Pat Devlin external award
SOCCER'S Pat Devlin is being honoured by Wicklow GAA at their annual awards presentation at the weekend
Devlin, back as manager at Bray Wanderers, is being presented with the award for a sport outside the GAA family.
Pat Devlin has a long association with Bray Wanderers stretching back to 1985 when he took over and guided them to first division honours in his debut season at the Carlisle Grounds.
However Pat started out as a player with St. Joseph's boys before switching to a role as striker, was capped for Ireland's youths, played for Shamrock Rovers, before moving to TEK United where he had his first experience being a manager.
He went on to lead the Seagulls to two more First Division crowns in 1996 and 2000; two FAI Cups in 1990 and 1999 and a First Division Shield in 1996.
Steered Bray to an all-time high fourth place finish in the Premier Division in 2001.
Left Bray to take over at Athlone Town and Drogheda United during the 90s as well as a stint as technical director at Shamrock Rovers.
After pursuing his career with other clubs he returned to Bray in 2009 as director of football and stepped in the dug out as manager the following year, with Bray Wanderers this year qualifying for the Setanta Cup for the first time in their history after a sixth place finish in the Premier division.
He joins an elite band of past recipients of this sports award who include two rugby players Shane Byrne and Leo Cullen, world boxing champion Katie Taylor and athlete Fionnuala Britton.
