SSE AIRTRICITY LEAGUE First Division side Cabinteely have announced that Pat Devlin has been appointed as both manager, and the club’s director of football, on a three-year contract.
The vastly experienced Devlin, who in addition to four managerial stints with Bray Wanderers has enjoyed recent directorial stints at Shamrock Rovers and UCD, is said to have a small budget to attract players to the Dublin club, that will compete in their 50th season since inauguration in 2017.
The 63-year-old has expressed an interest in working with ambitious chairman Larry Bass to push the building of a new multi-purpose stadium with the local council, and to ensure Premier Division promotion within the next few years.
Speaking about the appointment to the club’s website, Bass hailed his new manager’s pedigree and their shared ambition for the club.
“I have known Pat Devlin for quite a while now and I have admired his work as a coach and manager down through the years,” said Bass.
I have also admired his style of play, his ability to get the best out of teams he has managed, as well as his success at unearthing and nurturing new talent in the game.
“Cabinteely FC may be young in terms of League of Ireland football but our plans and ambitions for the future are well grounded and we are looking forward to working with Pat to ensure that those plans and ambitions are fulfilled.”
Devlin, who also spent a brief spell in charge of the short-lived Republic of Ireland B team, echoed his chairman’s sentiments, expressing delight at his new role, and gratitude for the co-operation of his previous employers UCD.
“Obviously I have been very aware of the progress of the club at all levels since it was founded, but I am very impressed with where they want to take the club both from a football point of view and on a community basis,” said Devlin, also speaking to the club’s wesbite.
“My priority now will be to retain players, recruit new ones and then to work with the club officials and the backroom team on pre -season in preparation for the new SSE Airtricity League which starts at the end of February.
“Finally I would like to thank UCD FC for their co-operation in me taking up this appointment,” Devlin concluded.
Cabinteely have struggled to gain traction in the two seasons since their inception to the League of Ireland, finishing last and second-last in the First Division in 2015 and 2016 respectively, but Bass and Co will be hoping that the former long-serving Seagulls manager’s presence in the hotseat will pay quick and handsome dividends for the Dublin club.
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