Wayne Evans (Welsh footballer)

Wayne Duncan Evans (25 August 1971 – July 2023) was a Welsh professional footballer who played as a defender for Walsall and Rochdale in the Football League. He later went on to coach youth players, one club being Penn Fusion Soccer Academy in West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States. He stayed for one season, later moving to Nova Scotia, Canada to continue his coaching career.

Wayne Evans
Personal information
Full name Wayne Duncan Evans
Date of birth (1971-08-25)25 August 1971
Place of birth Abermule, Wales
Date of death July 2023 (aged 51)
Place of death United States
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1992–1993 Welshpool Town
1993–1999 Walsall 183 (1)
1999–2005 Rochdale 259 (3)
2005–2006 Kidderminster Harriers 13 (0)
2007 Welshpool Town 8 (0)
2011 Newtown 0 (0)
Total 463 (4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

At Rochdale, Evans was known to fans by the nickname "Evo"; others called him "Wanners".[1] He later played for Kidderminster Harriers and Welshpool Town.[1]

Evans worked as Youth Team manager at Shrewsbury Town alongside former Salop defenders Peter Wilding and David Hughes.

In 2011, he briefly came out of retirement and was named in Newtown squad for the New Year's Day match against Welsh Premier League champions The New Saints.[2]

Evans died at his American home, on the first weekend of July 2023, at the age of 51.[3][4]

Honours

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Walsall

References

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  1. ^ a b Lyell Tweed (3 July 2023). "Tributes paid to former Rochdale AFC player after 'sudden and devastating' death". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 5 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Latest News". Archived from the original on 2 July 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2011.
  3. ^ "R.I.P. Wayne Evans". Rochdale AFC. 2 July 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Walsall and Rochdale pay tribute to the late Wayne Evans". County Times. 3 July 2023. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
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