Latest news with #NickyDevlin
Yahoo
20-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dorrington return 'a big boost' for Aberdeen, says Devlin
Alfie Dorrington's return is "a big boost" for Aberdeen, says fellow defender Nicky Devlin. The Tottenham centre-half has returned to Pittodrie for the 2025-26 campaign following a successful loan spell last term, which culminated in a historic Scottish Cup triumph. "It's good to see him back again," Devlin told Aberdeen's club media. "I thought he was brilliant last season for us, especially for someone coming into his first real exposure to first-team football. And he'll be a big boost for us. "There are a few people who have left, big characters who have left the dressing room this year. "He's good on and off the park, he's a big character, he gets on well with everyone. And he brings a lot of quality to the team, which we'll need throughout the season." Jimmy Thelin's men continued their pre-season preparations with a friendly defeat to English Premier League side Fulham on Saturday. New signing Kusini Yengi gave Aberdeen the lead, but they fell to a 4-1 defeat against the London club, who finished 11th England's top tier last season. "It was difficult, everyone knows they're a top side," said Devlin, who replaced Graeme Shinnie at left-back at half time. "They give a lot of the top teams in England problems as well. There were good parts of it - first half and second half - but obviously lots of stuff we need to work on going into the start of our season." On playing in an unfamiliar left-back position, Devlin continued: "On paper it's the same position, it's just a different side. "I think the manager knows I'm happy to play wherever. If he thinks it's the best for the team, then he knows I'll play anywhere for him."
BBC News
20-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Dorrington return 'a big boost' for Aberdeen, says Devlin
Alfie Dorrington's return is "a big boost" for Aberdeen, says fellow defender Nicky Tottenham centre-half has returned to Pittodrie for the 2025-26 campaign following a successful loan spell last term, which culminated in a historic Scottish Cup triumph."It's good to see him back again," Devlin told Aberdeen's club media."I thought he was brilliant last season for us, especially for someone coming into his first real exposure to first-team football. And he'll be a big boost for us."There are a few people who have left, big characters who have left the dressing room this year. "He's good on and off the park, he's a big character, he gets on well with everyone. And he brings a lot of quality to the team, which we'll need throughout the season."Jimmy Thelin's men continued their pre-season preparations with a friendly defeat to English Premier League side Fulham on signing Kusini Yengi gave Aberdeen the lead, but they fell to a 4-1 defeat against the London club, who finished 11th England's top tier last season."It was difficult, everyone knows they're a top side," said Devlin, who replaced Graeme Shinnie at left-back at half time."They give a lot of the top teams in England problems as well. There were good parts of it - first half and second half - but obviously lots of stuff we need to work on going into the start of our season."On playing in an unfamiliar left-back position, Devlin continued: "On paper it's the same position, it's just a different side. "I think the manager knows I'm happy to play wherever. If he thinks it's the best for the team, then he knows I'll play anywhere for him."
BBC News
13-07-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Aberdeen looked 'sharp' in their first friendly, says Thelin
Aberdeen looked "sharp" in their first pre-season friendly, says manager Jimmy Thelin, as his side defeated League 1 Cove Rangers by two Palaversa and Nicky Devlin netted for the Dons on Saturday in their first outing since lifting the Scottish Cup in May. "It was good to have this opportunity to get everybody playing time," Thelin said."We're going to have some other games now ahead of us, and it's going to be more and more intense. "I think everybody's looking sharp. It's still early and we have things to improve on. The main thing today was how the team build up and how we helped and supported each other."We have been working on being more available on the pitch to create some relations. Their relations and the connections inside that we share the same picture on the pitch and I think the players help each other. "It's good to be back, and it's nice to see everyone. Hopefully we can create something good this season."
Scotsman
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Celtic lose in Lisbon, new Rangers signings play, first look at Aberdeen
How three Scottish teams fared in their latest pre-season outings Sign up to our Football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Celtic continued their pre-season preparations with a 3-2 defeat by Estrela da Amadora in Lisbon on Saturday. Defender Kieran Tierney made his first appearance for the Hoops since his return to the club from Arsenal this summer at Benfica's training campus in Portugal, whilst Sweden winger Benjamin Nygren also got his first minutes as a Celtic player since signing from Nordsjaelland, playing the second half. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Midfielder Reo Hatate and striker Adam Idah scored the goals for the Scottish champions but looking at the bigger picture, Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers told Celtic TV: 'It was a really good exercise for us. Reo Hatate was on target for Celtic. | SNS Group 'We're only a couple of weeks in and there were some good moments, some not so good, some young players getting opportunities, some players playing their first minutes of pre-season. It's another step towards where we want to get to. 'We'll get sharper. The guys have had a really heavy week, so they were maybe a wee bit leggy today. But it's that point in the season where you have to push and get through that, that's all about building your fitness. 'The guys will always look to play our game model, which is to press and to play and we did that. We had some really good moments, the goals were excellent. And then we got caught out, especially in the third goal, just pressing at the wrong moment. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'But all that comes with the evolution and understanding of how we play.' Rangers draw with Barnsley Rangers were also in action on Saturday as they drew 1-1 with Barnsley as part of their training camp at St George's Park. Brazilian striker Danilo put Rangers ahead in the second half, but the Tykes - who won promotion to the English Championship last season - levelled through Max Watters. Rangers head coach Russell Martin played a number of new signings, including Max Aarons, Nasser Djiga, Emmanuel Fernandez, Joe Rothwell, Thelo Aasgaard and Lyall Cameron. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Nicky Devlin scored for Aberdeen in the 2-0 win over Cove Rangers. | SNS Group Aberdeen began their pre-season campaign with a 2-0 win over Cove Rangers at the Balmoral Stadium. The Scottish Cup winners of last season took the lead through midfielder Ante Palaversa in the first half and second-half substitute Nicky Devlin completed the scoring later in the match.
Daily Record
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Nicky Devlin has one word to describe wild Aberdeen season as star reveals his gutted mum missed trophy celebrations
Aberdeen won the Scottish Cup at the weekend but poor Nicky Devlin's mum missed it as she was travelling back from holiday Nicky Devlin has revealed his gutted mum missed Aberdeen 's heroic Scottish Cup success. Anne Marie has travelled the length and breadth of Scotland to watch her boy play, even taking off for Europe after the Dons embarked on continental football in Devlin's first campaign at the club. However, she missed his crowning glory as Aberdeen humbled Celtic at Hampden – because she was away on her future daughter-in-law's hen do. The right-back admits she did not even get the chance to watch it on television since she on a flight out to Tenerife when the drama was unfolding. Devlin said: 'Johnny is my wee brother, he gets married in the summer. His partner Kelsey, it was her hen weekend. 'They flew out on Saturday afternoon so she actually never knew we had won until she landed. 'She was in Tenerife so it's 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 at her phone and saw the celebrations, probably saw most of the messages and texts. 'I've spoken to her but I felt bad because she's said it as well, 'I'd love to be in Aberdeen'. 'These things don't come along very often so you have to appreciate them when they do. I tried to limit the contact because I knew the more contact she had, the worse it would be for her. 'I'm sure my dad, who was here, has probably sent her pictures.' Aberdeen's season has been a rollercoaster, which pretty much captures his own campaign – or, as Devlin describes it, 'mental'. He had the highs of a 16-game unbeaten start to claiming his first Scotland cap at home to Portugal last October. The Dons' season then collapsed and, come January, Jimmy Thelin brought in Alexander Jensen as Devlin found himself out of the team. He finally got himself back in in time for Hampden, his third start in five games, and crowned it all by lifting the trophy. Devlin said: 'It's so bizarre, 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 it's the same season – it's been the best part of my career so it's hard to judge. 'It's just mental, the whole season's been mad. This is how we've finished it so it's a good way to finish.' Devlin's lack of recent activity resulted in him cramped up in the showpiece and had to make way in the final minutes of normal time before he cost his team. The 31-year-old said: 'I just felt both calves screaming. 'I didn't want to almost be selfish in terms of playing on. We had someone there in Jack MacKenzie who was more than capable of coming on and probably doing better than me in that position. It was thinking about the team more than what I wanted to do.' Devlin was unselfish and it all turned out for the best as the Dons dispatched Celtic on penalties. The enormity of it all did not sink in until the following day when 100,000 descended on Aberdeen city centre for the open-top bus parade. The former Livingston man added: 'It was amazing seeing so many people here, it was incredible. 'It was weird because we were on the bus and I was happy for myself but seeing Graeme Shinnie and what it meant to him... he was there but you could see he was taking it all in. 'He saw how much it means to people. He's obviously lost a good few finals, especially against Celtic, so you could see him soak it up.' The added dimension for the Dons is they will be back in the group stage of Europe after a season out, with Devlin having got his first taste of it in 2023 against teams including Eintracht Frankfurt, HJK and PAOK. Thelin's side go into the Europa League play-off draw, set to happen on August 4, knowing that if they fail to negotiate that double-header, a six-game league phase in the Conference League beckons until December. Devlin said: 'Yes, it's mad that as well. You probably don't think about it and then it's when you go on the bus or you start talking to the boys, it's group stage now. It's equivalent of finishing third. 'That's where everyone wants to be. It makes it difficult in the league but hopefully the manager and us all will be more prepared this year. 'We'll be ready to go in the summer. The players the managers signed, most of them all have experience of playing in Europe, so it's not a new thing for anyone. 'We're in a good position because we want to go and compete. We don't want to just show up and turn up for games, we want to go and do well.'
