Rangers midfielder Cammy Devlin admits he will understand if he receives a hostile reception from Hearts fans when he returns to Tynecastle this season. The Australian international, along with manager Derek McInnes and former captain Lawrence Shankland, left the Edinburgh club to join Rangers in the summer.
Devlin understands fan frustration
Devlin, who was a fan favourite at Hearts, said he expects the trio to be in the firing line when they face their former club on October 28. He said: “That’s at the end of October and so I'm not thinking about that yet. But honestly, Hearts is such a special football club. It was so good for me and my family.
“They let me live my dream of coming overseas and playing football. I’m forever grateful for everything they gave me and my family coming over from Australia. I'm forever indebted for everything they did for me.
“I understand completely the frustration. That’s the life of a football fan if someone has taken your manager and a couple of players after such an amazing season last year. So I completely understand that and if I was a fan, I’d probably be the same. That's part and parcel of football. It's nothing personal from my end. As I said, I’m so grateful for that football club.
“Last season was amazing. There's so many great people in that place. But if it is a hostile welcome back to Tynecastle, then I understand. I'll just have to do my best to relish that moment.”
Contract stress and World Cup
McInnes had spent much of the previous year trying to persuade Devlin to extend his Hearts contract before it expired. Devlin eventually signed a new deal, but only after McInnes had moved to Rangers. The 28-year-old, who spent the summer at the World Cup with the Socceroos, described the period as stressful.
“Yeah, it was stressful to be honest. It was hard obviously. We didn't have much time to kind of reflect on how last season ended and then it was straight into the World Cup, which is one of the most special moments of your career.
“My mum, my dad and my girlfriend were over in America supporting me at the World Cup. You never think as a kid you’ll be lucky enough to be involved in that. So you're trying to enjoy that as much as you can. I thought it would be a good idea going in there off contract, but it wasn’t! It was too stressful!
“It was hard to enjoy being in the moment at the World Cup while dealing with all that noise around it. I had my dad asking me every day what's going on!
“But obviously everyone kind of knows the relationship I have with the gaffer. We're super close. He was so good for me at Hearts. Everyone kind of knows the season we had there last year. And he helped me so much just as a player.
“So obviously I was speaking to him. And when he got the job here, we had contact at the start, but not a whole lot. I can imagine when he became the Rangers manager, there was a lot more going on than just me and you need to remember that. So I was trying not to focus too much on it. But when the opportunity came, it was one that was too good to pass up.
“There was obviously other things I had to weigh up outwith Hearts and Rangers that were on the table and had been on the table for quite a while. It was hard. I've never been in that position where I've been off contract and you've got all this stuff to weigh up.
“Of course, it was a hard decision. I've been in Scotland for quite a while now. I know how big a football club this is, so much history. To be a Rangers player is super special. Once I did get the opportunity to come here, it was just something I couldn't say no to. But yeah, like I say, it was pretty stressful. I'm glad now it's all over.”
