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Chesterfield sign Ched Evans three months before rape retrial begins Chesterfield sign Ched Evans three months before rape retrial begins
(about 3 hours later)
Chesterfield have announced the signing of Ched Evans, three months before the 27-year-old faces retrial for the rape conviction he had quashed in April. Former Wales and Sheffield United striker Ched Evans has signed to play for Chesterfield, three months before he faces a retrial for rape.
Evans said he is “very excited and privileged to be resuming my career at Chesterfield” and according to reports will earn less than £2,000 a week when he officially joins on 1 July, some way off the £20,000 salary per week he earned at Sheffield United where he worked under the current Spireites manager, Danny Wilson. Evans said he was “very excited and privileged to be resuming my career” at the League One side, which has signed him on a one-year contract from 1 July.
The Wales international was convicted of rape in 2011, however that conviction was quashed in April. He now faces retrial on 4 October having pleaded not guilty at Cardiff crown court last month. In 2012, the 27-year-old was convicted of the 2011 rape of a 19-year-old woman and sentenced to five years in prison. He served half his term before being released in October 2014.
“I hope to make a valuable contribution both on and off the pitch for the football club, the fans and the community,” Evans told the Chesterfield website. Evans has always insisted on his innocence and succeeded in having his conviction quashed at the court of appeal earlier this year. The court has ordered a retrial, due to begin on 4 October. Evans pleaded not guilty at Cardiff crown court earlier this month.
The Chesterfield chairman, Dave Allen, added: “We are delighted to have secured the services of an outstanding footballer, who is now keen to get back to work and score goals. Chesterfield’s current manager, Danny Wilson, was previously manager at Sheffield United, where Evans was a £20,000-a-week star before his conviction. The club released him from his contract at the end of the 2012 season.
“Danny Wilson knows Ched very well, having previously managed him at Sheffield United. Chris Morgan, our first team coach, also speaks highly of him from their time together at Bramall Lane. Chesterfield Football Club have given a great deal of thought to this signing and following the court’s decision, we are in no doubt that Ched Evans should be welcomed back into his profession as a professional footballer.” Reports suggest his salary at Chesterfield will be a more modest £2,000 a week, for which, the player said in a statement released by the club, “I hope to make a valuable contribution both on and off the pitch for the football club, the fans and the community.”
Chesterfield had been linked with Evans last year but said at the time they would not sign him. Oldham were close to offering Evans, who has not played competitively since 2012, a route back into football in January 2015 but performed a U-turn after pressure from outside the club. Chesterfield’s chairman, Dave Allen, said the club was “delighted to have secured the services of an outstanding footballer, who is now keen to get back to work and score goals”.
Allen said that both Wilson and Chris Morgan – the first team coach, who also came from Sheffield United – “speak highly of him [Evans] from their time together at Bramall Lane”.
“Chesterfield Football Club have given a great deal of thought to this signing and, following the court’s decision, we are in no doubt that Ched Evans should be welcomed back into his profession as a professional footballer,” Allen added.
Evans, who has 13 international caps for Wales, had hoped to resume his professional career after his release from prison, but despite being linked with a number of clubs he was unable to secure a contract while his conviction stood.
Oldham Athletic pulled the plug on a possible deal in 2015 after coming under pressure from its sponsors, while an offer from Sheffield United to use its facilities to train was also rescinded following a backlash from fans and patrons.
Olympic champion Jessica Ennis-Hill had said that she wanted her name removed from a stand at Sheffield United’s ground if Evans was re-signed.
The player’s conviction was overturned after fresh evidence emerged, details of which cannot be reported for legal reasons. After hearing the evidence, three appeal court judges concluded “that we must allow the appeal and that it is in the interests of justice to order a retrial”.
Chesterfield’s statement makes clear it considers there to be no impediment to Evans resuming his career after the quashing of his conviction.
“There will be no further comments or statements relating to this matter and Chesterfield Football Club respectfully requests that the media allow Ched and his team mates to concentrate on a very busy pre-season schedule,” the club said in a statement.