Justin Devenny was wanted by Bromley on loan in the summer – but he has grabbed his Crystal Palace chance with both hands

BY ALEX PEWTER

If an injury crisis can generate opportunities, this has undoubtedly been true for Justin Devenny at Crystal Palace, writes Alex Pewter.

A determined box-to-box run on an Eagles counterattack – and a calm finish with his weaker foot – resulted in the second goal against Aston Villa on Saturday.

Devenny’s appearances against Fulham and Villa this month – coupled with his senior international debut for Northern Ireland – have already earned him a small place in the club’s history books, even if that’s only a footnote to begin with.

The 23-year-old was plucked from Scotland’s League One side Airdrieonians in the summer of 2023, joining Palace’s U21 squad with little fanfare. Yet, as a case study, he certainly offers a route to success that the club should look to exploit more often.

With lingering criticism aimed at the club’s senior recruitment policy in the summer, it is possibly ironic that one of the goalscorers against Villa should be a player identified and signed by the academy recruitment team more than a year ago.

Several Irish and Scottish players have joined Palace’s U23 squad in recent seasons but few, if any, had been given the chance to perform at a senior level.

There have been success stories involving players who had to leave permanently to secure their senior chances. Scott Banks, who joined from Dundee United, is now on the fringes of the St Pauli team and has made appearances in the Bundesliga this season.

Centre-back Jake O’Brien, originally from Cork City, who left Palace for Lyon for his opportunity, not only excelled in Ligue 1 but earned a high-priced return to the Premier League with Everton this summer.

Young players, often departing part-time environments, have a tremendous amount to gain quickly, given the resources available at a Premier League facility. So, it is no surprise that many make significant leaps forward, especially given the senior game time they often have accumulated at their former clubs.

Premier League football is simultaneously very challenging, yet not as brutal as that reputation can portray. Additionally, young players are often presented as novices rather than players who have played the game for their entire lives in preparation.

Even with the gap between the top few tiers of English football, the difference is the ability to perform with the regularity and speed of the very best, rather than the elite level being an alien competition.

As has been the case with Devenny, he played ahead of other senior players who are on many multiples of his current salary and has arguably contributed more in two matches than some previous young signings who joined for markedly higher transfer fees.

League Two side Bromley were mooted as a possible loan destination for Devenny in the last week of the summer window, but Palace’s small squad and his ability to feature in four different positions in Oliver Glasner’s system has presented an opportunity, which he has taken.

“He is a very good player,” said the Eagles’ Austrian head coach after Devenny’s display at Villa Park. “If a player shows it in training, he deserves the chance. He deserved it.

“He was with us during our pre-season in the USA. He’s an unbelievable footballer who is very technical and can run a lot.

“He understands the game and finds space.”

Perhaps the strategy to employ at U21 level should be to be more selective in streamlining the best talents in the lower ranks of the academy and leave more room for outside recruitment.

Even if that requires a larger budget than currently on offer, it pales in comparison to that needed for first-team signings.

The current situation in the club’s U21 set-up is arguably the opposite. They have a very large squad, even when you exclude those highly-valued players out on loan, which restricts contact time and game time for those players.

Yet, credit to those academy coaches, the recruitment staff, and Devenny himself because there is now an initial proof of concept for a different or more varied squad-building path.

His time in the starting 11 might be coming to an end for tomorrow’s home clash against Newcastle, with Eberechi Eze back in contention and Eddie Nketiah also nearing a return.

His appearances certainly have not cemented him as a Premier League player, not guaranteed future games, but Devenny is undoubtedly a more valuable asset than he was a month ago and he has shown a maturity that clubs seek.

PICTURES: ALAMY