Devon Jacobs completes family hat-trick

Mar 25 2010 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

DEVON JACOBS walked in the studmarks of brothers Keaghan and Kyle on Saturday and admitted he is now desperate for Sheldon to follow suit.

Livingston’s four Jacobs boys have long been earmarked as future Lions stars and this season Kyle followed big brother Keaghan into the first team.

And on Saturday, Devon (left) completed a family hat-trick by making his debut at right-back in Livi’s 2-1 win over Stranraer, leaving Sheldon the last of the super siblings waiting for his top-team chance.

“I felt my debut for the first team went well and I didn’t make many mistakes,” said Devon.

“I found it quite hard to start with but I came into the match more and I was quite comfortable in the end.

“It was a big difference from the Under -19s but I really enjoyed it.

“It is just Sheldon to go now to get his chance and, hopefully, he will get his opportunity before the end of the season.

“It would be great if all four of us were on at once in a match, with two of us at the back and two of us in midfield.

“That would something special.”

Ironically Devon could have been lining up against Livingston on Saturday for Stranraer after he spent some time training with the Blues last summer.

That was after the teen quit the Lions at the height of the club’s off the field problems under former owner Angelo Massone.

But after the new owners took control of the club, Devon resigned for his hometown club and he hasn’t looked back since.

He said: “I left when things weren’t good under the old regime but when the new owners came in, I had the chance to come back and I was delighted to do that.”

This week the Livingston Under -19s were confirmed as league champions for the third season in a row.

Right-back Devon has played his part in all three campaigns and he has three winners medals to prove it. He admits he’d love to get his hands on a Third Division gong but he reckons the odds are against him.

“I’d love a Third Division medal but I’d have to play every week now until the end of the season to qualify for one as you need to have played 10 league matches.

“The Under-19s are also still in the Scottish Cup and we have a big semi-final coming up with Celtic.

“It will be a very tough match but hopefully we can do well.”

After making his senior bow, Devon has admitted he hopes to retain his place and make a bid to become the club’s first-choice right-back next season.

He added: “I’d love to stay in the team this weekend, get some games under my belt and then next season build on that to hopefully become first choice.”