign. Linked with the Candystripes in the past, the left sided defender spent
the first years of his career in Munster, playing youth football for Cobh Ramblers before lining
out for UCC, Waterford and Cork City. A move to Finn Harps in 2022 saw Slevin make 30
appearances in the Premier Division before switching to Galway United in 2023. A First
Division winner that year, Slevin was integral to the defence which conceded just 18 goals in
36 games in 2023 and 29 in 36 in the Premier Division in 2024. A quality, ball playing defender, the Carrigaline man has penned a three year contract at the Ryan McBrideBrandywell and will be a valued addition to the backline.

James Olayinka – Former Arsenal youth midfielder and London native James Olayinka
made his first move to Irish football last year when he joined Waterford from Cheltenham
Town. An unused substitute in the 2020 Community Shield final, in which Arsenal beat
Liverpool on penalties, Olayinka was a teammate of Derry-man and current Larne star
Jordan McEneff in North London. The technically astute centre mid spent time on loan at
Northampton Town, helping them secure promotion to League One in the 2019/20 season,
and Southend United before joining Cheltenham Town in 2022. He joined fellow former
Arsenal trainee Trae Coyle at Waterford in 2025 and became key to the midfield of the
Munster side, staying in the Premier Division after beating Bray Wanderers in the play-off. At
25, he’ll be hoping for a successful season on Foyleside.

Josh Thomas – A quick striker, who loves to get at defenders or run in behind, 23 year old
Welshman Josh Thomas scored four goals in league and FAI Cup action on loan at
Drogheda United last year. Despite an injury hit campaign, Thomas caught the eye with his
pace and tenacity, typified with his 86 th minute winner against Bohemians in early August.
Two weeks later, he assisted Andrew Quinn’s early opener in Drogheda United’s FAI Cup
Third Round win over Derry City in the Brandywell. With loan spells at Cardiff Metropolitan
University, Port Vale, Bromley and Drogheda, Thomas was an underage international with
Wales at every age from U15 to U21. Signing on an initial six month loan, Josh Thomas
could prove to be the perfect replacement for the departed Danny Mullen and adds a
different profile up front to those of Liam Boyce and Dipo Akinyemi.

Kevin dos Santos – Portuguese winger Kevin dos Santos was Tiernan Lynch’s eighth
signing of the off-season. The 26 year old joined the Candystripes on a two year deal from
Canadian side Atletico Ottawa, where he was part of the side who won the club’s first ever
Canadian Premier League in 2025. If you’re interested, former City winger Ben Fisk was
Atletico’s first ever captain following their formation in 2020. A product of the Vitória de
Setúbal academy, dos Santos spent time in England with Tadcaster Albion and Darlington
before moving to Canada with York United in 2022. A tricky winger, dos Santos is the first
player to join Derry City from a non-Irish or UK based club since Ivorian forward Moussa
Bakayoko signed from Armenian side Shirak Gyumri in 2020.

Henry Rylah – Another quick and direct winger, the loan signing of 20 year old English wide-
man Henry Rylah was announced following an impressive trial spell. The Londoner made his
debut for parent club Charlton Athletic as a 16 year old in 2022, when he came on in the
Carabao Cup against Brighton’s U21s. On loan at the Brandywell until the end of the
season, Rylah recently penned a new contract extension with The Addicks and is highly
thought of in southeast London. Joining the aforementioned Kevin dos Santos as another
option out wide, City’s attack is looking fierce.

Shea Callister – Signing number ten ahead of 2026 comes in the form of 19 year old
English goalkeeper Shea Callister. Having spent time in the youth teams of Burnley,
Blackburn Rovers, Morecambe, Salford City and Hull City, Callister joins City from
Macclesfield FC. Having gained experience with non-league sides 1874 Northwich,
Burscough, Clitheroe and Brighouse Town, the Englishman played for Maghull before joining
The Silkmen on a dual registration deal. Callister was on the bench for Macclesfield’s historic
FA Cup victory over holders Crystal Palace last month. He impressed on trial and will
provide competition to Brian Maher, who last missed a League game in April 2022.