‘No fuss, all about the players’ Alan Devonshire’s final Maidenhead United game was made in his own image

On Saturday, Maidenhead United hosted Chippenham Town in Alan Devonshire’s final match in charge of the Magpies. Here, Club Secretary – and more importantly fan – Neil Maskell takes us through ‘Devs’ emotional final match in charge.

“Yeah I’m fine”.  The typically understated reply I got to my enquiry as to Alan Devonshire’s well-being when he arrived at York Road on Saturday to manage a Maidenhead United team in a competitive match for the 913th time. 

No fuss was wanted by a man very much of his generation for whom management was ‘all about the players’.  The Magpies fans however wouldn’t let allow the man who has been the club’s best ever manager, twice over, depart without a tribute as a many supporters adorned Dev-style flat caps for his farewell – all captured by club photographer Darren Woolley.

Part of the many-faceted role of Club Secretary at a club like Maidenhead United is to prepare the team sheet for exchange with officials and visiting management so I am usually present for the referee’s debrief.  On this occasion Gary Horgan, manager of visitors Chippenham Town, enquired as to whether there would be a guard of honour for Alan to mark the occasion.  Unfussy Dev chuckled a polite “no thank you” but it was a touch of class from an opposition club who were welcome guests at the party and it was typical of a number of warm tributes paid by many inside the non-league game.  Horgan would later be cautioned by the match official for showing some frustration at a number of what might be best described as ‘marginal decisions which rather added to the swing of the celebrations’.

Once Josh Umerah headed home a second half second Maidenhead goal of the day the festivities really got underway with the manager’s name being sung over and over by the home fans stood at the Bell Street End.  It was apt that the last goal of the second Devonshire era was scored by Sam Barratt.  Sam was one of just five Magpies retained by Dev in 2015 when he returned to the club.  There was laughter as Sam grabbed a cap from the crowd in celebration, ironically one that Dev himself had donated to fan Damien Hanson in previous times.

The final whistle went moments later and as the players and staff went over to acclaim the fans, the Maidenhead air-traffic was momentarily as busy as 15 miles down the road at Heathrow; captain Will de Havilland indulged Bell Streeters in his usual airplane celebration before Dev followed suit.  A wave to all four corners of the ground and he was then first off the pitch, allowing his players to take the acclaim for a confident and competent performance that had been rather missing in recent difficult weeks.

There is no special treatment at MUFC, so even the Secretary wasn’t able to push his way into a cheek-by-jowl crowded Stripes Bar at the end as Chairman Peter Griffin and his wife Una Loughrey made presentations to the Devonshire family.  Later, the man they had all come to see was persuaded to make an address – it was unsurprisingly brief, stating his love for the club and his hope that all would get behind his immediate successor Ryan Peters, before raising a final laugh and a cheer using an expletive to describe the minority who criticise (who were seemingly nowhere to be seen on the day).

A fan at heart, I got a signature on a team sheet and an all-smiles selfie with the man of the moment.  I will miss hearing those unmistakable deep west London dulcet tones on my telephone or on a matchday.  I have learned a lot from Dev in terms of how things should be done in the industry.  He has also not been afraid to tell me when I have done it wrong!  But mostly I will miss a man who is loyal to those who support him, a caring man who would always insist that his players “drive carefully please boys” when alighting the team coach after an away game.  His boys.  They will miss him too. 

I need to stop writing now, I appear to have something in my eye.