Retro Derry City Shirt – The Candy Stripes of the North West

Derry City FC was founded in 1928, and for decades they competed in the Irish Football League alongside clubs from across Northern Ireland. They were a respected presence in Ulster football, developing a passionate local following in a city that lived and breathed the game. But history was about to intervene in the most dramatic fashion imaginable.

As the Troubles escalated in the early 1970s, Derry became one of the most volatile flashpoints in Northern Ireland. Following the events of Bloody Sunday in 1972 and the severe deterioration of public safety, other clubs in the Irish Football League refused to travel to the Brandywell. Derry City were effectively forced to withdraw from the league that same year. For over a decade, the club went dark. The Brandywell fell silent. It was a heartbreaking period for a community that desperately needed football.

Then came the resurrection. In 1985, Derry City were admitted to the League of Ireland – making them the only club to compete in a league outside their own jurisdiction in European senior football. The comeback was nothing short of extraordinary. Within just a few years, they had become one of the most compelling clubs in the league.

The 1988–89 season stands as the undisputed zenith of Derry City's history. Under manager Jim McLaughlin, the Candy Stripes achieved an incredible treble: the League of Ireland title, the FAI Cup, and the League Cup. That same year, they entered the UEFA Cup, making history as the first club from Northern Ireland to compete in European competition under a southern league – a symbolic and historic landmark. Their European run captured imaginations across the continent.

The club have since added further FAI Cup victories and league titles, cementing their place among the giants of League of Ireland football. Relegation battles and financial difficulties have tested the fanbase over the years, but Derry City always returns. The Brandywell derby against Finn Harps – another north-west club – is one of the most fierce and passionate local rivalries in Irish football, a fixture that never fails to deliver drama and intensity.

In the modern era, Derry City have remained a top-flight force, regularly competing in European qualifying rounds and challenging for domestic honours. The club's story is one of survival, pride, and an unbreakable bond between a city and its team.

The history of Derry City is written in the names of players who gave everything for the red and white stripes. Perhaps no figure looms larger in the club's folklore than Liam Coyle, the silky attacking midfielder who became the heartbeat of the Candy Stripes across multiple eras. A local hero in the truest sense, Coyle combined technical brilliance with a deep understanding of what the club meant to the city – he was Derry City personified.

Felix Healy was another totemic figure in the club's early League of Ireland years. His goals and his leadership helped lay the foundation for the golden age that was to come. Stuart Gauld and Paul Hegarty brought experience and quality as the club established themselves in their new league.

Jonathan Speak was a fan favourite who epitomised the spirit of the treble-winning era, while goalkeeper Brian Doherty was a cornerstone of the defence during those glory years. The imported quality blended seamlessly with local talent to create a genuinely formidable squad.

Managerially, Jim McLaughlin's contribution to the 1988–89 treble cannot be overstated – he built a team capable of competing at the highest domestic level whilst maintaining a clear identity. Later, Stephen Kenny – who would go on to manage Dundalk to European fame and eventually become Republic of Ireland national team manager – cut his teeth at Derry City, bringing fresh tactical ideas and reigniting ambitions at the Brandywell. Declan Devine, a former player, also returned as manager and proved a passionate and astute leader in more recent times, reflecting the club's deep culture of connection between past players and the dugout.

The Derry City kit is one of the most visually striking in Irish football. The bold red and white vertical stripes that earned them the nickname 'the Candy Stripes' are instantly recognisable and deeply symbolic. For collectors, the retro Derry City shirt offers a vivid window into the different chapters of the club's remarkable history.

The late 1980s kits from the treble era are among the most coveted. Simple, clean designs with broad vertical stripes in the classic red and white palette, they carry an almost elemental quality – no frills, pure football. The short-sleeved versions from the 1988–89 UEFA Cup campaign are particularly sought after, carrying that rare combination of historic significance and aesthetic purity.

Through the 1990s, the shirts began to incorporate the design flourishes typical of that era – shadow patterns, bolder collar treatments, and the arrival of prominent shirt sponsorship. Despite the commercial evolution, the Candy Stripes identity was never diluted; the vertical stripe has always remained sacrosanct.

The away kits across various eras – often in white or black with red detailing – offer collectors a compelling contrast to the famous home shirt. Some away strips from the 1990s have become particularly desirable due to their bold graphic design language.

With 18 retro Derry City shirts available in our shop, there is genuinely something for every era of supporter – from the European pioneers of the late 1980s to the modern revival kits that honour that tradition.