Traditions of Derry City F.C.

This article documents numerous traditions of Derry City Football Club, including the culture associated with and surrounding the club, and its supporters.

The club's name

When the club was first founded in 1928, it named itself Derry City Football Club, as opposed to using the official name of the city - Londonderry. Nationalists generally refer to the city as 'Derry', while unionists call it 'Londonderry'. At the time of the club's naming, however, the dispute would not have been as politicised as it is in the current day and those who founded the club specifically decided against using the name of the city's previous primary club, Derry Celtic F.C., with the aim of offering a more inclusive support-base to football fans in the city. Including "Celtic" in the club's name might have been perceived as being a strong statement of Irish nationalist identity and could have alienated Protestants in the city.

Colours and jerseys

Derry City wore claret and blue jerseys with white shorts for their first season of football - 1929-30. These were the identical colours to those of Aston Villa, who were a globally renowned footballing power at the time. This scheme lasted until 1932, when the club's first change of colours saw the club directors decide that white jerseys with black shorts should be worn by the team for the 1932-33 season. The style, like that which had come before it, lasted just two seasons and was replaced by the now-traditional red and white...
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