Cammy Devlin reveals his Hearts heartache at an 'unjust' ending

Cammy Devlin today spoke for the first time about his Hearts heartbreak after the final-day title decider against Celtic. In what could be his last act as a Tynecastle player with his contract expiring, the midfielder recalled the worst day of his career at Celtic Park. The Glasgow club won 3-1 to beat Hearts to the Premiership trophy by two points, leaving Devlin and his team-mates devastated.

The 27-year-old is now in America at a training camp with Australia as they prepare for next month’s World Cup. The pain from the ending to the Scottish Premiership is still raw in Devlin’s mind. A mass pitch invasion at the end saw Hearts players ushered off the field for safety before being given a police escort away from Celtic Park. They returned to Tynecastle to thousands of waiting fans, with Devlin and others in tears as they stepped off the team coach still in their match kit.

Hearts led the Premiership table since September and kicked off one point ahead of Celtic, but goals on 88 and 97 minutes gave the Glasgow club a 3-1 win to secure the league title. “It’s hard because it was the worst day in my career, in terms of how disappointing it was,” Devlin told media at the Australian camp in Florida.

“Unjust is probably a word [to use], we didn’t deserve that, how it ended and everything. On a positive side, the best thing for me is I’m lucky enough to come straight into a camp representing my country. That can change your mindset straight away and you have no choice rather than to get back and perform at your highest level.

“That’s been something really good. I feel so lucky I have that opportunity. I feel like if I didn’t have that and went on holiday or back home, it would be really on my mind every minute because of how disappointing it was. So lucky to get this opportunity. There’s no bigger carrot at the end of this, so to come in here and have something else to focus on is really good.

“It was really tough the first couple of days, just because of how it all happened. Still, there’s so many thoughts of what could’ve been different, what should’ve been different. I know that’s a lot of feeling with the boys around Hearts, and everyone around the place.

“Really undeserving finish to an amazing season with such a special club. Everything we did and achieved was incredible. Still not over what happened. But to have this shirt on, and get the chance to train, represent my country and hopefully at the end of it, go to a World Cup. There’s no better thing to look forward to.”

Devlin is considering his future at the moment with offers from MLS clubs and some interest in England. He was scouted by Portsmouth and Stoke City previously, and still has the option to stay in Edinburgh if he wants to sign another deal at Hearts. He has not ruled out extending his time in maroon and the club want to keep him. For now, he is eager to seize a chance to make the Socceroos World Cup squad. He was part of the 2022 squad in Qatar but did not play.

Australia coach Tony Popovic is set to name his final 26-man selection by 1 June ahead of Group D fixtures against Turkiye, USA and Paraguay. “It would be a dream come true,” said Devlin on the prospect of making the cut. “To even be in the position I am now, I feel so fortunate. I’m so grateful. You work so hard at your club every single day. You grow up as a kid, watching on TV the Socceroos. To be in the position I am now, playing overseas. I pride myself on hard work, that’s how I’ve got myself to where I am today.

“You work so hard to get a call-up and then when you get here, you have to work even harder. It’s hard to get here, but it’s harder to say here. To be in the frame where I am now is super special. I don’t take it for granted. To be in the final squad would mean everything to me and my family. It would be one of the more special days of my life.”

Australia yesterday added another eight players to their training camp after releasing eight deemed surplus to requirements for the World Cup. Among those released was the Hibs striker Ante Suto, who had been given the chance to impress alongside his Easter Road team-mate Martin Boyle. Boyle remains with the Socceroos at the moment. The others who have left the camp are: Daniel Bennie (QPR), Raphael Borges Rodrigues (Wigan Athletic, on loan from Coventry City), Anthony Caceres (Macarthur FC), Mitch Duke (Macarthur FC), Dylan Leonard (Schalke), Alex Robertson (Cardiff City) and Gianni Stensness (Viking).

The new additions include former Hearts defender Kye Rowles, currently with the MLS side DC United, and the Livingston forward Tete Yengi. The full eight who have joined Popovic’s training sessions are: Alessandro Circati (Parma), Lucas Herrington (Colorado Rapids), Awer Mabil (Castellon), Kye Rowles (DC United), Mat Ryan (Levante), Paul Okon-Engstler (Sydney FC), Tete Yengi (Machida Zelvia, on loan from Livingston) and Kai Trewin (New York City).