Devlin insists players are right behind move to help Pittodrie staff

ABERDEEN defender Mikey Devlin said it wasn’t a difficult decision for players to defer payments to help t he club during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Players have deferred wa g e s a t a s c a l e o f 10%- 30% from April 1 for four months.

Centre-back Devlin, who is also PFA Scotland vice-chairman, insists the decision was t aken t o protect the future of office staff and canteen workers within Pittodrie.

Devlin said: “There was a willingness from all of the players to help. We wanted to do it.

“It’s about the canteen staff, the people i n the ticket office, the hospitality staff and the rest. They all have a massive role at the club. Aberdeen would not be what it i s as a club without them.”

As part of a plan to limit a predicted £5m black hole for the club during the coronavirus pandemic management and higher earning non-football staff have also deferred wages. These deferrals will save the club £1.1m. A further £2m from investors will also be put into the club in an attempt to negotiate the football shutdown.

Scotland international Devlin said: “This wasn’t anyone’s fault. It hasn’t been a mismanagement of the club or a case of people doing things wrong.

“It affects everyone, not j u st the players and management, more so the other people who work at the club.

“We know t he l i ght shines on us the most, in terms of being in the public eye.

“But Aberdeen are a family club and there are people who have worked here for a long time.

“These people are potentially at risk if the club can’t sustain itself.

“You can’t j ust think about yourself i n these situations.”

Aberdeen defender Mikey Devlin.