Bohs boss Alan Reynolds hails 'massive coup' in bringing another prodigal son home to Dalyer
“For a first game back, it doesn’t get much bigger than that," said Dawson Devoy of Friday's FAI Cup collision with Shamrock Rovers. "If I get a chance to play, I’ll be looking to grasp it."
Dawson Devoy is the latest Bohs old boy to make his return to Dalymount Park this summer in what is a massive boost ahead of Friday's FAI Cup clash with arch rivals Shamrock Rovers.
Devoy, 22, wants to improve on the form that made him the PFAI's Young Player of the Year in 2021 - and earned him a move to MK Dons the following summer.
Subject to international transfer clearance, the midfielder could go straight into Alan Reynolds' squad for the eagerly-awaited Cup encounter in Phibsboro.
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“For a first game back, it doesn’t get much bigger than that," Devoy said. "If I get a chance to play, I’ll be looking to grasp it."
Devoy said he was "absolutely buzzing" to be back at the club. "This is where I played some of my best football, and I want to do even better again," he admitted.
“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 under-21s, 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.”
Gypsies boss Reynolds has made the midfielder his sixth signing of the July transfer window. Ross Tierney made his return to the Phibsboro outfit recently, joining Leigh Kavanagh, Archie Meekison, Alex Greive and Lee Smith as recent additions.
Devoy joined the Bohs academy after spells with Home Farm and St Kevin's, coming to notice with the Gypsies' under-19s side and with his displays in the UEFA Youth League.
He made his senior debut in July 2019 and shot to prominence two seasons later with his performances in the Europa Conference League for the club and in helping Bohs to lift the FAI Cup for the first time since 2008. He picked up the 2021 PFA Ireland Young Player of the Year award and signed for MK Dons the following summer.
He made 70 appearances cross-channel with the club and on loan to Swindon Town last season. “Bringing Dawson back to Bohs is a massive coup," said Reynolds.
“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.”
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