Aberdeen have confirmed injury-ravaged centre-back Michael Devlin has had his contract terminated – with the player paying tribute to fans for their support during his time on the sidelines.
At his pre-match media conference ahead of Saturday’s top six showdown with Ross County, Dons boss Jim Goodwin had confirmed the 28-year-old – who was signed by Derek McInnes from Hamilton Accies in 2018 – would be moving on.
It was expected Devlin would remain at Pittodrie until the end of the campaign, but a statement from the club this evening revealed he has left with immediate effect.
Scotland international Devlin last played for the Aberdeen first team at the tail-end of 2020 and, despite being handed two short-term contract extensions this season to give him the chance to return to fitness, he has been unable to get fit enough to add to his 51 club appearances.
In his time on the field for the Dons, Devlin has proven himself a capable, technically talented defender. However, his luck with injury has been terrible – having arrived at the Reds with a knee injury before completing his rehab in the Granite City, Devlin then went down with a foot injury on Scotland duty in November 2018.
Other niggles followed, before the ankle ligament injury in December 2020 which he has yet to return to action after.
As part of a Pittodrie statement confirming his release, Devlin said: “I’d like to thank the manager, staff, and chairman for the opportunity to play for a club like Aberdeen.
“Despite the challenges I have faced, I have loved my time here and am leaving with some brilliant memories.
“I would also like to express my thanks to the fans for their backing and continued support since I joined Aberdeen in 2018, in particular over the last 18 months, which have been a very difficult period for me.
“This is a fantastic club and city, with a wonderful support. I wish everyone associated with Aberdeen every success in the future.”
Following up his comments to the press on Thursday, Goodwin told the club website: “I’ve known Mikey a long time, having both been at Hamilton Accies a number of years ago. He’s a great lad, but has unfortunately had a horrendous time with injuries.
“The club has been a fantastic support to him through this challenging period, but, with Mikey having taken some time away from Cormack Park to think about his future, it was apparent that the time was right for him to move on from Aberdeen.
“We all wish him the very best in the future.”
