Away to Preston North End on the opening day of the 2004–05 season, Devlin scored an equaliser early in the second half and created chances for others, but gave away the penalty with which Preston won the match. He continued in the starting eleven until suffering a hamstring strain during a match in mid-September that was expected to keep him out for a month, but he aggravated the injury and only resumed a place on the bench at the end of November. He took his appearance tally to 23 before a toe injury that required surgery kept him out for the rest of the season.