Mccourt made my Derry switch a simple choice, says Thomson
NORTHERN Ireland midfielder Mark Sykes has a publicly stated dream, a belief he’ll get there and a determination not to let his opportunity pass by.
“A few weeks ago, a memory came up on Facebook that five years ago I had written ‘Imagine being able to play at Wembley…’,” he laughs as he prepares to head off for a later-than-normal training session.
“I would have been 17 then and I remember thinking that I could do it one day. Now it could happen in the next couple of weeks.”
After moving into professional football with Oxford United just 18 months ago, Sykes is 180 minutes away from realising his long-held ambition in the League One play-offs.
This evening, Sykes will take to the Fratton Park pitch hoping to help United seal a positive semi-final first leg result to bring back to the Kassam Stadium for Monday’s return.
The winner will go on to play in the final at England’s national stadium against either Fleetwood Town or Wycombe Wanderers, who have extended the loan deal of Sykes’ Northern Ireland team-mate Paul Smyth specifically to play in the season-defining ties.
“Obviously there will be no fans but that wouldn’t take anything away from the fact we’d be playing at Wembley,” Sykes continues.
The season was cut short and decided on a points-per-game basis with United having 11 matches left to play.
They finished up just two points shy of the automatic promotion spots but, equally, only one point away from missing out altogether on a chance to reach the Championship.
“Our last game before play stopped was at Shrewsbury, where we came back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 for our fifth victory in a row,” Sykes explains.
“If we had got beat that day, we would have finished eighth so it’s just as well we made that comeback.
“We couldn’t ever have imagined we were playing for our place in the play-offs.”
After that, there was a threemonth lay-off before group training could begin on June 8. That’s not to say it was strictly downtime. Not when Sykes’ dream had become so boldly envisioned.
“I don’t really feel like I’ve stopped,” he admits. “Even throughout lockdown I’ve been flat out running at home and keeping myself fit and ready to go.
“Then we got back into training in small groups running together before we were able to get ball-work started in groups of 10 and eventually as a full team. It’s been brilliant to get back and I feel really fit and sharp. I’m so glad I kept on top of it and hopefully not I can bring that with me into the play-offs.”
It’s not just Sykes’ footballing future that is falling into place in what is set up to be the most pivotal summer of his life so far.
Less than a month after the play-offs, his partner Courtney is due to give birth to their first child, a baby girl. By then, the couple will have moved house to prepare for the new arrival.
“It’s not a quiet one anyway,” he says. “There’s a lot going on.
“It’s all life-changing isn’t it? It’ll be strange but it’s changing for the better, definitely.”
Promotion would mean Oxford return to the second tier of English football after 21 years out.
“Everything is riding on these games,” he says.
“Not every player is really familiar with the history of the club but the manager (Karl Robinson) has been telling us these are going to be possibly the biggest games in Oxford’s history. That’s something we cherish and it’ll be amazing to play in a game of such magnitude.”
Oxford’s opponents have much more recent experience of success in the upper-echelons of English football, having played in the Premier League from 2003 to 2010 and won the FA Cup back in 2008.
Despite that, Sykes is adamant United have every chance of progressing.
“We’re entitled to be here because we have a good squad and we try and play good football,” he insists. “It’ll be a tough game. Portsmouth want to go up as well and these are going to be two hard games for the chance to play in another very difficult game at Wembley.”
The dream is in sight, now Mark Sykes is hoping he can pen that Wembley date into his diary.
DERRY City’s newest signing has revealed that Paddy Mccourt was the reason he left Scotland to move to the Brandywell.
Former Celtic youngster Joe Thomson yesterday penned an 18-month contract with the club and admits the influence of former Hoops star Mccourt sold the Candystripes to him.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” says the 23-year-old. “It’s a new chapter. I’ve played all of my football in Scotland but I spoke to Paddy Mccourt a number of times and he made me feel wanted here. I’m just looking to get back after everything that has gone on and hopefully I can help the team to success this season.”
Thomson will move his family to Derry as he eyes long-term success with his new club.
“You have got to be all in when you take on a new challenge,” he adds. “There’s no point in me coming over here and having half my head here and half my head back home so we’ll all get settled in and hopefully get something sorted out.
“I’ve been told the league is a very good standard here and that there is a lot of good football played here compared to some of the leagues back in Scotland, and that was obviously something which appealed to me.”
City manager Declan Devine was pleased to secure Thomson’s signature.
“He is a player who we have known for quite a while and a player who we think will be a great addition for us going forward,” said Devine, who also confirmed the extension of winger Stephen Mallon’s loan from Sheffield United
“The lockdown came at the wrong time for Stephen, because he really was getting up and going with his goals,” he added. “I’m delighted we were able to work with Sheffield United to extend his loan.”