McDevitt Billy Image 1 Exeter City Manager 1934

Description

Belfast born centre half Billy McDevitt began his senior football career with Irish League club Belfast United after the First World War and was signed by Third Division (South) club Swansea Town, making his Football League debut against Bristol Rovers in April 1922, playing 5 matches for The Swans in their end of season before returning to Belfast United on loan. He then signed for First Division champions Liverpool in June 1923. Three of McDevitt’s appearances at Liverpool came in the 1923-24 season when Walter Wadsworth was unavailable. In his fourth and last match McDevitt played centre forward in a 4-1 home win over Sheffield United on 18yj October 1924 when all four of Liverpool’s goals were scored by Dick Forshaw. When Forshaw headed his fourth he crashed through United’s Milton and McDevitt, who both had to be carried off the park semi-conscious. McDevitt sported a nasty cut above his eye.

McDevitt joined Third Division (South) club Exeter City for a club transfer record in 1925, and was appointed the club’s manager four years later in February 1929. He kept on playing for the club until the 1930-31 season scoring 11 goals in 139 matches for The Grecians and served them as manager until September 1935. He was said to be one of the most popular players ever associated with the club and took Exeter to second place in Third Division South in the 1932-33 season, just missing out of promotion, the best achievement in its history. McDevitt headed back to his hometown, Belfast, where initially he scouting for Wolverhampton Wanderers, before taking over as manager of Distillery in February 1938.