Paul Evans

Paul Evans (born 24 February 1949 in Kiveton Park, England) is an English retired footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Mansfield Town, Boston F.C. and Burton Albion in the 1970s and 1980s. His time with Neil Warnock at Burton began a more than 10-year relationship with Warnock in football. He spent time as assistant manager at Scarborough, then coach at Notts County and Huddersfield Town. Evans is also known at these clubs as "Warnock's mate" and was seen many times in the dressing room calming Warnock down when he became angry.

Playing career Evans played in goal for Burton Albion in the 1980s and was part of Northern Premier League Challenge Cup winning team.

In 1985, while playing in an FA Cup clash with Leicester City, Evans was struck by a plank of wood thrown from the away end and was knocked out cold. As Evans partially recovered, Neil Warnock's protests for the game to be abandoned were ignored, and Evans had to return to the goal to finish the match. Becoming physically sick at one point, it was clear that he was not right, giving up 6 goals as City won 6–1.

Subsequently, the FA reviewed the game and a replay was played. Evans played in the rematch, and Burton was defeated again, albeit by a much more modest 1–0 score.

Evans left Burton Albion in 1986 to become assistant manager at Scarborough.

With Neil Warnock

Burton Albion When Neil Warnock became the Manager of Burton Albion in January 1981, Evans was his goalkeeper and was part of the Northern Premier League Challenge Cup winning team of the 1982–83 season, this is the first time that Evans worked for Warnock. Little did he know that by 1997 he would have worked at Scarborough, Notts County, Huddersfield Town and Plymouth Argyle and won promotion 5 times and won 1 trophy and come runner-up in an Autoglass Trophy Final.

Scarborough In 1986, Neil Warnock went to Scarborough as Manager, and he took Evans, his former goalkeeper at Burton Albion, with him as his Assistant Manager. Warnock and Evans arrived at Scarborough and quickly signed Cec Podd, Barry Gallagher and Paul Kendell from Halifax Town, Mike Brolly and Tommy Graham from Scunthorpe United, David Kaye from Chester City and Andy Harrison and Steve Richards from Kettering Town. Warnock also added Stuart Mell who was with Warnock and Evans at Burton Albion. The season started pretty average so Warnock signed Ian Bennyworth and Mitch Cook. With the season still going pretty average; Warnock signed Kevin Blackwell on a months loan from Barnet in November 1986 and this started an upturn in fortunes. After the month's loan ended, Warnock paid Barry Fry's Barnet £2,000 for Blackwell's services. On 13 December Scarborough went top of the league following Barnet's loss to Maidstone United. However, a week after this the club was knocked sideways as the chairman; Barry Adamson died of a heart attack at an FA Trophy game against Morecambe. At one point in April, Scarborough were seven points clear at the top of the GM Vauxhall Conference, and due to Barnet losing at Stafford Rangers Scarborough won the title and were subsequently promoted to the Fourth Division. Basically, Warnock and Evans had brought instant success, with Scarborough winning the Football Conference in 1987. Warnock and Evans remained at Scarborough until they moved on to Notts County in 1989 after Warnock had fallen out with chairman Geoffrey Richmond.

Notts County In January 1989, Warnock arrived at Notts County and Warnock took Evans, physio Dave Wilson and Kevin Blackwell with him to Meadow Lane and would signal a start to a very exciting and successful era at Notts County. Evans joined as part of Warnock's backroom staff which consisted of Johnny Newman(Assistant Manager) and Dave Wilson (Physiotherapist). Then at the end of the 1988–89 season, Johnny Newman left Notts County and Mick Jones joined as Warnock's assistant. County won the 3rd Division Play-off Final in 1990 at Wembley, and as always Evans was on the bench with Warnock.

Then the 2nd Division Play-off Final was won in 1991 and Notts County were subsequently promoted to Division 1 (now The Premiership). However, after only one season County were relegated and Warnock was sacked in January 1993 after two play-off wins.

Huddersfield Town Warnock took over at Torquay United in March 1993 and it wasn't until Warnock left Plainmoor in May and then in July 1993 Warnock take over at Huddersfield Town and Evans, Jones (Assistant Manager), Blackwell (Youth Development Officer/Sub Goalkeeper) and Wilson (Physiotherapist) joined him.

Current life Paul Evans now works as a solicitor in Worksop. Evans is still Neil Warnock's best friend.

Honours

As a player 1982–83: Northern Premier League Challenge Cup winner – Burton Albion

As a coach 1986–87: Conference winners (promotion to Division 4) – Scarborough (Assistant Manager) 1989–90: Division 3 Playoff winners (promotion to Division 2) – Notts County (Coach) 1990–91: Division 2 Playoff winners (promotion to Division 1) – Notts County (Coach) 1994–95: Division 2 Playoff winners (promotion to Division 1) – Huddersfield Town (Coach) 1993–94: Football League Trophy finalist – Huddersfield Town (Coach) 1994–95: Yorkshire Electricity Cup winners – Huddersfield Town (Coach) 1995–96: Division 3 Playoff winners (promotion to Division 2) – Plymouth Argyle (Coach)