It’s good fun, better people

By Marc McGowan
TERRY McMillan has given Devon Meadows Football Club 20 years of blood, sweat and tears but it is the simple things that keep the passion flowing.
“It’s great seeing kids get off the streets – where they could go wrong – and play team sport,” McMillan said.
McMillan has played football all his life, amassing 300 senior games and “Godknowshowmany junior games”. He has also watched his children go through the ranks at the club.
“It’s good just to see the kids get involved and go on from the undernines to senior football,” he said.
“They turn out to be better people because they’ve been looked after.”
McMillan has had a few stints as club president, has been a chairman of selectors and has also been football manager in his time at the club.
“I’ve been involved in pretty much every role. There are a lot of things to do at a football club,” he said.
One of his greatest contributions to the club is his annual fundraising event at Clover Cottage in May.
“I get 30 businesses together and have a night for them. It raises a lot of money for the football club,” McMillan said.
Unsurprisingly, he is a life member at Devon Meadows and he cherishes his association with the club.
“It hasn’t got a town and there is only one general store nearby, so it is very hard to raise funds,” he said.
“It’s great to have seen the club grow to what it is now. The social part of it (is good) and we are doing good things for the community.”
His wife Jeannie has also played a pivotal role at the club, spending 15 years on the committee looking after both junior and senior sides.
McMillan owns a large concreting business but he always has time for the club.
“It’s like anything; you make time for it. You divide the time around between business and pleasure,” he said.
There is no doubt that Devon Meadows Football Club falls into the pleasure category for McMillan and will be hoping he continues his vast contributions for a long time yet.