Gills new Gaffer speaks to the media at Priestfield.
Steve Evans has been officially unveiled as Gillingham Football Club’s new first-team manager.
The 56-year-old former Leeds United, Crawley Town and Rotherham boss agreed to take the vacant position on Sunday after negotiations with club Chairman Paul Scally.
Paul Raynor will be his Assistant.
Evans, whose most recent job was at Peterborough, spent his entire professional playing career in his native Scotland as a striker, however a serious injury forced him to retire at the age of 24.
After leaving the game he returned to Football in 1994, taking over at non-league Stamford who he led to the United Counties Football League Premier Division title before resigning to take over at Boston in 1998.
Two promotions followed (Evans had two spells as Boston manager) prior to agreeing terms to become Crawley’s new manager in the summer of 2007. Once more, the Scot guided a club to the Football League after winning the Conference in his fourth season at Broadfield Stadium.
In April 2012 Evans was appointed the new manager at Rotherham United and two more promotions followed, one from League Two as runners-up to Gillingham during the 2012-13 campaign before winning the League One Play-Off Final against Leyton Orient in 2014. He would remain at the New York Stadium for just over another year before parting company with the club, alongside assistant Paul Raynor.
A month later he took over at Elland Road to replace Uwe Rosler as boss at Leeds United. Steve was there for just seven months but won 14 of his 38 fixtures in all competitions and guided the club to safety in the Championship.
After leaving Leeds in May 2016 Evans stepped away from Football for six months before taking over at Mansfield Town. His spell in League 2 lasted 15 months before resigning his post to take over at Peterborough United, a job he would keep for just under a year before being replaced by Darren Ferguson with the club sitting sixth in Sky Bet League 1.
In total, Evans has won 43.2% of all league fixtures he has taken with all clubs mentioned above.
The former Albion Rovers striker takes over at Priestfield, replacing Steve Lovell.
Chairman Paul Scally said he was delighted to get his man. Speaking to the gathered media he said:
“It’s important we try and get ourselves into the Championship; we work very hard off the field to try and increase incomes and we are ambitious.
“If you have a winning team, and a successful team, then people have less to moan about. Everyone should unite and get behind the management team and I’ve appointed the best candidate that I’ve had applications from, or interviewed.
“I would like the fans to trust my decision and enjoy the ride.”
Steve Evans said he is looking forward to working with the Chairman and believes the foundations are in place to build a competitive squad.
He added: “It’s a challenge but I’ve seen the passion and determination of the Chairman and he wants success. We will try and get every penny spent appropriately.
“Promotions are hard to get and you have to earn them. We will work hard to create unity and improve on last year.”