Lee Evans was once part of a winning Wolves team against Liverpool at Anfield on such a special afternoon for travelling fans. A decade after his impressive breakthrough at Molineux, the Welsh foreigner is hungry for a new challenge.
It’s been a decade since Lee Evans finished his first season at Wolves as part of the record-breaking team that won the League One name and only reversed back-to-back relegation slip, but also jumped to the right boat of Molineux. .
It’s not his first class and it’s not his last. Good Evans, by the way!
He had already played part of a season with Newport County before joining Wolves in January 2013, before moving to the top of the Conference as they were on course to win the play-offs to return to the Football League.
He did the same as a prop in the opening half of the 2017/18 crusade with Wigan to clinch their second League One title medal, and the same for the first leg of the recent Ipswich fairytale, when they finished second in League One. . in 2022/23.
And in the season that just ended? Although he was badly hampered by injury, Evans made a few appearances for Ipswich, now promoted from the championship, and then Portsmouth, who won League One.
“You’ll squeeze it a bit if you come with the one from Ipswich this year!” he laughs.
Evans, who will turn 30 in July, is looking to claim this season’s successes to be among the best, but being paired with upwardly mobile groups is a very smart habit. And now, at the end of his contract, the sublime midfielder is in position to make his next stop and, potentially, another promotion stop!
“I feel fresh, fit to start and can’t wait to see what the summer has in store for us and an exciting new challenge,” he says.
“The knee injury I had this season haunted me for a few years but, after I had surgery, that challenge disappeared, which is positive.
“I’m still only 29 and I’m probably in my prime to be a midfielder, and during my time at Ipswich I worked with a coach, Kieran McKenna, who improved my game considerably.
“I feel like I still have a lot to offer and I’m looking for the opportunity to do it again and play a big role somewhere next season. “
A quick glance at Evans’ CV is enough to see that he has already played for many top clubs throughout his career.
Wolves, Ipswich, Portsmouth, Wigan, Bradford and Sheffield United all have a recent offer or history in the Premier League and have helped offer a host of other stories to the Newport-born midfielder.
But Newport, his hometown club, is where it all began for Evans, and in spectacular fashion.
Justin Edinburgh, the coach who made his senior debut at the age of 17, in a 1-1 draw at Cambridge, sadly passed away.
Just 3 appearances later, Evans arrived at Wembley, with a 2–0 defeat to York in the FA Trophy final. Quite an introduction.
“Imagine that, in his fourth game of football, at the age of 17, at Wembley,” he recalls.
“What do I remember having so early in my career. “
And then the Wolves came along.
A key figure on Newport’s promotion team, interest came late, but it’s too smart an opportunity to turn down, even though he spent his early part of the season learning the ins and outs of the Wolves’ progression team.
The arrival of Kenny Jackett, foreshadowing the conversion of the guard and the need for new control after a season of turmoil and vitriol, has presented a blank page for the young skill eager to enter the challenge of League One.
Evans among those who wrote their own chapter.
There was a big-day atmosphere at the first game of the season at Preston, with Ron Flowers leading Wolves into the Football League’s 125th anniversary, and 5,000 rowdy Wolves fans, in a position to forgive their club, racked up the goal.
It was Evans’ result, a goalless draw, but the following weekend, at sunny Molineux, he scored and won a penalty in the 4-0 win over Gillingham that ignited the season.