Players - Willie Devlin

Willie Devlin
Birthdate: 30 July 1899
Birthplace: Bellshill, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Date of death: 1972
Other clubs: Vale of Clyde, Clyde (1921-23), King's Park (loan 1922), Cowdenbeath (1923-26), Huddersfield Town (1926-27), Hearts (1927-28), Macclesfield (1928-29), Cowdenbeath (2 / 1929-30), Boston Swifts (1930), Mansfield Town (1930-31), Burton Town (1931), Shelbourne (1931-32), Bangor City (1932-33), Zurich (1933), Boston Town (1933-34), Ashton National (1934-35)
Signed from: Huddersfield Town
Signed for LFC: 06.05.1927
Liverpool debut: 07.05.1927
Last appearance: 27.12.1927
Debut goal: 07.05.1927
Last goal: 05.11.1927
Contract expiry: 27.12.1927
Win ratio: 31.58% W:6 D:7 L:6
Games/goals ratio: 1.27
Total games/goals opposite LFC: 3 / 2
League games / goals: 19 / 15
Total games / goals: 19 / 15

Player Profile

Cowdenbeath's Devlin was top-scorer in the Scottish League from 1924-1926 with 33 and 40 goals respectively in 68 matches and earned himself a big-money £4,200 move to Huddersfield Town in February 1926. Huddersfield had won the League Championship for two consecutive seasons and Devlin contributed to their third by scoring four goals in four games in his debut season. He scored ten goals in 28 appearances as the Terriers failed to add to their fourth consecutive title, finishing second five points behind Newcastle in 1926/27. Dick Forshaw had been controversially sold from Liverpool to Everton in March 1927 and the Reds needed a replacement. Devlin was given his Liverpool debut in the final fixture of the 1926/27 season in a visit to West Ham and scored the second goal in a 3-3 draw. He was picked for the first 15 first division matches the following year and scored 14 times, that figure included four strikes against both Bury (5-1) and Portsmouth (8-2). He then missed three matches before being recalled for a further three, in which he failed to score and Tom Reid took over as centre-forward for most of the rest of the season.

Devlin, who could shoot on the run with either foot, scored well over 250 goals in his eventful career. After stints in various local amateur leagues he joined the French exodus in their newly-formed semi-professional national league. Devlin only had a month's trial at Marseille before departing to Switzerland. William's brother, Tom Devlin, played for Liverpool's reserves in the 1926/27 season and featured later for Switzerland's Zurich just like his sibling.
Appearances per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 19 0 0 0 0 19
1926-1927 1 0 0 0 0 1
1927-1928 18 0 0 0 0 18
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps Minutes Opponent
2 180 West Ham United
2 180 Bury
1 90 Blackburn Rovers
1 90 Everton
1 90 Bolton Wanderers
1 90 Leicester City
1 90 Arsenal
1 90 Sheffield Wednesday
1 90 Tottenham
1 90 Cardiff City
1 90 Sheffield United
1 90 Middlesbrough
1 90 Derby
1 90 Portsmouth
1 90 Sunderland
1 90 Aston Villa
1 90 Manchester United
Total Venue
11 Away
8 Home
Total Competition
19 League
Total W D L Win % Manager
19 6 7 6 31.6% Matt McQueen
Goals per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 15 0 0 0 0 15
1926-1927 1 0 0 0 0 1
1927-1928 14 0 0 0 0 14
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Total Competition
15 League
Total Goal minute period
5 1-15 minutes
2 16-30 minutes
4 31-45 minutes
1 46-60 minutes
2 61-75 minutes
1 76-90 minutes
Total Goal origin
15 Open play
Milestone Appearances
# Date Against Stadium Competition
1 07.05.1927 West Ham United Upton Park League
Milestone Goals
# Minute Date Against Stadium Competition
1 43 07.05.1927 West Ham United Upton Park League
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Related Quotes

"When Hodgson opened his account for the evening, Liam Devlin had already scored FOUR goals in the game. One with his left, two with his right and a bullet header to round off a fine display.

Could Devlin fill the boots of Forshaw? On this occasion his toes were bursting out the front of his boots. Here was a player who was ill-fitted at Huddersfield, so off he trotted to Anfield. And in just three games, he’s posed a new question. How many goals will this player score when getting service like he got tonight. Devlin takes up his position, hangs around the backs, works at will and earnestly, but does not do a jot when it comes to tracking back or helping out those behind him. He is here to score goals, not to get in others way. And if anyone gets in his way, woe betide.

There is no better centre than he who stands at attention and keeps his wing men going. And Devlin ran both Hopkin and Edmed ragged tonight. Collecting balls on the half way line, he immediately places the ball wide. Either side it matters not a jot to Liam. As the ball reaches the wing, Devlin is already in position waiting for the cross.
Send it in high, he’ll head home.
Send it in low, he’ll drive the ball home.
Send it in waist high, he’ll volley the ball home.
And by far the most bizarre, send it in behind him and he’ll overhead kick it into the goal."

Daily Post on Liverpool's 5-1 win over Bury on 31st August 1927

Other Clubs
Club Season Club rank League apps League goals Total apps Total goals
Vale of Clyde Scotland 0 0 0 0
Clyde 1921-1922 Scotland Division 1 9 2 9 2
King's Park 1921-1922 Scotland Division 2 12 17 12 17
Clyde 1922-1923 Scotland Division 1 1 0 1 0
Cowdenbeath 1922-1923 Scotland Division 2 N/A N/A N/A N/A
Cowdenbeath 1923-1924 Scotland Division 2 25 25 25 25
Cowdenbeath 1924-1925 Scotland Division 1 38 33 38 33
Cowdenbeath 1925-1926 Scotland Division 1 30 40 30 40
Huddersfield Town 1925-1926 England First Division 4 4 4 4
Huddersfield Town 1926-1927 England First Division 28 10 28 10
Hearts 1927-1928 Scotland Division 1 15 12 15 12
Macclesfield 1928-1929 Cheshire County League N/A N/A N/A N/A
Cowdenbeath 1929-1930 Scotland Division 1 20 5 20 5
Mansfield Town 1930-1931 England Midland League 21 15 21 15
Burton Town 1930-1931 Birmingham & District League N/A N/A N/A N/A
Shelbourne 1931-1932 League of Ireland N/A N/A N/A N/A
Bangor City 1932-1933 Birmingham & District League N/A N/A N/A N/A
Zurich 1933 Switzerland N/A N/A N/A N/A
Boston Town 1933-1934 Midland League N/A N/A N/A N/A
Ashton National 1934-1935 Cheshire County League N/A N/A N/A N/A
Total 203 163 203 163