Tom Devlin
Encyclopedia
James Thomas S. "Tom" Devlin (10 April 1903 – after 1935) was a Scottish professional footballer who made 17 appearances in the Football League
playing for Birmingham
, Preston North End
, Swindon Town
, Walsall
and Oldham Athletic
. He played as an inside forward
.
Devlin was born in Bellshill
, North Lanarkshire
. He began his football career with junior
clubs before moving into the Scottish League
, first with Third Lanark
and then King's Park
. He came to England to sign for Birmingham
of the First Division
in September 1924. Devlin played only twice for Birmingham, unable to dislodge Johnny Crosbie
from the inside-right
position, and in January 1926 joined Preston North End
for a fee of £362. After only a few first-team games, Devlin was sold on to Liverpool
for £250, at the same time as his brother William
joined from Huddersfield
. Unlike his brother, Tom Devlin failed to appear for Liverpool's first team, and moved on to Swindon Town
12 months later.
Then followed appearances for clubs in several countries, including Brooklyn Wanderers
and Fall River
in the United States, FC Zürich in Switzerland, and RC Roubaix
in France, interspersed with a return to Scotland with Aberdeen
, though again without appearing for the first team, and several more English clubs, including further appearances in the Football League
with Walsall
and Oldham Athletic
. He retired from the game in about 1936, and died in his native Scotland.
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
playing for Birmingham
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
, Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
, Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
and Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
. He played as an inside forward
Inside forward
In football, the position of inside forward was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries. The inside forwards would support the centre forwards, running and making space in the opposition defence, and, as the passing game developed, supporting him with passes...
.
Devlin was born in Bellshill
Bellshill
Bellshill is a town in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, 10 miles south east of Glasgow city centre and 37 miles west of Edinburgh. Other nearby towns are Motherwell , Hamilton and Coatbridge . Since 1996, it has been situated in the Greater Glasgow metropolitan area...
, North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire
North Lanarkshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. It borders onto the northeast of the City of Glasgow and contains much of Glasgow's suburbs and commuter towns and villages. It also borders Stirling, Falkirk, East Dunbartonshire, West Lothian and South Lanarkshire...
. He began his football career with junior
Scottish Junior Football Association
The Scottish Junior Football Association is an affiliated national association of the Scottish Football Association and is the governing body for the Junior grade of football in Scotland. The term "Junior" refers to the level of football played...
clubs before moving into the Scottish League
Scottish Football League
The Scottish Football League is a league of football teams in Scotland, comprising theScottish First Division, Scottish Second Division and Scottish Third Division. From the league's foundation in 1890 until the breakaway Scottish Premier League was formed in 1998, the Scottish Football League...
, first with Third Lanark
Third Lanark A.C.
Third Lanark Athletic Club was a football club that originally existed between 1872 and 1967, 95 years in existence, based in Glasgow, Scotland. Third Lanark were known as Thirds, the Warriors, the Redcoats and the Hi Hi's...
and then King's Park
King's Park F.C.
King's Park FC were a football club who played in the Scottish Football League before the Second World War. Based in Stirling, they joined the League in the 1921–22 season, following the reintroduction of the Second Division and were one of 11 new members for that season.-History:Their finest...
. He came to England to sign for Birmingham
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
of the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
in September 1924. Devlin played only twice for Birmingham, unable to dislodge Johnny Crosbie
Johnny Crosbie
John Anderson "Johnny" Crosbie was a Scottish professional footballer who played in the Scottish Football League for Ayr United and made more than 400 appearances in the Football League for Birmingham. He was capped twice for the Scotland national football team. He played as an inside...
from the inside-right
Inside forward
In football, the position of inside forward was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries. The inside forwards would support the centre forwards, running and making space in the opposition defence, and, as the passing game developed, supporting him with passes...
position, and in January 1926 joined Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
for a fee of £362. After only a few first-team games, Devlin was sold on to Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
for £250, at the same time as his brother William
William Devlin
William Alexander Devlin was a professional footballer, who played for Cowdenbeath, Huddersfield Town and Liverpool....
joined from Huddersfield
Huddersfield Town F.C.
Huddersfield Town Football Club is an English football club formed in 1908 and based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. They currently play in League One...
. Unlike his brother, Tom Devlin failed to appear for Liverpool's first team, and moved on to Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
12 months later.
Then followed appearances for clubs in several countries, including Brooklyn Wanderers
Brooklyn Wanderers
The Brooklyn Wanderers was a U.S. soccer team which was a founding member of the National Association Football League in the late nineteenth century. It later joined the American Soccer League.-History:...
and Fall River
Fall River F.C.
Fall River Football Club, also referred to as Fall River Field Club, was the name used by two United States soccer clubs, based in Fall River, Massachusetts. Both played in the American Soccer League during the early 1930s. The name is often used incorrectly to refer to Fall River Marksmen, another...
in the United States, FC Zürich in Switzerland, and RC Roubaix
RC Roubaix
Racing Club de Roubaix was a French association football team playing in the city of Roubaix, Nord.-History:The team was founded in 1895 and was very successful before the establishment of professionalism in France...
in France, interspersed with a return to Scotland with Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
, though again without appearing for the first team, and several more English clubs, including further appearances in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
with Walsall
Walsall F.C.
Walsall Football Club are an English association football club based in Walsall, West Midlands. They currently play in League One. The club was founded in 1888 as Walsall Town Swifts, an amalgamation of Walsall Town F.C. and Walsall Swifts F.C. The club was one of the founder members of the Second...
and Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
. He retired from the game in about 1936, and died in his native Scotland.