| Henry Devey | |
| Fullname: | Henry Prince Devey[1] |
| Birth Date: | 25 September 1864[2] |
| Birth Place: | Birmingham, England |
| Death Date: | [3] |
| Position: | Defender |
| Years1: | 1881–1884 |
| Clubs1: | Aston Clarendon F.C |
| Years2: | 1884–1886 |
| Clubs2: | Montrose (Birmingham) F.C. |
| Years3: | 1886–1887 |
| Clubs3: | Birmingham Excelsior |
| Years4: | 1887–1892 |
| Clubs4: | Aston Villa |
| Caps4: | 73 |
| Goals4: | 4 |
Henry Prince Devey (September - December 1864 – 1940) was an English footballer who played in The Football League for Aston Villa.[4] [5] [6]
He was one of five brothers who all played professional football, Ted and Will for Small Heath and Jack, Harry and Bob Devey for Aston Villa. Another brother, Abel, was a cricketer with Staffordshire.[7]
From 1881 to 1886 Devey played for two clubs for which there are no records, Aston Clarendon F.C. and Montrose F.C. (Birmingham).From 1886 to 1887 Devey played for Birmingham Excelsior a club founded in 1869.
Harry Devey was a key member of the Aston Villa squad in the Football League inaugural season of 1888–1889. Devey played in the first ever Villa League match on 8 September 1888 at Dudley Road, Wolverhampton then home of Wolverhampton Wanderers. The match ended 1-1. Devey was described as a keen, hard-tackler who had the ability, then rare for a defender at bringing the ball forward. He only missed one game in 1888-1889 and was part of the excellent Aston Villa defence (as Centre-Half) that only conceded 43 goals in 1888-1889 the 3rd lowest in the League in 1888–1889. As a centre-half he played in a defence that achieved one League clean-sheet and kept the opposition to one-League-goal-in-a-match on no less than on eight occasions.[5] Aston Villa finished runners-up.[8]
In 1890 Devey played professional baseball for Aston Villa in the National League of Baseball of Great Britain.
Source:
| Club | Season | Division | League | FA Cup | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
| Aston Villa | 1888–89 | The Football League | 21 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 0 | |
| Aston Villa | 1889–90 | Football League | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 0 | |
| Aston Villa | 1890–91 | Football League | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 0 | |
| Aston Villa | 1891–92 | Football League | 10 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 1 | |
| Aston Villa | 1892–93 | First Division | 4 | 0 | - | - | 4 | 0 | |