Bohemian FC is delighted to announce the signing of midfielder Dawson Devoy, who returns from MK Dons on a multi-year contract.
Devoy, 22, returns to Dalymount Park where he made his breakthrough in senior football, and is the sixth addition to Alan Reynolds’ squad in the July transfer window following the return of Ross Tierney and additions of Leigh Kavanagh, Archie Meekison, Alex Greive and Lee Smith.
Having come through at Home Farm and St Kevin’s, Devoy progressed through the Bohemians academy where he was a key man for the Bohs U19s – most notably in the UEFA Youth League – and was handed his first-team debut by Keith Long five years ago yesterday as a substitute against UCD.
His real breakthrough season with the first team came in 2021. His contribution that year saw him play in all six games of Bohs’ memorable run in the Europa Conference League, and he helped the club to the FAI Cup final for the first time in 13 years.
That form saw him win the July SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month Award and the 2021 PFA Ireland Young Player of the Year, earning him a move to MK Dons in the summer of 2022, with his last game in a Bohs jersey seeing him wrap up a 3-1 win against UCD in what was his eighth league goal that season.
Since leaving Bohs, Devoy has played 70 games in England during his time with MK Dons and a loan spell last season with Swindon Town.
Welcoming Devoy back to Dalymount Park, manager Reynolds said: “Bringing Dawson back to Bohs is a massive coup.
“He is only 22 years of age now but he was one of the best midfielders in the league when he left two years ago and having watched him over the last couple of years, I know he is going to come back even better.
“Bohs fans know well what he is capable of, and the potential he had when he was here last, and I’m really looking forward to him coming in and giving the team a massive list.
“We know the team is suffering at the minute, and the fans are too. We have a clear medium- and long-term plan of where we want to go, and Dawson is a huge part of that.
“But he will be really important in the short term too because we know we need to get back to winning games.
“We need players who know how to deal with the expectation of this club and who know how to live up to that expectation and to thrive on the pressure of playing at Dalymount Park. Dawson brings that in spades, and will help lift the players around him too.
“I’m really happy with the players we’ve brought in, and I’m looking forward to them showing what they are capable of and getting the club to where we want to be.”
Devoy said: “I’m absolutely buzzing to be back, and can’t wait to get back playing for Bohs again. This is where I played some of my best football, and I want to do even better again.
“I’m not coming home for an easy life – I loved my time at Bohs before and I want to be a part of getting the club back to where we belong.
“I had really good conversations with the manager, who obviously I knew well from the Ireland U21s, and with Stephen O’Donnell and Derek Pender. The plans that they have for the club and how they want to play really excited me.
“The club isn’t where it should be at the moment, so all of us coming in are determined to help the team push on.
“There’s a new manager in and now there’s new players in too, so we all have a role to play in getting the club back kicking and in getting Dalymount back rocking.”
Subject to international transfer clearance, Devoy could go straight into the squad for Friday’s Sports Direct FAI Cup clash with Shamrock Rovers.
He added: “For a first game back, it doesn’t get much bigger than that. If I get a chance to play, I’ll be looking to grasp it.”
