Michael_Devlin_(footballer)

Mikey Devlin

Mikey Devlin

Scottish footballer

Michael James Devlin (born 3 October 1993) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Livingston. He has previously played for Hamilton Academical, Stenhousemuir, Aberdeen, Fleetwood Town and Hibernian. He was selected for Scotland three times in 2019.

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Club career

Early career

Born in Motherwell,[3] Devlin grew up in a street near to fellow footballer Mark Reynolds and attended the same school, where the older pupil was held up as an example to follow.[4] As a teenager Devlin spent time in the youth systems of Heart of Midlothian, Aberdeen and Celtic,[4] making the squad for a Glasgow Cup final with the latter in May 2010.[5]

Hamilton Academical

He was picked up by Hamilton Academical, with assurances that hard work would result in a swift path to first team football.[4] He made his senior debut for Hamilton in the Scottish Premier League on 15 January 2011, aged 16,[6] in a 0–4 defeat away at Rangers;[7] the performance of Devlin and other young players in that match, including Lee Kilday who also made his debut, was praised by manager Billy Reid.[8]

He signed on loan for Stenhousemuir on 16 March 2011,[9] and re-joined the Warriors on an emergency loan in February 2012,[10] at the same time signing a two-year contract extension with Hamilton.[11]

He scored his first goal for the Accies in the Scottish Cup in December 2012.[12] In February 2014, he signed a contract extension until the end of the 2014–15 season.[13]

In August 2016 he was appointed the club's new captain.[14] In May 2017, he was involved in an altercation with a fan following a 1–0 home Lanarkshire derby defeat to relegation rivals Motherwell.[15] In the last regular game of the 2016–17 season, Devlin suffered a serious knee injury, meaning he missed the club's two relegation play-off matches.[16]

Aberdeen

Devlin moved to Aberdeen in January 2018 for an undisclosed fee, despite having not yet fully recovered from the knee injury suffered in May 2017.[17][6] He eventually made his competitive debut for Aberdeen on 26 July 2018, in the first leg of a Europa League tie against Burnley at Pittodrie Stadium.[18][19]

In August 2020 he was one of eight Aberdeen players who received a suspended three-match ban from the Scottish FA after they breached coronavirus-related restrictions by visiting a bar earlier in the month.[20] He missed most of the 2020–21 season due to hamstring and ankle ligament injuries,[21] and agreed new short-term contracts during 2021–22 with it being anticipated that he would eventually return to full fitness,[22] but by April 2022 he had yet to be named in a matchday squad, and it was initially announced that he would leave Aberdeen at the end of the season[23] but soon clarified that this would be immediate.[24][25]

Fleetwood Town

Devlin trained with English club Fleetwood Town, managed by his former Aberdeen teammate Scott Brown, in June 2022.[26] He signed a short term contract with Fleetwood in August 2022.[27] He departed the club in January following the expiration of his short-term deal.[28]

Hibernian

After leaving Fleetwood before the end of the January transfer window, Devlin trained with Hibernian.[29] He signed a short-term contract with the club on 13 February 2023.[30]

Livingston

Devlin left Hibs at the end of the 2022–23 season and signed for Livingston.[31][32] He was appointed club captain.[33]

International career

Devlin was included in the Scotland squad for the first time in October 2018.[34] He was recalled in May 2019, one of five uncapped players to feature.[35] He made his international debut on 10 October 2019 in a Euro 2020 qualifier against Russia, playing the whole match as Scotland lost 0–4.[36]

Career statistics

As of 13 April 2024[3]
More information Club, Season ...
  1. Appearance in Scottish Challenge Cup
  2. Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
  3. Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy.

References

  1. [1]
    A Record of Post-war Scottish League Players 1946/47 to 2017/18. 7. John Litster and Scottish Football Historian magazine. 2018.
  2. [2]
    "Squad Numbers 2010–11". Hamilton Academical F.C. official website. Archived from the original on 12 December 2010. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  3. [3]
    Mikey Devlin at Soccerway. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  4. [4]
    "Matchday interview: Michael Devlin". Aberdeen F.C. 7 August 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  5. [5]
    "Gers Retain Glasgow Cup". Rangers Youths. 5 May 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  6. [6]
    "Club Statement- Michael Devlin". Hamilton Academical FC. 26 January 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  7. [7]
    "Games played by Mikey Devlin in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  8. [8]
    "Billy Reid praises young Hamilton team". BBC Sport. 15 January 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  9. [9]
    "Stenhousemuir add Devlin". Scottish Football League. 16 March 2011. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  10. [10]
    "Devlin Goes on Loan". Hamilton Academical F.C.
  11. [11]
    "Two Agree New Deals". Hamilton Academical F.C. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014.
  12. [12]
    McGilvray, Andrew (20 December 2012). "Devlin thrilled with wonder goal". Hamilton Advertiser.
  13. [13]
    "Devlin Extends Contract". Hamilton Academical F.C. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
  14. [14]
    "Michael Devlin: 'I'm ready for captaincy at Hamilton Accies'". BBC Sport. 1 August 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  15. [15]
    Lamont, Alasdair (15 May 2017). "Hamilton Accies: Manager Martin Canning calls for unity in relegation battle". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  16. [16]
    Barnes, John (23 May 2017). "Hamilton Accies' Mikey Devlin to miss both legs against Dundee United through injury". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
  17. [17]
    "Michael Devlin: Aberdeen sign defender and reject third McKenna bid". BBC Sport. 26 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  18. [18]
    "Games played by Mikey Devlin in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  19. [19]
    English, Tom (26 July 2018). "Aberdeen 1–1 Burnley". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  20. [20]
    "Celtic's Boli Bolingoli gets three-game ban; 'Aberdeen eight' receive three-match suspended ban". BBC. 28 August 2020.
  21. [21]
    Burns, Scott (11 December 2020). "Mikey Devlin suffers more Aberdeen injury misery as luckless defender sidelined until March". Daily Record. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  22. [22]
    "New Aberdeen contract for defender Mikey Devlin, confirms boss Stephen Glass". Press and Journal. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2022.
  23. [23]
    "Michael Devlin to leave Aberdeen this summer". Press and Journal. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
  24. [24]
    "Michael Devlin to depart the Dons". Aberdeen FC. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  25. [25]
    "Aberdeen exit explained as star opens up on injury nightmare that has ended Pittodrie stint". Daily Record. 26 April 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2022.
  26. [26]
    Paton, Ewan (27 June 2022). "Mikey Devlin handed 'transfer chance' by Scott Brown at Fleetwood Town". Glasgow Times. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
  27. [27]
    "Fleetwood sign Scotland international Devlin". BBC Sport. 26 August 2022. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  28. [28]
    "Devlin leaves the club after the expiration of this contract". www.fleetwoodtownfc.com. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  29. [29]
    Brown, Anthony (2 February 2023). "Lee Johnson hands Michael Devlin chance to earn contract at Hibernian". The Irish News. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  30. [30]
    McPartlin, Patrick (13 February 2023). "Hibs confirm signing of Mikey Devlin as defender signs short-term deal". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  31. [31]
    "Mikey Devlin joins the Lions". Livingston FC. 30 May 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  32. [32]
    "Hibernian: Aiden McGeady released after injury-hit season along with Mikey Devlin & Kevin Dabrowski". BBC Sport. 31 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
  33. [33]
    Evans, Anthony (26 July 2023). "Ex-Aberdeen defender Mikey Devlin named as new Livingston captain". Aberdeen Live.
  34. [34]
    Lewis, Jane (13 October 2018). "Scotland: Charlie Mulgrew, John Souttar, Kieran Tierney and Robert Snodgrass withdraw from squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
  35. [35]
    "Scotland squad: Steve Clarke selects five uncapped players". BBC Sport. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  36. [36]
    "Russia v Scotland game report". ESPN. 10 October 2019.
  37. [37]
    "Games played by Mikey Devlin in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  38. [38]
    "Games played by Mikey Devlin in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  39. [39]
    "Games played by Mikey Devlin in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  40. [40]
    "Games played by Mikey Devlin in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  41. [41]
    "Games played by Mikey Devlin in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  42. [42]
    "Games played by Mikey Devlin in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  43. [43]
    "Games played by Mikey Devlin in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  44. [44]
    "Games played by Mikey Devlin in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  45. [45]
    "Games played by Mikey Devlin in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  46. [46]
    "Games played by Mikey Devlin in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  47. [47]
    "Games played by Mikey Devlin in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  48. [48]
    "Games played by Mikey Devlin in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
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