Stewart signs for City

The front man has put pen to paper on a one year deal that will see him join the Candystripes ahead of the new season.

The 25-year-old started his professional career at Falkirk, making 77 appearances and scoring 19 goals.

He then moved on to to Bradford City in the English League Two, where he made 12 appearances before he returned to Scotland, this time with Dundee.

In 2013 he left Dundee and after a brief loan spell at Luton Town he joined Kilmarnock.

“I’m over the moon to have signed for Derry City,” admitted the Glasgow native.

“I was invited over for some pre-season training by Roddy a couple of weeks ago and all went very well. I was very impressed with the management team’s enthusiasm and the professional nature of the club.

“If I’m honest I have never really seen the League of Ireland but from training with the lads for a week I’m very impressed with the quality of the entire squad.

“There seems to be a great mixture of senior and youth players and they have all helped me feel part of the squad.

“Obviously as a striker you are judged on goals and with Rory being last season’s top goalscorer the pressure is on me to meet those standards.

“The draw of Europa League football was also a big factor. I missed out playing in the competition a few years ago due to injury and this is the year I get to put that behind me. I’m looking forward to moving over to Derry next week and a new chapter will start then. I can’t wait to be part of it.”

Collins is thrilled to have added another man to his squad.

“Mark came to us through a very reliable source that has been very good in the past so I knew what I was going to get,” stated the City boss.

“And during his trial with us I was very impressed with his enthusiasm and his attitude.

“He has tremendous pace and skill which was exactly what I was looking for. He’s a great lad that fitted in with the squad as soon as he arrived. I know that I have signed a good man today and he feels the same about signing for this club.

“As far as I’m concerned he ticked all the boxes for me and Mark will get better and better as the season goes on.”