Looking back on a few of these articles recently I seem to have completely ignored many great Saddlers players from before the 1970’s. So to change that….
A midfielder who averages a goal every 3 games- what most teams would give for that. Johnny Devlin was one of Walsall’s best players in the years after the second world war.
Although to some he could be called a centre forward, many of the 160 odd games he played for Walsall were in midfield. To be honest though it didn’t seem to matter where Devlin played he often played a key roll in Saddlers games.
The 1949/50 season was his most successful campaign in which he was Walsall top scorer, much of this helped by the 5 goals he scored in a 7-1 thumping of Torquay in September 1949.
Despite Devlin’s goals and hard work, that season saw us finish 19th in the Third Division and shortly after Devlin left the club.
He later became the player-coach of another local side Bloxwich Strollers before returning to Fellows Park as coach of the youth team.
He was still living in the Walsall area until his death in 2001.
If there is anyone who can remember Johnny Devlin, Vital Football would love to hear your memories of him on our forum.
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