Liam Coyle scored 112 goals for the Brandywell club

Former Derry City striker Liam Coyle believes the club should return to the Irish League in a bid to resolve its financial crisis.

There are fears that City, who left the Irish League in 1972, could drop out of the League of Ireland Premier Division because of the current problems.

"Moving to the Irish League is the only way forward for Derry City if they want to survive," said Coyle.

"They have to look at it as a way of maintaining their senior status."

He added: "If the Irish League was to take them back in it would mean less travelling.

"It makes sense to go back and play in the country they are in.

"There seems to be a bit of a stand-off between the board and players and at the minute it is a really divisive club."

Glentoran director Stafford Reynolds and Glenavon chairman Adrian Teer have both said they would welcome Derry back to the Irish League.

Linfield manager David Jeffrey is also in favour of Derry returning but he believes the Candystripes have only themselves to blame for the current situation.

"I don't hold a lot of sympathy - you have to cut you cloth accordingly," he said.

"I am sick, sore and tired of people saying about the money we get from the Irish FA.

"We have a very strict wage structure and we had players who didn't come here in the summer because we could not meet their wage demands.

"Certainly I would welcome them back. My own opinion is that they should never have left but that was their choice."

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