We continue our interviews with ex-Blues players, and this time I spoke to Paul Devlin. This interview is sponsored by Zulumag!

Obviously a you’re a Brummie Lad, where were you bought up Paul?

I was born in Brookvale Village and I was bought up in Erdington not far from Villa Park. My Dad is from Glasgow and we were all big Celtic fans, but my Uncle was a big Bluenose and started taking me down to St Andrews.

What was your first game?

I can’t remember for definite, but I’m pretty sure it was Ipswich. That great side of Wark, Brazil and Mariner etc. I remember Frank Worthington was playing for us.

What took you into professional football?

Well at school I never really wanted to be a footballer, I actually wanted to be a chef. When I left I trained at a hotel, went day release to college and got my catering qualifications. I got into football through Sunday football and non-league, and I got spotted that way.

Notts County was your first club wasn’t it? How did it go there?

Yeah I signed for Notts County from Stafford Rangers. It went really well. I’d had trials at a few clubs including Liverpool. I was up there for 6 weeks on and off.

Then Leeds came in for me. I went to Leeds for a week and played in a reserve game. When I got back I decided that would sign for Notts County and Neil Warnock. On the Monday, Howard Wilkinson phoned me up and gave me a rollocking for not signing for Leeds. Leeds ended up winning the league and County got relegated!

Having said that, I had four great years at Notts County.

What was it like working for Mr Warnock?

I’ve known Neil a long time, and I’ll always be grateful to him for giving me my big break. I played for him at Sheffield United too.

So when did the Blues start featuring?

I’d renewed my contract at County, although I know things were difficult financially there. One of my best friends in football was Michael Johnson and we’d kept in contact and as Blues were my club, I said to him if he could get me there that would be great.

One day they rang up to say that Baz was keen on me and would I come. I said I I’d jump at the chance. They signed Andy Legg in the same deal so Stafford Rangers got a smaller percentage apparently. However, it was great to get an opportunity to play there.

So you were one of Bazza’s last 432 signings?

Yeeaah, that’s right. (Laughs!). Baz was great.

I have to say I thought Baz was brilliant, got nothing but praise for thebloke – and I’d say most Blues fans would think of him fondly.

Yeah he was fantastic, he helped to bring the Blues back to life again to be honest along with the Gold and Sullivan who had saved the club.

Paul Devlin

I seemed to remember that there was a real team spirit.

Definitely. He was a larger than life character, but people liked him. I had 15 years as a pro and no one had a bad word for the man.

Do you have a Bazza story?

I remember when we were playing Grimsby away. During the night we were woken up by someone running down the corridor screaming and banging on the doors. We used to get that happen occasionally by opposing fans trying to keep us awake. When gone down to breakfast and the lads were a bit bleary eyed. Anyway, Baz comes in looking like he’d been to a nightclub the night before!

We all said, we shouldn’t stay here again gaffer, some nut case has been banging on the doors trying to keep us awake. Barry replied, “yeah that was me.” He’d been to a wedding or something and had got drunk.

Anyway it worked, because we beat Grimsby easily that day!

Eventually Barry was sacked and Trevor took over, what was that like for you being as Trevor was a totally different personality and character?

You said it, he was a totally different personality and character, in fact I wouldn’t say Trevor had either! He wasn’t my cup of tea. Out of my15 years as a pro, he was the one I didn’t get on with. I know that might upset some Blues fans.

I scored goals under Barry and then the following season was top scorer and player of the season, but that still wasn’t good enough for Trevor.

He bought in some big signings like paul Furlong, Mike Newell, Steve Bruce – and I don’t know if it was the fact that I was one of Barry’s signings – but we just clashed basically.

I didn’t think much of him as a manager and he didn’t think much of me as a player. He was always going to win that one. He sold me an to be fair I had four great years at Sheffield United, but I didn’t want to leave the Blues – I’d have happily stayed all my career.

It was just a shame that I was doing well when I left, and there was a lot of ill feeling too with the crowd getting on my back with Trevor being able to say his part and me not being able to give my side.

Still it was all water under the bridge in the end. It was nice to get back. To be truthful, the way I left the Blues was probably my lowest point in football.

Trevor didn’t want to offer me a new contract, I’d asked for parity with Furze and I’ll sign it immediately, (I got on well with Furze by the way), but Trevor didn’t want to give me that. He said that we’d paid several million for Paul and he’d come from Chelsea and that was that.

At the end of the day, he didn’t like me and I didn’t like him it was as simple as that. I thought he was a poor manager to be honest, which was a shame because to 99% of Bluenoses – he was a god. I wish it had never happened, but you can’t turn the clock back.

Have you seen him since?

I wouldn’t go out of my way to speak to him to be honest. I did see him at Selhurst Park once, but it was strained with just brief “hellos” from both of us.

You when to Sheffield United for a few years, and Steve came in for you on loan. What was happening there? Did you need a new challenge?

No far from it, I was player of the year and and runner up the following year and I’d just signed a four year contract, I was having a good time.

I got a call from Steve when he was at Palace and asked if I wanted to go there. Obviously I’d played with Steve at Blues and he was manager at Sheffield United for a spell while I was there, we were quite close friends.

Then the gardening leave thing happened, but he said when things got sorted he wanted me there. I was probably the main man at Sheffield United, and then Steve got the Blues job. Nothing happened for a few months so I got Johnno to ask him what was happening. Anyway apparently by the time Steve had looked at the present squad, he’d realised that there quite a few lads who were around 30 / 30+ it might not be the right time to bring me in as I’d just turned 30 at the time.

That left me in a bit of an awkward situation at Sheffield United but fair play to Neil Warnock, when it looked like the deal was dead – he put me back into the team. We played Norwich away. This was despite me being out of the team for a while. Anyway by the following Monday I was back at Blues!

You played 13 times that season and scored 1 goal and that was against Wolves when we drew 2-2. I felt that was a real turning point for the side as we put together a great run to get into the play-offs. What do you remember about it?

It was my last game on loan and it was on the television too, also being a local derby. I scored the 2nd goal Martin Grainger crossed it. It definitely gave us a new impetus to kick on. The following week the deal was done to bring me back permanently.

The following season you pulled on the shirt in the Premier League for 30 games, tell us about that.

Yeah, Steve was true to his word about giving us the opportunity in the Premier League. It was fantastic to play in the top flight with the club for the first time for a long time and also to get international recognition was also brilliant.

I also got my first Premier League goal in the First Home Premier League game at St Andrews, which was also the Blues first ever home Premier League goal, against Leeds United which was fantastic. Especially as at the time that was a really good Leeds side.

Paul Devlin After Another Goal!

What was your highlight of being at the club?

I think it has to be the play-off final in Cardiff. It was a great day and a great atmosphere and to score one of the penalties and see the club promoted to the top flight was fantastic, especially for the fans.

Whenever I see the shoot out, it still causes the hairs on the back of my neck to stand up.

Yeah, I have to say though, that I was always confident going into penalties. We’d practiced them religiously in the weeks before the game.

We had some good penalty takers. I wasn’t sure it would go to penalties at one point – but when it did I was pretty confident we were going to go through.

Were they pre organised?

Yeah everyone knew what they were doing, it was all organised before the game.

You got picked for Scotland, tell us a bit about that.

I’d been told several times, when I was at the Blues the first time and then at Sheffield United, that I’d get a call up – but it never materialised. The big deciding factor was me getting to play in the Premier League, and playing pretty well in the Premier League.

My Dad was at the Newcastle game at St Andrews and was sat just next to Archie Knox. He’d heard Archie say nice things about me, anyway on the Monday I got the call from Berti Vogts to say I’d been called up. At 30 / 31 it was a fantastic opportunity, however I don’t think I was playing any better than previous seasons, it was simply that I was playing in the top flight.

How many caps and goals did you get?

I got ten caps, but unfortunately I never scored.

What about your disciplinary record?

(Paul laughs!). Yeah well, I think the first half of my career was appalling to be honest. I think I did get better as I got older. Neil Warnock gives me a mention in his book, that he didn’t realise when he signed me from non-league that I had 49 disciplinary points I was sent off 7 ot 8 times! I was a bit firey when I was younger and the red mist used to descend.

What are you doing now and what are your ambitions?

I’ve been involved in a building company for four or five years that I’m a partner in but I’ve just finished my personal training qualification and I’m looking to do something with Steve Froggatt. We’ve set up a company called XPROTRAINING to become a course provider for people to become a personal trainer or a gym instructor.

The fitness side of things always interested me more than coaching. I’ve been asked before about why didn’t I stay in the game to coach or a manager, but the fitness and nutrition side of things has always interested me more.

So what do you think about what’s happening at the Blues now?

Yeah I was at St Andrews in the Frank Worthington hospitality suite for the Chelsea game. The atmosphere was fantastic. A real change to things from a few weeks before.

Joe Hart made a few good saves, but Blues gave as good as they got that day. There’s a good vibe about the place which is good to see.

Do you agree that Alex has turned the doubters into believers!?

Yeah I think so. last year when we got promoted, there were people who were critical of the style of the football we were playing and that we were boring. But he has changed the formation and with the Chinese taking over, it is like a totally different club down there now.

The time under the old board had run it’ course and it was time for change. I know a lot of people are critical of them, however they did save the club and they did breathe new life into the club then. But with Carson coming in now, it is another new era and it couldn’t be much better at the moment.

If we get there would you go to Wembley?

I’d love to. One or two of the old players would be on the scrounge for tickets! It would be terrific.

If you have a spare ticket Paul, you know where I am!

I bet that won’t be the only phone call or request I might get Kev!

Well thank you very much for your time Paul, it’s great to speak to a player who as a Brummie knows what it means to us. Keep us informed with your new venture and we’ll do an update here.

It’s a pleasure Kev.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you Mr Paul Devlin!

Images used with kind permission from Birmingham City FC.