Bobby Evans
Encyclopedia
Robert "Bobby" Evans was a Scottish
football
player and manager, most notable for his time with Celtic
.
Evans joined Celtic during 1944 from junior side St.Anthony's. He started out his Celtic career as a forward, but it wasn't until manager Jimmy McGrory
moved him back to right-half that Evans became a Celtic great. Unmistakable with his ginger hair
, he was probably the first to wear his shirt out of his shorts, his trademark
. His stamina, determination and sheer will-to-win were regarded by many as exceptional.
Celtic's long-awaited Scottish Cup
victory of 1951 and the historic Saint Mungo Cup
win of the same summer gave Evans his first taste of major success. He then went on to give the sustained performance of a lifetime throughout the unexpectedly triumphant Coronation Cup
run two years later. In the final, Evans was regarded by many as simply sublime, as he played the great Lawrie Reilly
out of the game and fittingly instigated the move that led to Jimmy Walsh
's clinching strike in the 2–0 defeat of favourites Hibernian
.
Evans was the first Celtic captain to lift the League Cup in 1956 and he famously helped defend it a year later against Rangers
in what will forever be known as Hampden in the sun
. He made 535 appearances for Celtic and scored 10 goals in 16 years with the club. During this time he won 48 caps for Scotland
. Evans also won 25 caps for the Scottish League XI
, the most of any player.
Evans left Celtic in 1960, heading south to Chelsea
, where he played for one season before being appointed player-manager of Newport County
. He returned to Scotland in a playing capacity with Greenock Morton
in 1962, then joined Third Lanark
as a player with coaching duties in 1963. He was promoted to manager in June 1964 but left after a difficult 1964–65 season
. He played with Raith Rovers
for two further years before retiring in 1967, at the age of 39.
Evans died of pneumonia
in 2001, after suffering for several years with Parkinson's disease
. In 2008 Evans was inducted to the Scottish Football Hall of Fame
.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player and manager, most notable for his time with Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
.
Evans joined Celtic during 1944 from junior side St.Anthony's. He started out his Celtic career as a forward, but it wasn't until manager Jimmy McGrory
Jimmy McGrory
James Edward "Jimmy" McGrory was a Scottish football player and manager for Celtic who holds the record for most career goals in British football...
moved him back to right-half that Evans became a Celtic great. Unmistakable with his ginger hair
Red hair
Red hair occurs on approximately 1–2% of the human population. It occurs more frequently in people of northern or western European ancestry, and less frequently in other populations...
, he was probably the first to wear his shirt out of his shorts, his trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
. His stamina, determination and sheer will-to-win were regarded by many as exceptional.
Celtic's long-awaited Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
victory of 1951 and the historic Saint Mungo Cup
Saint Mungo Cup
The Saint Mungo Cup was a one-off football tournament held in Glasgow, Scotland, to celebrate the 1951 Festival of Britain. The competition was contested by 14 Scottish Division A clubs together with Clyde and Queens Park from Division B...
win of the same summer gave Evans his first taste of major success. He then went on to give the sustained performance of a lifetime throughout the unexpectedly triumphant Coronation Cup
Coronation Cup (football)
The Coronation Cup was a one-off football tournament to celebrate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, between four English and four Scottish clubs, held in Glasgow in May 1953...
run two years later. In the final, Evans was regarded by many as simply sublime, as he played the great Lawrie Reilly
Lawrie Reilly
Lawrance "Lawrie" Reilly is a former Scottish association football player. He was one of the "Famous Five", the Hibernian forward line during the 1950s. The others were Bobby Johnstone, Gordon Smith, Eddie Turnbull, and Willie Ormond...
out of the game and fittingly instigated the move that led to Jimmy Walsh
Jimmy Walsh (footballer born 1930)
James "Jimmy" Walsh is a former professional footballer who played for Celtic and Leicester City as a forward. He was a prolific goalscorer and scored the winning goals in both the finals of the 1953 Coronation Cup as well as playing in the 1955 Scottish Cup Final for Celtic...
's clinching strike in the 2–0 defeat of favourites Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
.
Evans was the first Celtic captain to lift the League Cup in 1956 and he famously helped defend it a year later against Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
in what will forever be known as Hampden in the sun
Hampden in the sun
The 1957 Scottish League Cup Final was a football match played on 19 October 1957 at Hampden Park, in which Celtic beat rivals Rangers in a record 7–1 victory. The final was nicknamed Hampden in the Sun, a phrase first coined by Celtic supporters as the title of a terrace song...
. He made 535 appearances for Celtic and scored 10 goals in 16 years with the club. During this time he won 48 caps for Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
. Evans also won 25 caps for the Scottish League XI
Scottish League XI
The Scottish League XI is a representative side of the Scottish Football League. The team regularly played against the Football League and other national league select teams between 1892 and 1980. For a long period the annual fixture between the English and Scottish leagues was only second in...
, the most of any player.
Evans left Celtic in 1960, heading south to Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, where he played for one season before being appointed player-manager of Newport County
Newport County A.F.C.
Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
. He returned to Scotland in a playing capacity with Greenock Morton
Greenock Morton F.C.
Greenock Morton Football Club are a Scottish professional football club, who currently play in the Scottish Football League First Division. The club was founded as Morton Football Club in 1874, making it one of the oldest senior Scottish clubs....
in 1962, then joined Third Lanark
Third Lanark A.C.
Third Lanark Athletic Club was a football club that originally existed between 1872 and 1967, 95 years in existence, based in Glasgow, Scotland. Third Lanark were known as Thirds, the Warriors, the Redcoats and the Hi Hi's...
as a player with coaching duties in 1963. He was promoted to manager in June 1964 but left after a difficult 1964–65 season
1964-65 in Scottish football
The 1964–65 season was the 68th season of Scottish league football.-Scottish League Division One:In one of the closest finishes ever seen in a league competition in Britain, Hearts faced Kilmarnock on the last day of the season with...
. He played with Raith Rovers
Raith Rovers F.C.
Raith Rovers Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Kirkcaldy, Fife. They are members of the Scottish Football League, currently playing in the First Division, having secured promotion from the Second Division as champions in 2009. Rovers have won one national trophy, the...
for two further years before retiring in 1967, at the age of 39.
Evans died of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
in 2001, after suffering for several years with Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
. In 2008 Evans was inducted to the Scottish Football Hall of Fame
Scottish Football Hall of Fame
The Scottish Football Hall of Fame is located at the Scottish Football Museum. Inductees are picked each year by fans and a committee selects the eight finalists who are inducted at an annual dinner....
.