Gavin Devlin makes swift return to Louth GAA after Derry departure
Mickey Harte's right hand man had left the Wee County to join Harte with the Oak Leafers last September
Gavin Devlin has returned to Louth GAA - 10 months after leaving the senior county set-up with Mickey Harte in controversial circumstances.
The Wee County have announced that Devlin has been appointed as Louth GAA's director of underage football.
The influential Tyrone coach was Harte's right-hand man in Louth for three years before they departed under a cloud last September to take over as Derry's new management team.
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Harte insisted that he was within his rights to walk away because he had agreed a three-year stay with Louth, but county chair Peter Fitzpatrick argued that a two-year extension had been agreed.
Harte and Devlin went to Derry, however, but the veteran manager and his coach left after just one disappointing season.
The Oak Leafers' beat Dublin to win the Division 1 final but their Ulster title defence ended tamely at the hands of Donegal, and after they were defeated by Kerry at the quarter-final stage of the All-Ireland SFC championship.
Ardboe's Devlin, who won two All-Irelands with Tyrone under Harte, has quickly moved on and has agreed to a new role with Louth, with the county board stressing that senior manager Ger Brennan was central to discussions on the appointment after the ex-Dublin star guided his side to a Leinster final and into the All-Ireland quarter-finals this summer.
"Louth GAA are delighted to announce Gavlin Devlin as its new underage football development coordinator, with a remit of steering the county's academy squads, post-primary and rising stars programme," read a statement.
"Following months of deliberation and discussion between members of the Louth GAA management committee, senior football manager Ger Brennan, games development personnel and other stakeholders, we are delighted that Gavin has agreed to return to Louth GAA in a role that will see him work closely with our games development manager Pierce Caherty and his staff, underage units and coaches as we strive to maintain and propel our trajectory in underage development with the view of feeding our flagship teams into the future.
"Gavin's coaching credentials are unquestionable and his record with Louth and Tyrone are testament to the standards we can expect our young footballers and club coaches to be exposed to and learn from.
"We would like to take this opportunity to wish Gavin all the best in his new role."
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