Ted Devey


Edwin James Devey was an English professional footballer who played as a left half.

Life and career

Born in Aston, which was then in Warwickshire, Devey played for Birmingham Excelsior before signing for Small Heath in 1888. A defensive wing half with strong tackling, he went on to make 155 appearances in the FA Cup, Football Alliance and Football League for the club in the early days of its history. He helped the club win the inaugural Second Division championship in 1892–93 and promotion to the First Division the following year. In 1896 he moved to Burton Wanderers; playing against them in the 1887–88 FA Cup, he had scored four goals in Small Heath's 9–0 win.
Devey came from a footballing family; brother Will played for Small Heath and several other Midlands clubs, and other brothers Jack, Harry and Bob also played for Aston Villa. Another brother, Abel, was a cricketer with Staffordshire.
The 1939 Register lists Devey working as a diesinker and toolmaker and living with his wife, Florence, in the Handsworth area of Birmingham. Devey died in Birmingham in September 1945 at the age of 74.