Evatt hoping for best at Pride Park
FORMER Derby County defender Ian Evatt hopes his old club can bounce back from administration.
Evatt came through the youth system at Derby and went on to make 37 appearances for the first team between 2001 and 2003.
He went on to play for Chesterfield, Queens Park Rangers and Blackpool and is now manager of Bolton Wanderers, who went through administration in 2019.
Evatt told the Bolton News: “It is a very, very sad situation.
“Derby County is a fantastic football club which gave me a brilliant education from the age of 11 until 21.
“I have fond memories of a wonderful club with great fans and I just hope someone comes and takes it on and saves them because that’s a football club that is underachieving and shouldn’t be where it is.”
The 39-year-old former Barrow manager guided Bolton to promotion from League Two last season. They are currently eighth in League One.
LIVERPOOL manager Jurgen Klopp says former Derby County midfielder Kaide Gordon did “exceptionally well” after making his Reds debut on Tuesday night.
The 16-year-old played the full 90 minutes in the 3-0 Carabao Cup win over Norwich City at Carrow Road, becoming the third-youngest player to start a competitive game for Liverpool.
Gordon signed for Liverpool from Derby in January in a deal worth around £1m.
It is said that his debut for the Reds has earned the Rams a further £100,000 from the deal.
Klopp told the Liverpool Echo: “The kids did exceptionally well, I
have to say.
“All three were physically really strong and that’s maybe the biggest surprise, that they could go 94, 95 minutes. I’m really happy for them.
“Kaide is good and has a lot of things to improve, a lot of things to settle, a lot of things to learn, but a lot of things are already there.
“We are really happy to have him around and we will treat him carefully. I’m really happy that he is here, he is a big talent.”
The Liverpool boss also revealed the first thing that the teenager said to him after the full-time whistle.
“The first thing that Kaide said to me after the game, when I wanted to say ‘congratulations’, he said ‘thank you!’
“But there was nothing to be thankful about, he deserved it. It’s all fine, these boys are good and thank God they are ours.”
Gordon made one competitive appearance for Derby before completing a move to Anfield, going on as a late substitute in the 4-0 win over Birmingham City back in December.