Ray Devey

Who was Ray Devey?

Raymond "Ray" Devey was a professional English footballer who played in the Football League for Birmingham City and Mansfield Town. He played as a centre half.

Devey was born in the Tyseley district of Birmingham. He joined Birmingham as a junior, and turned professional in 1937. The Second World War put a stop to his career development, and he finally made his Football League debut on 21 September 1946, deputising for Arthur Turner in a Second Division game at home to Newport County which finished as a 1–1 draw. Devey joined Mansfield Town at the start of the 1947–48 season, and he played 76 games in the Third Division North before finishing off his playing career with a brief spell at non-league Hereford United.

Devey then returned to Birmingham City, where he spent the remainder of his working life, performing a variety of backroom roles including reserve team trainer and coach, first-team trainer, physiotherapist and kit-man. He retired in 1983. He died in 2001 at the age of 83.