'The form of my life': Huge Portsmouth favourite on the secret to his flourishing career at Fratton Park
The Northern Ireland international has made 88 appearances and scored five times for the Blues
Terry Devlin is convinced he’s in the form of his life - but is adamant there’s still plenty to improve on.
The 22-year-old has flourished in John Mousinho’s first-team since being handed a regular starting spot at the start of November.
He has started 16 of the Blues’ last 17 matches, with his only absence due to a one-match ban following his Bramall Lane sending off, and swiftly elevated himself into a strong player of the season candidate.
However, Devlin insists he’s still nowhere near the ‘finished article’ with more quality required in attacking situations.
‘I need that bit more quality’
He told The News: ‘I feel I’m probably in the best form of my career so far, but it doesn’t really matter if the team isn’t winning.
‘I would like the team to be winning first, but I just have to keep doing my bit and keep ensuring I’m on top of my game.
‘I just feel I have been doing well, gaining confidence from it and learning wee things every game and staying on top of it, being a good pro and making sure I’m ready.
‘Regular football helps big time, you’re learning on the job, you have to adapt really quickly, there are so many good players in this league that you sort of pick things off from the challenge.
‘Something I can hopefully bring more to this team is the attacking threat. I like to get forward, but when I get forward I need that bit more quality, but hopefully that will come.
‘I need to improve everything, by no means am I the finished article. It’s just about going through my clips, seeing what I can do better, speaking to the gaffer and working on things which will improve me as a player and improve the team.
‘I like to learn from other players and coaching staff, I like to pick things up. I love listening and anything I can do to improve my game then I just want to do it.’
Huge right-back competition
Since lining up against Wrexham on November 5, Devlin has claimed the right-back spot as his own.
Finally he has beaten off competition from Jordan Williams and Zak Swanson in a positional battle which has been raging since the start of the 2024-25 season.
Although initially signed as a central midfielder in the summer of 2023 and subsequently impressing with his versatility across the team, Devlin accepts his position is now fixed at right-back.
And it’s a challenge the Northern Ireland international is continuing to revel in.
He added: ‘I have been at right-back two years now, I think I’m a right-back now.
‘I’ve got to keep going there and trying to develop myself as the best I can be. Every week I'm mainly up against the best players in people’s teams, which are usually the wingers.
‘That’s a good test for me every week and something which will push me on.’