Non-League Paper Programme: Alan Devonshire is one of a kind

By Matt Badcock

There are eras and then there are Eras with a capital E. Alan Devonshire’s Maidenhead United reign certainly falls into the latter. After 913 games, the legendary West Ham United FA Cup winner called time on his Magpies Era last weekend.

Four years at Braintree Town – fresh from promotion to Non-League’s top flight – followed and his Iron defied the odds to survive and upset the big boys.

In May 2015 the ex-England star made the trip back to York Road and, as underdogs again, took them to National League South title glory where they too made their mark at the top table.

Mentality

Sean Marks, who played for Devonshire at Braintree and Maidenhead, can picture his former boss stood on the side of training before a big game, cup of tea in one hand, chocolate digestive in the other.

“We could be playing a really top, top professional team – a Stockport County, a Luton or any other big team – and you can imagine him looking at the boys thinking, ‘It’s alright, we’ve got this covered on Saturday’,”  he told The NLP.

“It was that mentality. Knowing the team he’s got will do the business and he had every trust in his team to do it.

“I think that sums him up about right. Old school, with a great sense of humour and winning in the new form of football.”

Methods

Dave Tarpey is another player who knows Devonshire very well and benefited from his methods.

The 1980 FA Cup winner gave him his big chance at Hampton & Richmond Borough, with the pair later reunited at Maidenhead after Tarpey had initially joined the Magpies in 2014.

In three years under Devonshire, Tarpey netted 87 goals in 124 appearances for the Magpies, including a league and club record 44 goals to help Maidenhead to promotion in the 2016-17 season.

“I remember a number of trips away on coaches where he will say he’ll get you some protein food before  the match and then he’d go and get us protein pizzas as a pre-match meal,” Tarpey said.

“I remember a few away journeys as well where we had to stop at a certain restaurant because he wanted his ham, egg and chips before the game!”

Loyal

Sam Barratt was at Maidenhead when Devonshire re-joined and has signed for him two more times since.

Fittingly, he scored the final goal of Dev’s reign in their win over Chippenham, borrowed a flat cap from a fan in the crowd and saluted the boss.

“He’s been very loyal to me and that can be rare in football,” Barratt said. “It comes from honesty from both sides. He’s repaid it with a lot of loyalty and I respect that a lot.

“Seeing where Maidenhead was as a club when I signed aged 18 to where it is now, it’s almost unrecognisable – a lot of that is due to him – as well as the community side expanding.

“That comes hand-in-hand with the club growing, being promoted and sustaining their time in the National League.”

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