STEVE EVANS APPOINTED UNITED HEAD COACH

STEVE EVANS APPOINTED UNITED HEAD COACH

Former Rotherham boss takes charge at Elland Road...

We are delighted to confirm the appointment of Steve Evans as our new head coach.

The former Rotherham United boss has penned a rolling contract at Elland Road after taking training for the first time on Monday morning.

Evans will be assisted in the dugout by former Swansea City midfielder Paul Raynor, who he has coached alongside throughout his managerial career.

“I’m honoured and proud, but the supporters just want to see what happens on the pitch,” Evans said.

“The first thing we need to do is win some points and win some football matches.

“We’ve got two tough games in the next six days. I know it’s seven months since we won at home and that is something we need to get off our back.

“But, more importantly, we’ve now got two away games and that is important in isolation. The first thing that matters is at Fulham.

“All I can ask the Leeds United supporters to do is to give me the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps I wouldn’t be the chosen manager for many Leeds United fans - I had butterflies in my stomach driving into Thorp Arch this morning.

“I can understand why they may think that, but the only thing that matters to me is what happens on the grass.

“As I proved at Rotherham and as I proved at Crawley, if I win football matches then people will embrace me. It’s always about winning football matches.”

Evans arrives at Leeds less than a month on from his New York Stadium departure, having spent three successful years with the Millers.

He guided our Yorkshire rivals from League Two to the Championship after earning a strong reputation in management during spells at Boston United and Crawley Town.

A striker during his playing days, Evans began his career in the youth team at Bolton before heading to Scottish side Clyde.

His seven-year playing career took in stints at Albion Rovers, Ayr United, Hamilton Academical and St Johnstone, before he was forced to hang up his boots aged just 24 due to a knee ligament injury.

Evans’ managerial career began at non-league outfit Stamford, who he helped to consecutive  United Counties League Premier Division titles, before moving to Boston in 1998.

He guided the Pilgrims into the Football League from the Southern League Premier Division during two spells at the club, before taking over at Crawley in 2007.

There he repeated his feats of reaching the Football League after guiding Crawley to back-to-back promotions during his five-year stay at Broadfield Stadium.

Evans then took the reins at Rotherham in April 2012 and achieved promotion from League Two in his first full season at the club. He led them to victory at Wembley in the League One play-off final the following year and was able to consolidate Rotherham’s Championship status last season.

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