John Devine (footballer)
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Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/FeenyDev|FeenyDev]] ([[User talk:FeenyDev|talk]]) to last version by GDibyendu
'''John Anthony Devine''' (born [[November 11]] [[1958]] in [[Dublin]]) is an [[Republic of Ireland|Irish]] former [[football (soccer)|football]]er.
Born in [[Dublin]], Devine joined [[London]] club [[Arsenal F.C.|Arsenal]] in November [[1974]] as an apprentice. Part of a large young Irish contingent at Arsenal (which also included [[Liam Brady]], [[David O'Leary]] and [[Frank Stapleton]]), Devine turned professional in [[1976]]. A [[full back (football)|full back]] who preferred playing on the right, he made his debut for the Gunners on [[April 28]], [[1978]], deputising for [[Pat Rice]].
With Rice and [[Sammy Nelson]] occupying the Arsenal full back positions most of the time, Devine didn't break into the first team straight away, although he did play in the [[1980]] [[FA Cup]] final (which Arsenal lost 1-0 to [[West Ham United F.C.|West Ham United]]) after Rice was injured. However, Rice returned to the Arsenal side for the Gunners' [[Cup Winners Cup]] final against [[Valencia CF|Valencia]], which Devine missed. After Rice left for [[Watford F.C.|Watford]] in the summer of [[1980]], Devine stepped up to become Arsenal's regular right-back, playing 44 times in 1980-81. However, his tenure there didn't last; after Devine was out of the side with injury, [[John Hollins]] was moved back into defence as cover, and Devine could not reclaim his place once he had regained fitness. He played only 23 games in his final two seasons at Arsenal.
Devine was capped for the [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Republic of Ireland]] at every level, winning thirty caps in all, with thirteen of those coming for the senior side. He made his senior debut on [[September 26]], [[1979]] against [[Czechoslovakia national football team|Czechoslovakia]], and his last cap came against [[Norway national football team|Norway]] on [[October 17]], [[1984]]. He never played in a [[Football World Cup|World Cup]] or [[European Football Championship|European Championship]] finals, as Ireland did not qualify for any tournaments during that time, although most of his caps were won in European and World cup Qualifying games.
Devine left Arsenal in the summer of [[1983]], having played 111 first-team matches for the club in nine years. He joined [[Norwich City F.C.|Norwich City]], and played 69 games in two seasons for the Canaries, and was an unused sub in the Canaries' [[Football League Cup|League Cup]] final win in [[1984-85 in English football|1984-85]]. He then had a stint at [[Stoke City F.C.|Stoke City]], but after breaking his leg his career was effectively over. He had brief spells at [[Norway|Norwegian]] club [[I.K. Start]], before signing for [[Shamrock Rovers]] in 1989. He helped Rovers to the [[FAI Cup]] final in 1991 before signing for [[India]]n side [[East Bengal Club|East Bengal]]
He then became a coach at [[Shelbourne F.C.|Shelbourne]]. Shelbourne's close ties with [[Manchester United F.C.|Manchester United]] led to Devine working with the English club, and he has been United's head of youth development in Ireland since 1997.
He was married to Miss Ireland 1980, [[Michelle Rocca]] in 1981 and the couple had two daughters, Danielle and Natasha, before divorcing in 1990.
==External links==
*[http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=578 Photograph and biography] at sporting-heroes.net
*[http://www.ex-canaries.co.uk/players/devine.htm Career information at ex-canaries.co.uk]
[[Category:1958 births|Devine, John]]
[[Category:Living people|Devine, John]]
[[Category:Republic of Ireland footballers|Devine, John]]
[[Category:Football (soccer) fullbacks|Devine, John]]
[[Category:Arsenal F.C. players|Devine, John]]
[[Category:Norwich City F.C. players|Devine, John]]
[[Category:Stoke City F.C. players|Devine, John]]
[[Category:Shamrock Rovers F.C. players|Devine, John]]
[[Category:People from County Dublin|Devine, John]]
[[Category:Football League of Ireland players|Devine, John]]
[[Category:Republic of Ireland international footballers|Devine, John]]
[[Category:Republic of Ireland under-21 international footballers|Devine, John]]
[[it:John Devine]]