EVANS GETS CALL TO RESCUE BORO BOYS
STEVENAGE finally bagged their man after Steve Evans was named manager of the League Two strugglers.
The 60-year-old replaces Paul Tisdale, whose threemonth reign was terminated following a 2-1 defeat at home to Northampton in midweek.
Evans, who previously managed Leeds and won back-to-back promotions with Rotherham, is a longtime target of Boro chairman Phil Wallace.
He was initially approached when Stevenage sacked Alex Revell in November, whilst still in charge at Gillingham.
However, Stevenage baulked at the Gills’ demand for a £130,000 compensation payment and subsequently appointed Tisdale.
Slump
A run of three wins and two draws in January saw the former Exeter, MK Dons and Bristol Rovers boss nominated for manager of the month, but a drastic slump thereafter has landed Stevenage back in relegation trouble.
Tuesday’s defeat to Northampton made it nine games without a win, and with Evans a free agent following his dismissal by the Gills in January, Wallace pulled the trigger.
“Paul has worked tirelessly for us since he joined but we have won three points from the last nine games to drop into a relegation fight,” said Wallace. “With nine games to go, we have to change our fortunes and we are hoping Steve will do that.”
Evans was set to face former club Mansfield Town in his first game in charge, but the fixture - due to take place yesterday - was postponed at Boro’s request.
Postponed
Stevenage say that seven positive Covid-19 tests, in addition to eight injuries, left them with just 12 available first-team players for the trip to Field Mill.
“The club have communicated fully with the EFL at every stage and explored every option before this decision was made,” said a statement on the club website.
In a statement of their own, Mansfield - who began the weekend tenth in League Two - said: “The circumstances surrounding the fixture not being played will now be the subject of investigation in accordance with EFL Regulations.”