Tony Evans

Thought I’d put this on the news thread in case anyone hasn’t picked it up elsewhere, from the Skelmersdale United website;

Press Release

Tony Evans signed for Witton Albion last night. (Thursday 10th January 2008.)

A host of clubs have been looking at Tony in recent weeks as you would expect considering the amount of goals he’s scored so far this season.

Unfortunately he wasn’t a contracted player and therefore the club were unable to avoid the attention.

Having tried to secure his services on a more permanent basis, Tony’s desire to play at a higher level proved too much in the final analysis, and with Witton top of the Unibond Premier League and looking a good prospect for the Blue Square North, it would appear the offer was too good to refuse.

Chairman Frank Hughes said, "We are obviously disappointed to lose Tony especially at this stage of the season when we are doing so well.

"Any club which loses a player that has scored 24 goals with half a season to go is going to feel the impact somewhere along the line, but I’m afraid that this is the downside of success.

"Fortunately we haven’t lost Tony to our competitors in our own division which could’ve been the case.

"My feeling is he owes Tommy Lawson a huge debt of gratitude for resurrecting a career that had gone a little stale when he came to us in the 2006-07 season.

"The loyalty and patience that Tommy showed was immense and as a result we got to see what Tony is truly capable of doing - scoring goals, and we hope he continues to have success at Witton.

"Tony moves on with the best wishes of the Management and the Committee."

Tony is expected to be in the starting line up against Ilkeston tomorrow. Meanwhile, Tommy Lawson starts his search for a replacement.

From the Guardian website:

More firepower for Albion
By Andrew Simpson

JIM Vince has landed a long-term target to bolster his attack.

He moved last night to sign Skelmersdale United hotshot Tony Evans after tracking the front runner since the summer.

"We’ve finally got our man," he told the Guardian today, Friday.

"He felt the timing perhaps was not quite right when we first approached him but now he sees coming here as a perfect chance to progress."

And Evans goes straight into Witton’s squad for tomorrow’s UniBond Premier Division clash with Ilkeston Town.

He is one of the leading scorers in the league after hitting 24 goals for the UniBond Division One North outfit so far this term.

As a non-contract player he has moved on free transfer.

"We are obviously disappointed to lose Tony especially at this stage of the season when we are doing so well," said Robins’ chairman Frank Hughes.

"Any club which loses a player that has scored 24 goals with half a season to go is going to feel the impact somewhere along the line, but I’m afraid that this is the downside of success.

"We hope Tony continues to have success at Witton."

Blue Square North duo Southport and Leigh RMI offered deals to Evans but he picked Witton, much to the delight of Vince.

"Tony is the complete package," he said.

"He’s tall, strong, quick and gets lots and lots of goals."

It’s a gap in Albion’s squad the manager has been seeking to fill since the departures of Dean Crowe and Dorryl Proffitt before Christmas.

Kyle Wilson has come on board since then, but Vince felt he still needed to add another forward.

"I didn’t just want to sign anybody get an extra body in," he said.

"When Dean left it was a case of not panicking and finding a player that complements the way we like to play football and I believe Tony does that."

Going back to the debate on how much Adam Warlow would be worth;

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/crewe_alexandra/7189153.stm

I went to watch Crewe last night against Leeds and saw Jim and Nige there doing a bit of talent spotting ;D

Wonder if they went to look at jermaine beckford? think he’d do alright for witton ;D