Michael Devlin (footballer)

Michael James Devlin (born 3 October 1993) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Aberdeen. He has previously played for Hamilton Academical and served loan spells at Stenhousemuir.

Michael Devlin
Devlin lining up for Scotland in 2019
Personal information
Full name Michael James Devlin[1]
Date of birth (1993-10-03) 3 October 1993[2]
Place of birth Motherwell, Scotland
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[3]
Position(s) Centre back
Club information
Current team
 Aberdeen
Number 6
Youth career
Heart of Midlothian
2007–2009 Aberdeen
2009–2010 Celtic
2010–2011 Hamilton Academical
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2018 Hamilton Academical 125 (4)
2011 → Stenhousemuir (loan) 10 (3)
2012 → Stenhousemuir (loan) 13 (0)
2018– Aberdeen 37 (1)
National team‡
2019– Scotland 3 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:17, 5 December 2020 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 18:46, 16 November 2019 (UTC)

Club career

Hamilton Academical

Born in Motherwell,[3] Devlin grew up in the same street as 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] but being released soon afterwards. 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]

International career

Devlin was included in the Scotland squad for the first time in October 2018.[21] He was recalled in May 2019, one of five uncapped players to feature.[22] He made his debut on 10 October 2019 in a Euro 2020 qualifier against Russia. He started the game and played the whole match as Scotland lost 0–4.[23]

Career statistics
As of 5 December 2020[3]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Scottish Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Hamilton Academical 2010–11[7] Scottish Premier League 100000—10
2011–12[24] Scottish First Division 3000000030
2012–13[25] Scottish First Division 22121201[lower-alpha 1]0272
2013–14[26] Scottish Championship 27110301[lower-alpha 1]0321
2014–15[27] Scottish Premiership 2800040—320
2015–16[28] Scottish Premiership 1601000—170
2016–17[29] Scottish Premiership 282404000362
2017–18[30] Scottish Premiership 000000—00
Total 125481130201485
Stenhousemuir (loan) 2010–11[7] Scottish Second Division 103000000103
2011–12[24] Scottish Second Division 130000000130
Total 233000000233
Aberdeen 2017–18[30] Scottish Premiership 0000000000
2018–19[18] Scottish Premiership 22130302[lower-alpha 2]0301
2019–20[31] Scottish Premiership 14030101[lower-alpha 2]0190
2020–21[32] Scottish Premiership 1000100020
Total 371605030511
Career total 1858141180502229
  1. Appearance in Scottish Challenge Cup
  2. Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League

References
  1. A Record of Post-war Scottish League Players 1946/47 to 2017/18. 7. John Litster and Scottish Football Historian magazine. 2018.
  2. "Squad Numbers 2010–11". Hamilton Academical F.C. official website. Archived from the original on 12 December 2010. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  3. Michael Devlin at Soccerway. Retrieved 13 October 2019.
  4. "Matchday interview: Michael Devlin". Aberdeen F.C. 7 August 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  5. "Gers Retain Glasgow Cup". Rangers Youths. 5 May 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  6. "Club Statement- Michael Devlin". Hamilton Academical FC. 26 January 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  7. "Games played by Michael Devlin in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  8. "Billy Reid praises young Hamilton team". BBC Sport. 15 January 2011. Retrieved 15 January 2011.
  9. "Stenhousemuir add Devlin". Scottish Football League. 16 March 2011. Archived from the original on 16 July 2011. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  10. "Devlin Goes on Loan". Hamilton Academical F.C.
  11. "Two Agree New Deals". Hamilton Academical F.C. Archived from the original on 1 March 2014.
  12. McGilvray, Andrew (20 December 2012). "Devlin thrilled with wonder goal". Hamilton Advertiser.
  13. "Devlin Extends Contract". Hamilton Academical F.C. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 25 February 2014.
  14. "Michael Devlin: 'I'm ready for captaincy at Hamilton Accies'". BBC Sport. 1 August 2016. Retrieved 1 August 2016.
  15. Lamont, Alasdair (15 May 2017). "Hamilton Accies: Manager Martin Canning calls for unity in relegation battle". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  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. "Michael Devlin: Aberdeen sign defender and reject third McKenna bid". BBC Sport. 26 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  18. "Games played by Michael Devlin in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  19. English, Tom (26 July 2018). "Aberdeen 1-1 Burnley". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 July 2018.
  20. "Celtic's Boli Bolingoli gets three-game ban; 'Aberdeen eight' receive three-match suspended ban". 28 August 2020 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  21. Lewis, Jane (13 October 2018). "Scotland: Charlie Mulgrew, John Souttar, Kieran Tierney and Robert Snodgrass withdraw from squad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
  22. "Scotland squad: Steve Clarke selects five uncapped players". BBC Sport. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  23. "Russia v Scotland game report". ESPN. 10 October 2019.
  24. "Games played by Michael Devlin in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  25. "Games played by Michael Devlin in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  26. "Games played by Michael Devlin in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  27. "Games played by Michael Devlin in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  28. "Games played by Michael Devlin in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  29. "Games played by Michael Devlin in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  30. "Games played by Michael Devlin in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  31. "Games played by Michael Devlin in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
  32. "Games played by Michael Devlin in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
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