Ex Hibs and Scotland defender confirms retirement after injury ravaged career as excitement shared at PFA Scotland role
A former Hibs, Livingston and Aberdeen player has brought down the curtain on his injury-blighted playing career
Former Hibs, Livingston and Scotland defender Mikey Devlin has confirmed his retirement from professional football after what he described as a career that will “take you to places mentally, which you don’t have the capacity to make sense of”.
Capped three times by his country, the centre-back played for the likes of Hamilton Accies, Aberdeen and Fleetwood Town before his arrival as free agent at Easter Road on a short-term contract in February 2023.
Signed by Lee Johnson initially as defensive cover after a successful trial period, Devlin was given the chance to earn himself a longer stay in Leith. And despite adding valuable experience to Hibs’ backline, the 32-year-old opted for a move to Livingston at the end of the season, where he was later appointed club captain.
After spending a year in West Lothian, Devlin was released upon the expiry of his contract following the club’s relegation from the Scottish Premiership.
He subsequently joined Scott Brown’s Ayr United in the Championship and made 12 appearances in total, the last of which came in a 2-1 home win against Partick Thistle in January.
On the international stage, Devlin earned his first call up to the Scotland squad in October 2018 before making his senior debut 12 months later in a Euro 2020 qualifier against Russia. He was plagued by serious knee, hamstring and ankle injuries throughout his career.
Without a club since leaving the Honest Men in the summer, Devlin has now decided the time is right to hang up his boots. And he revealed he is looking forward to the next chapter in his career as ‘Head of Projects’ at PFA Scotland.
In a lengthy statement posted on his LinkedIn account, Devlin said: “It was hard to find the words for this, for obvious reasons. Retirement comes to us all in some form or another and when it does, we can only hope we are prepared for it.
“After a lot of reflection and contemplation, I feel ready for it. To walk away from a job that was my dream, something I loved deeply and my identity for vast majority of my life was, and is, a challenge. That being said, not only do I feel ready, I feel excited about what’s next.
“I’m incredibly proud of what I achieved in my career. Without doubt, representing my country is the highlight. The highs and lows are expected, to a degree, but football has the potential to take you to places mentally, which you don’t have the capacity to make sense of. This was certainly the greatest challenge I faced personally.
“I consider myself unbelievable fortunate to have experienced what I have throughout my 16 years as a professional. I played for brilliant clubs and worked with amazing people. And it’s the people I’ll remember most. Friendships I’ll have for life, people who have shaped who I am now and helped me navigate my heaviest struggles. My biggest takeaway and the aspect I care about most is the people I met along the way. I’ve been extremely lucky to have shared a dressing room with a lot of special people.
“I’ve had many great influences on my career from an early age who left a lasting impact on me as a human being. Managers, Coaches, Physios, Sport Scientists and Doctors all played a big part in my experience as a football. I’m hugely grateful and thankful to those who believed and supported me.
“Most importantly, the role my family played in my career will never go unacknowledged or under appreciated. Without them, I know I wouldn’t have “made it”. We often overlook the impact our careers have on the people close to us. They live it too, feeling the highs and lows as much as we do. For me, my parents, brother Paul, and sister Rachel, have been my stability, my support, my reassurance and my biggest fans.
“I’ll never be able to repay them for their physical and emotional investment in my journey. They alone, enabled my hopes and dreams to become a reality. I love you all very much and couldn’t have done this without you. Thank you.
“PFA Scotland and the work they do has always meant a lot to me. Fraser Wishart has been a huge influence on me and I’m extremely thankful for the belief he has shown in me. I’ve been fortunate to be Chair of the organisation for a few years now and am exceptionally grateful and appreciative of the Management Committee who, at our most recent meeting, unanimously voted for me to continue as Chair, despite my retirements.
“I feel proud and excited to be moving into a full time role as Head of Projects at PFA Scotland. I hope my lived experience as a player can influence and guide me as I seek to support and drive change for every other footballer in Scotland. There is a lot to look forward to and be excited about.