Ched Evans has got himself a new club but fans are furious

Ched Evans has got himself a new club and despite Preston North End saying they’re not interested, they’ve only gone and signed him up.

The 32-year-old was dramatically let go by the League One outfit earlier this month, after a reported fall out with manager Joey Barton who has since departed.

The Lilywhites currently sit 12 in the Championship table, taking a total of 32 points from 23 games played.

Sunderland and Ipswich Town were other clubs to have been linked with him in recent weeks according to reports.

#ftfc can announce striker Ched Evans has joined @SkyBetChamp side @pnefc on loan until the end of the season 🤝

Everyone at the club would like to wish Ched all the best whilst on loan at the Deepdale.#OnwardTogether

— Fleetwood Town FC (@ftfc) January 6, 2021

FLEETWOOD STATEMENT:

Fleetwood Town can announce striker Ched Evans has joined Sky Bet Championship side Preston North End on loan until the end of the season.

The 32-year-old scored 37 goals in 99 appearances for the club since joining initially on loan from Sheffield United in 2018.

Everyone at the club would like to wish Ched all the best whilst on loan at the Deepdale.

✍️ Preston North End have completed the loan signing of forward Ched Evans from Fleetwood Town for the rest of the season.

➡️ https://t.co/Q5sOapXCZH#pnefc pic.twitter.com/8A8TcVYpM1

— Preston North End FC (@pnefc) January 6, 2021

PRESTON STATEMENT:

Preston North End have completed the loan signing of forward Ched Evans from Fleetwood Town for the rest of the season.

The Welsh international striker, who has 13 caps for his country, came through the ranks at Manchester City, before a highly-successful spell with Sheffield United.

In two spells with Fleetwood he has scored 37 goals in less than 100 games for the Cod Army and he will take the No.26 shirt with the Lilywhites.

Manager Alex Neil was pleased to add the 32-year-old to his squad, saying: “He will add competition at the top end of the pitch. He is very physical; he wants to look after the ball, take it into his feet and get you up the pitch and equally score goals.

Ched, who is cup tied this weekend, but will be eligible for the club’s next league game at Bristol City on 16th January said of the move: “I am really excited for the next six months, getting back to the Championship is brilliant. I’m really pleased for the opportunity and I’m looking to kick on.

“I’m really pleased to be here, the facilities and everything are brilliant and Preston North End is a club in a great position at the moment to kick on for the rest of the season.”

Dressing-room sources says that manager Joey Barton failed to see the funny side of a comedy routine performed by Evans, seeing him deliver part of a regular Friday routine.

Barton is said to have already called out a number of players in training for wearing tights and gloves to protect themselves from the cold.

So in turn, Evans used that in his slot on a punishment game called The Spin (Wheel of Fortune-style) for minor offences, which saw him land on a ‘magic trick’, so he produced pictures of Barton and his coaching staff mocked up as ‘muscle-bound super heroes’ – and then had photos of each of them wearing gloves in training sessions during their own careers.

Barton was subsequently sacked and Evans as you can see has moved on yet remains contracted to the club.

CHED EVANS’ CAREER:

Youth career
1999–2000 – Rhyl
2000–2002 – Chester City
2002–2007 – Manchester City

Senior career
2007–2009 – Manchester City – 16 apps (1 goal)
2007–2008 → Norwich City (loan) – 28 apps (10 goals)
2009–2012 – Sheffield United – 103 apps (42 goals)
2016–2017 – Chesterfield – 25 apps (5 goals)
2017–2019 – Sheffield United – 9 apps (0 goals)
2018–2019 → Fleetwood Town (loan) – 39 apps (17 goals)
2019–2020 Fleetwood Town – 40 apps (14 goals)

🗣️ “𝗜’𝗺 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜’𝗺 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗸𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝘅 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵𝘀.”

Hear more from our latest signing on https://t.co/ea2qfPGPF2 and iFollow PNE. ➡️ https://t.co/1hJOsJ5AQA#pnefc pic.twitter.com/EJ6OZtxtOI

— Preston North End FC (@pnefc) January 6, 2021

Speaking to iFollow PNE after putting pen to paper on the deal, Ched said: “I’m really excited for the next six months, getting back to the Championship is brilliant, I’m really pleased for the opportunity and I’m looking to kick on for the next six months.

“It was about pushing on for the rest of the season, making some signings in this window to boost the squad and it’s just pushing on for the next six months which is the business end of the season. I’m really pleased to be here, the facilities and everything are brilliant and Preston is a club in a great position at the moment to kick on for the rest of the season.

On what he can bring to the side, 32-year-old continued: “If the chances are created I will definitely be trying to get on the end of them, there are some great players here and it’s a team that scores goals and I’m just really looking forward to the next six months and getting some goals, creating some goals and getting some wins and pushing Preston up the table.

“With the other players creating chances and scoring goals and getting chances, it breeds confidence so in regards to coming here, I’m playing at a good level with really good players and so I’m looking forward to the next six months and cracking on.”

Evans will be unavailable for this weekend’s FA Cup tie against Wycombe Wanderers but he feels the period between now and his first opportunity to play will be beneficial to him.

“I will be cup-tied for the game against Wycombe but it will give me some time to get some running in my legs and get some good training sessions in and be ready to kick on against Bristol City in the next league game.

“It will be like a mini pre-season effectively, although I’ve been keeping myself fit, it’s about building relationships with players, getting to know the lads, it’s a new club so getting to know everybody’s names and things like that. Once the time does come to put the shirt on you’ll be ready for it so it will be a good ten days to get going.”

Fans reacted as Ched Evans has got himself a new club in Preston North End…

@CoryRocker: An absolutely pathetic and embarrassing signing in every conceivable way. You’ve just pit the fans against one another and besmirched the club’s name to loan a 32-year-old League One striker for 6 months. Won’t be seeing a penny from me for a long fucking time after this. Awful.

@fulljonnynelson: Was starting to think that whatever happens, if we could just get through the window without signing Ched Evans, it would be a good window. You’ve embarrassed the club, embarrassed the fans & embarrassed yourselves.

@NathJones16: He was acquitted and found not guilty hahahah

@mjm201187: If he bags no one will be complaining

@shaunpne: Get behind the lad as a footballer

@andysauvin: You’ve seen the last money from me for as long as he wears the shirt. Hugely disappointing, utterly baffling decision.

@OwenWheelerVid: Fuck sake North End, embarrassed for us

@BlademarkSUFC: Good luck Ched hope he smacks loads of goals in to silence the haters

@woodsy8793: i’m actually ashamed of this club

@myoungster13: Why?? So many other great options out there!! A 32 year old who struggled at L1 level this season doesn’t improve us?!?!

@kerriehoughton: Fans are absolutely embarrassing!! Welcome Ched!! Can’t be kind don’t say anything at all!

@jamiebaldwinnn: Ratio’d for shit signing

@Conpne2: No. Unacceptable. Absolute joke

@ChrisCarter90: You are a strange club at times.

@blackpoolfc04: What a signing! Can’t wait to see what he can do!

@ftfcLewis: Found not guilty btw * Like our fan base was sayin. I’m sure you will all change your mind once he scores a few goals for yous. And I wish him nothing but the best. Good luck ched

@kane_donaghy: Lots of negative tweets going round. Give him a chance to prove himself first.

@shaunpne: Fans on one hell of a rollercoaster here

@michael_2020_20: Really don’t know how to feel, like to be proved wrong but doesn’t at first glance seem like he’s good enough for the championship? That alone should determine if we should sign him or not. Hence a confusing signing.

@deanb_92: Good signing better than some of the shit we’ve got already …. and he got found not guilty guys so stop jumping on the bandwagon