Irish League star's brother makes Derry City move - one day before scheduled European meeting
Derry City have confirmed the signing of Brooklyn Lyons-Foster – around 24 hours before he was set to face off against older brother Kodi for HJK Helsinki in their Conference League second qualifying round showdown with Coleraine.
In what was anticipated to be a rather unique situation, the Lyons-Foster siblings had been drawn against each other on the European stage – Coleraine are in the Finnish capital ahead of Thursday’s first leg before the reverse fixture is staged at Inver Park next week.
Following the draw, Brooklyn said him and Kodi “always dreamed as kids” of taking to the pitch together – although not on opposite sides.
However, Brooklyn has instead joined up with his new Derry City team-mates in Croatia ahead of their Conference League tie against Rijeka.
Just like his brother, Brooklyn came through the youth ranks at Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur before making a move to Finland in 2024.
He made 49 Veikkausliiga appearances for HJK, including 12 this term, and was excited by the potential of playing against Kodi.
"I’m delighted with the draw, obviously my brother plays (for Coleraine),” he told the club’s media channel after the draw. “It’s something we always dreamed of as kids and hopefully we can have a good game against each other.
"It’s a tough question (which side the family will be on), I’m not sure! Everyone will be happy to see us playing against each other and sharing the pitch.”
The siblings will now be reunited in Northern Ireland and Kodi says they continue to provide each other with feedback as they look to improve.
"He’s enjoying it, it was a change of scenery for him which he needed,” said Kodi in August. “He’s becoming a man now, he has his own place now and is doing his own washing and cooking – all the things my dad would do for him!
"I watch a lot of his games and he would watch a lot of our games as well so we’re always giving each other feedback and pointers where we think each other can improve.
"We’re both still learning off each other, we have been that way since we were young, and that hasn’t changed.
"My dad always exposed us to a lot of sports when we were kids, football being the main one. We're from a sporty background.
"Both of us were at Spurs academy, my family are Spurs supporters which was obviously a proud moment, so a good upbringing.”