Football club Barry Town United were left stunned to learn of their vice-captain’s court case after receiving jail sentence for drug dealing.
On March 19th, 2025, Evan Press, a 24-year-old midfielder who had played every game of the season and captained the team in 19 of his 33 matches.
However, the Newport County academy product was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for dealing cocaine between February 2021 and November 2023 in Cardiff, and his club had no idea, claiming they only learned of the case 30 minutes after the sentencing when a family member contacted them.
As per a club spokesman, Evan Press hadn’t told them of his legal troubles, despite pleading guilty back in February 2025, and played him three times since then, including a 2-1 win over Aberystwyth in March, playing the full 90 minutes. He has captained the team in 19 of his 33 matches this season.
The sentencing took place at Newport Crown Court, where Press was ordered to serve his term and pay a Β£190 victim services surcharge, with an iPhone used in his drug-dealing activities set to be destroyed.
Bizarre story to break in the Cymru Premier
Barry Town United vice-captain Evan Press has been jailed for 2.5 years for dealing cocaine.
The midfielder, 24, has played every game this season for the club, who were “shocked” to learn of the case 30 mins after he was sentenced. pic.twitter.com/6qfwo4Rxro
β Conor Gogarty (@ConorGogarty) March 21, 2025
Barry Town United said in a statement on social media: “We can confirm that Evan Press was sentenced to a prison term on 19th March.
“This has been a shock to the club and at this moment in time we as a club are not privy to all the facts of the case and will not be making any further comment at this stage.”
WalesOnline approached Barry Town about the case, with a club spokesman said: “Being brutally honest we only heard about this on the day he was sentenced. He had never told us. We were unaware until half an hour after the sentencing on March 19 when we were contacted by a family member.
“Since the sentencing we’ve heard bits about the case but we don’t have all the information. We have been processing the news. It is a real shock. Evan is a wonderful young man. He’s been part of our club for seven years. He has made a mistake and my understanding is it happened some time ago. We are a family club who want our players to be role models. This was news to us.”
Evan Press’ contract will expire at the end of the 2024/25 season, with the club telling the media outlet there are no financial implications to consider from Press’ imprisonment as he is only paid when he plays.
When questioned about the challenge of replacing Press, the club spokesman: “We are out of a transfer window. The boys are playing tomorrow [away to Flint Town United] and they’ll carry on as normal. It is what it is. The reality is when a player leaves our care we can’t control what they do outside of football.”
On the timing of the blow, they added: “We’re just coming close to European play-offs but in reality the timing of the season is irrelevant. We didn’t want this and we can’t control it sadly.”
Twitter users reacted with the football club stunned to learn of their vice-captain’s court case after receiving a jail sentence…
@LFCTom36: Average day in Cymru Leagues
@songole97: South Wales never seems to surprise me at all πππ€
@RepublicOfWales: The Cymru Premier is so much more fun than the EPL π
@karl72465: Why would yiu do that. What an idiot thrown his career away. No coming back from this.
@JackBFC3: I would think the club could Evan Press charges
@Bensonsleftfoot: Might be the craziest football story of the year so far
@willbaber11: You what? Just a mental league, this.
@risky_iom: Mental stuff, shite for Barry π
@Golfer_1992: There will never be a normal week in the Cymru Leagues π
@willbaber11: Whoah it was drug dealing? Bloody hell.
@BLFNCAFC: This is INSANE π€£
@BigG2369: Surely he has a duty to tell his employers of any police investigation and definitely charges and bloody well sentencing π€£π€£ don’t Barry Town pick up the local rag
@diesel_y2j: He’s just been done for dealing coke he’s probably not arsed about his duty.
@rohbo1: I guess heβs had his marching orders.
@NewportIsHuge: Fuck sake, he was mint for me on fm
https://t.co/81pX90ZKXZ pic.twitter.com/ptM4RvGXyS
β John McAllister (@john_mcal) March 21, 2025
Maybe this league is just cursed. Forever to be the league where weird stuff like this happens https://t.co/c9ErOI0OSG pic.twitter.com/1dJpS2VO1R
β Tomos π΄σ §σ ’σ ·σ ¬σ ³σ Ώ π΄ (@TomosHughes1400) March 21, 2025
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