1. Chedwyn Michael Evans was born on 28 December 1988 and is a Welsh footballer who plays as a striker for EFL Championship club Preston North End, where he serves as a first-team coach.
35 Facts About Ched Evans
1. 2.
Ched Evans was loaned to Norwich City in 2007, where he scored 10 goals in 28 league appearances, before returning to his parent club.
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Ched Evans represented Wales at Wales under-21 and senior level, scoring on his debut for the national side in 2008, and making a total of 13 appearances.
4.
Ched Evans began his playing career in Rhyl, before spending two seasons in Chester City's youth set-up from where he moved to Manchester City in 2002 following the closure of Chester's youth team.
5.
In May 2007, Ched Evans signed his first professional contract with Manchester City.
6.
Ched Evans returned to Manchester City after his initial loan deal expired in January 2008, having made eight appearances and scored two goals.
7.
However, after talks between the two clubs at the end of January 2008, the deal was extended to allow Ched Evans to stay with the Carrow Road club until the end of the season.
8.
Ched Evans was not chosen for the starting eleven but replaced Valeri Bojinov, who suffered an injury during the pre-game warm-up.
9.
Ched Evans finished the campaign as top scorer with nine goals in all competitions, but was unable to prevent the team dropping out of the division.
10.
On 20 June 2016, Ched Evans signed his first contract since his release from prison and the quashing of his conviction, signing for one year at Chesterfield in League One.
11.
Ched Evans was signed by his former Sheffield United manager Wilson, and their first-team coach was his former Blades teammate Chris Morgan.
12.
On 8 May 2017, Ched Evans was signed by Championship side Sheffield United, his former club, having had several talks with Chris Wilder.
13.
In July 2018, having failed to score a single goal for the Blades since his return to Bramall Lane, Ched Evans signed a season-long loan deal with League One club Fleetwood Town.
14.
In December 2020, Fleetwood manager Joey Barton announced that Ched Evans had left the club due to "disciplinary reasons".
15.
On 6 January 2021, Ched Evans joined Championship side Preston North End on a short-term loan.
16.
On 12 April 2021, Ched Evans extended his contract with the club until the summer of 2023, another two years on top of the original deal signed in February.
17.
On 13 January 2023, Ched Evans extended his contract until the summer of 2024.
18.
On 5 April 2023, the club confirmed that Ched Evans would be unavailable for an extended period of time after developing a serious medical condition.
19.
Ched Evans returned to action six months later, starting for Preston in their match against Millwall in October 2023.
20.
Ched Evans became a regular member of the squad and in November 2007 he scored a hat-trick against France U21s.
21.
Ched Evans scored a brace against Bosnia and Herzegovina U21s in October 2009, taking his tally for the Welsh U21s to 13 goals in 12 games.
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Ched Evans made 13 appearances for Wales in total, scoring once.
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Ched Evans was convicted on 20 April 2012 and was sentenced to five years' imprisonment.
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Ched Evans was eligible for release on licence after serving half of that sentence.
25.
Ched Evans continued to maintain his innocence and in November 2013 recruited a new legal team to attempt to clear his name.
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In January 2015, it was reported that Ched Evans had submitted fresh evidence to the Criminal Cases Review Commission, to attempt to strengthen his case.
27.
The retrial began on 4 October 2016 and on 14 October Ched Evans was found not guilty.
28.
In November 2014, following his release, it was announced that Ched Evans would resume training with Sheffield United after the Professional Footballers' Association had requested that Sheffield United let Ched Evans train at the club as they were his last club before his conviction.
29.
Athlete Jessica Ennis-Hill stated that she would want her name removed from a stand at Bramall Lane if Ched Evans was signed by the club.
30.
DBL Logistics, Sheffield United's sponsor on the back of their shirts, stated that they would end their sponsorship if Ched Evans was signed by the club.
31.
Co-chairman Jim Phipps attributed the decision to "mob-like behaviour", stating his belief that Ched Evans had a right to return to his career having served his sentence.
32.
In December 2014, Hartlepool United manager Ronnie Moore said that he would like Ched Evans to join the club.
33.
Malta's Prime Minister, Joseph Muscat, warned Hibernians that hiring Ched Evans could affect the whole country's reputation, while Justice Minister Owen Bonnici stated that Ched Evans had a right to return to his profession after being released from prison.
34.
The petition against Evans signing had reached over 60,000 signatures.
35.
Ched Evans stated that he withdrew from the deal due to "mob rule", and that he was concerned the building of Oldham's new stand would be adversely affected by his signing.