Aberdeen defender Nicky Devlin reveals why Tenerife hen weekend impacted Scottish Cup final glory
Aberdeen defender Nicky Devlin has revealed his mum missed him winning the Scottish Cup because she was at a hen weekend in Tenerife.
Devoted mum Ann-Marie has attended almost every game the full-back has played from young kid to seasoned pro.
However, she had already booked up for a hen weekend for Devlin's brother's fiancée before the final was confirmed.
Devlin's mum was on a flight to the Canary Islands while the final against Celtic raged on at Hampden.
It was only when she touched down in Tenerife and turned on her phone that the messages started arriving confirming her son was a Scottish Cup winner.
For the 31-year-old lifting the trophy is reward for his parents' dedication in watching him play week in week out.
The Scotland international talked to his mum via FaceTime not long after she landed.
Devlin explained: 'Johnny, my wee brother, is getting married in the summer.
'His partner Kelsey, it was her hen weekend.
'They flew out on Saturday afternoon so my mum actually never knew until she landed that we had won the cup.
'She was in Tenerife and it's like a four-hour flight or something like that.
'Even with extra-time and penalties by the time she landed she didn't know what had happened.
'Then, she looked on her phone and saw the messages, texts and celebrations.'
Signed by Aberdeen in summer 2023, Devlin was a regular starter forr the first 18 months of his Pittodrie career.
His form led to a debut Scotland call-up and cap against Portugal in the Nations League last October.
However, he struggled to get a start in recent months.
The perception was that Devlin would not start the Scottish Cup final, which is why his mum went to the hen weekend.
He was pitched back into the starting line-up for the final when playing on the left of a five-man defence as boss Jimmy Thelin changed formation.
It was a change of position for Devlin from his normal right-back role, and he excelled.
Devlin said: 'When I spoke to my mum I felt bad because she would have loved to be there (at the final).
'I don't think she thought I was going to play so that's why she went.
'If I'd been playing the last couple of months she would maybe have stayed but, it was the hen do as well.
'It was for my wee brother's partner so it's an important event.
'She's in the sun drinking wine, Aberdeen have won a cup so she'll be fine.'
A decade ago, Devlin was playing for Ayr United in League One, having previously been at Dumbarton and Stenhousemuir in League Two.
This season he has become a Scottish Cup winner and Scotland international.
It is a journey where his parents have been there every step of the way.
Devlin said: 'My parents go to every game, my mum especially.
'My dad still takes an amateur team in Glasgow from Drumchapel so he's still with them most Saturdays,
'Mum is at every game, she loves it to be fair, even the European stuff.
'They've been at everything so this (Scottish Cup) is a big reward for them as well because they spend a lot of money travelling about the same as all the supporters.
'Days like this are hopefully the reward for them.
'These things don't come along very often so you have to appreciate them when they come.'
Devlin was a nailed on first team starter until the end of the January transfer window, when right-back Alexander Jensen was signed.
Having started in a 2-0 loss at Hibs on January 30, Devlin had to endure two months out of the starting line-up
His next start came in a 1-0 loss at St Mirren on May 3 and that extended absence was worst the defender has felt in his career.
Devlin's next start would be the Scottish Cup final.
He said: 'It's so bizarre as the full season's just been mental.
'I'd admit, at one point in the season, it was probably the worst I've ever felt in my career.
'In terms of not playing, it was the hardest part of my career for a couple months.
'But at the same time the Scottish Cup has been the best part of my career so it's hard to kind of judge .
'I hadn't played for a while.
'But I always thought in the back of my head, when we got through the semi-final, that the manager would probably put me in.
'Probably not in that position (left wing-back) but I always felt I might have got back in because it was the final.
'It's been a mad season which finished great.'
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