Ruaidhrí Higgins

Ruaidhrí Higgins
Personal information
Date of birth	23 October 1984 (age 39)
Place of birth	Limavady, Northern Ireland
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
	Newtown YFC
2000–2004	Coventry City
Senior career*
Years	Team
2004–2009	Derry City
2010	Bohemians
2011–2013	Derry City
2014–2015	Dundalk
2015–2016	Coleraine
Total
International career
2003–2004	Northern Ireland U21
2011	League of Ireland XI
Managerial career
2017–2020	Dundalk (assistant coach/analyst)
2020–2021	Republic of Ireland (chief scout)
2021–	Derry City
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ruaidhrí Higgins (born 23 October 1984) is a Northern Irish professional football manager and former player who has been the manager of Derry City since April 2021.

Playing career

Higgins, who was born in Limavady, Northern Ireland, began his career at the youth club, Newtown Y.F.C. before being signed by Coventry City in 1998. Higgins signed for Derry City after being released by Coventry City. He made his debut at home against Drogheda United on 14 October 2004. During his time at the Brandywell he won five trophies and played in five European ties.

After Derry City's League of Ireland contract was terminated - after the club admitted holding secondary, unofficial contracts with players - the FAI announced all of the club's players could quit the club. Now a free agent, Higgins had a trial with Aberdeen on 30 November 2009 but manager Mark McGhee reneged on his contract.

Higgins signed for Bohemians in January 2010.^[1] After breaking into Pat Fenlon's starting XI, he scored his first league goal for the club on 3 May with the winner against Drogheda United.^[2] However, some poor performances saw him regularly start matches on the substitute's bench and he failed to make an impact as Bohs relinquished their league title on goal difference. During the close season of 2010, Higgins was linked with a move back to his former club Derry City.^[3]

Higgins re-signed for Derry City in January 2011. He was released by Derry City at the end of the 2013 season.

On 14 January 2014, Higgins completed a move to Dundalk which saw him re-united with former manager Stephen Kenny.^[4]

Higgins then moved to NIFL Premiership side Coleraine and upon leaving the club in 2017, made the decision to retire and take up a coaching role at Dundalk.^[5]

Coaching career

In May 2020, Higgins left Dundalk to link up once again with Stephen Kenny, this time with the Republic of Ireland national team as an opposition analyst.^[6]

On 23 April 2021, Higgins was appointed Derry City manager on a 3+1⁄2-year contract. ^[7]

On 13 November 2022, Higgins won his first trophy in management when he led Derry City to a record win in the 2022 FAI Cup Final.^[8] He followed this up by winning the 2023 President of Ireland's Cup for the first time in the club’s history.