Devlin’s ready to grow into Livi skipper role
NICKY DEVLIN insists he is ready to lead by example as Livingston skipper – now that he has grown up.
The defender became Ayr’s youngest ever captain at 21 in 2015 but admitted he wasn’t ready for the responsibility.
Livi boss Davie Martindale handed him the armband this week and Devlin, now 27, said: “When the gaffer first asked me, it was a big honour, I was delighted.
“To captain any club is massive, never mind a club that’s in the Premiership and is doing very well. I was captain at Ayr when
I was a lot younger but it’s a bit different now being a wee bit older. You do feel a bit more responsibility.
“At Ayr, at the time, I probably didn’t realise the responsibility that’s on you as club captain. But here I do, I’m a bit more mature.
“I was only 21 at the time, at that stage you’re still probably just focused on yourself.
“You want to play well every week and if you win then brilliant.
“But now I probably see the bigger picture and there is stuff to deal with every single day. It’s just about being there for the players.”
Devlin, set to face Motherwell today, has also penned a new contract to commit himself to Livi until at least 2023, after a horror start to the season that saw him break ribs and puncture a lung in a training ground clash then be sidelined by Covid.
He added: “It wasn’t ideal the way the season started for me. I think the gaffer would rather have announced the captaincy earlier but I wasn’t in the club.
“It was a nightmare but it happens, just not usually this bad!”