Buckley returns to Bohs on three-year deal as Devine makes first signing

Declan Devine has made Keith Buckley his first signing as Bohemians manager as the long-serving midfielder re-joins the club on a three-year contract.

Buckley, 30, previously amassed 318 appearances for the first team in all competitions and will come back to Ireland after a year abroad in Australia.

Devine said: "I need people alongside me who really care about this club and who understand what Bohemian Football Club is about. I have that in bucket-loads with my first signing.

"As soon as I knew I was getting this job, the first person I wanted beside me was Keith Buckley.

"He is part of the fabric and DNA of Bohemians. I see him as part of the past, now the present and also the future as we move forward together as a club.

"This is an important step towards where we want to get to before the start of next season.

"Everything I believe in, Keith has it all; high levels of standards in both the way he plays and the way he goes about his job on a daily basis.

"I can't wait to get him back here. There is a lot of work to be done from the minute he comes home but there is no better man to carry out that hard work.

"From this moment forward, Keith is my first-team captain, and he will start driving standards from day one.

"When people pay their hard-earned money to come to Dalymount, they will know that they are going to get character, effort, determination and people striving for every point.

"That’s what I want to build this team around. I want people to come on the journey with us, and I want us to get this club back where it belongs."

Buckley’s leadership was considered one of the major losses for Bohs in the last off-season.

They’ve struggled in mid-table, failing to threaten the European places, as Keith Long lost his job.

A