Len Evans (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Sidney John Vivian Leonard "Len" Evans (20 May 1903 – 26 December 1977) was a Welsh
professional footballer who played in the Football League
for Aberdare Athletic
, Merthyr Town
, Cardiff City
and Birmingham
, and won four caps
for the Wales national football team
. He played as a goalkeeper. Before he turned professional he was capped a number of times for the Welsh Amateur XI.
, now part of Cardiff
. As a youngster he sang in a choir and considered becoming a clergyman, but chose instead to join the police
, and served in the Barry area before taking up football full-time. He participated in a wide variety of sports apart from football, and later worked as a physical training instructor
and athletics coach. He was married to Mary, and died in Bournemouth
, Dorset
, in 1977 at the age of 74.
in 1922, and within a couple of years had earned his first selection for the Wales Amateur XI. He moved on to Football League club Aberdare Athletic
, still as an amateur, in October 1926. He played 24 games in the 1926–27 season, which was Aberdare's last in the Football League
, as they finished bottom of the Third Division South
and failed to be re-elected. Despite his club's lack of success, Evans himself performed sufficiently well to earn his first cap for the full Wales national team
. Evans moved on briefly to Merthyr Town
, also of the Third Division South, and had short spells with former club Cardiff Corinthians and with Western League
side Lovells Athletic
, before settling at Barry
of the Southern League
in 1928.
Described as "something of a risk-taker, but ... a classy and reliable 'keeper", his only weakness an erratic clearing kick, Evans passed two seasons at Barry. In April 1930 he returned to the Football League with Cardiff City
, then playing in the Second Division
. He understudied Ireland international Tom Farquharson
at Cardiff, and in three years at the club played only eight league games, though this lack of first-team football did not prevent his selection for his country. In September 1933 he joined Birmingham
of the First Division
, again as deputy to an international goalkeeper, in this case England
's Harry Hibbs. After playing only twice for Birmingham's first team in the 1933–34 season, Evans was appointed assistant trainer at the club. He then spent time abroad, returning to England in 1937 to take up the position of trainer at Blackburn Rovers
, which he held until the outbreak of the Second World War.
n team 1–0, though "they had a very anxious time during the first half, when they were mainly indebted to L. Evans, their goalkeeper, for preventing any score." He continued to receive complimentary notices when representing his country. Against England
in 1925, "if it had not been for some sound play by Evans, the goalkeeper, the score might have been considerably higher"; in a 4–0 defeat two years later, "the real hero of the Welsh side was L. Evans, the goalkeeper"; and in 1929, again with English opposition, "Evans gave a magnificent performance in goal, stopping shot after shot from the English forwards with amazing confidence". He made his last appearances for the Amateur XI in 1932, in a 5–0 victory against Scotland's amateurs, when, in the opinion of The Times
correspondent, "there was no cooler player on the field than L. Evans, the Welsh goalkeeper."
While an Aberdare Athletic
player, and still an amateur, Evans was selected for the full Wales
side; he made his debut on 9 April 1927 in a 2–2 draw at home to Ireland. He won his second cap as a Cardiff City
player, chosen to play Scotland
on a day when the pool of players available for selection was restricted by the Football League
's rule forbidding its clubs from releasing players other than to England on days when League matches were being played; this weakened team earned a 1–1 draw. He also appeared in Wales' next game, a 4–0 defeat at home to England, and his fourth and last full cap was won as a Birmingham
player and a professional, in a 1–0 win against Ireland in Belfast
in November 1933.
In the summer of 1929, Evans was part of a Football Association of Wales
team which toured Canada, playing 15 matches over a five-week period where he shared the goalkeeping duties with Bert Gray
.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
professional footballer who played in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
for Aberdare Athletic
Aberdare Athletic F.C.
Aberdare Athletic Football Club were a Welsh football club founded in 1893 and based in Aberdare. They joined the Football League in 1921 but were replaced by Torquay United after failing to be re-elected in 1927.-History:...
, Merthyr Town
Merthyr Town F.C.
Merthyr Town Football Club is a Welsh semi-professional football club based in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. For the 2011–2012 season the club will be playing in the Western Football League Premier Division at Penydarren Park in Merthyr....
, Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
and Birmingham
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
, and won four caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
for the Wales national football team
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
. He played as a goalkeeper. Before he turned professional he was capped a number of times for the Welsh Amateur XI.
Personal life
Evans was born in LlandaffLlandaff
Llandaff is a district in the north of Cardiff, capital of Wales, having been incorporated into the city in 1922. It is the seat of the Church in Wales Bishop of Llandaff, whose diocese covers the most populous area of South Wales. Much of the district is covered by parkland known as Llandaff...
, now part of Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
. As a youngster he sang in a choir and considered becoming a clergyman, but chose instead to join the police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
, and served in the Barry area before taking up football full-time. He participated in a wide variety of sports apart from football, and later worked as a physical training instructor
Physical Training Instructor
Physical Training Instructor is a term used primarily in the British Armed Forces and British police, as well as some other Commonwealth countries, for an instructor in physical fitness.-United Kingdom:...
and athletics coach. He was married to Mary, and died in Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, in 1977 at the age of 74.
Club career
Evans joined the amateur club Cardiff CorinthiansCardiff Corinthians F.C.
Cardiff Corinthians F.C. are a football club from Cardiff, Wales. They play in the Welsh Football League.-History:The club was formed in 1898 when players from the Alpha Cricket Club decided to form a football teamto keep in touch during the winter months...
in 1922, and within a couple of years had earned his first selection for the Wales Amateur XI. He moved on to Football League club Aberdare Athletic
Aberdare Athletic F.C.
Aberdare Athletic Football Club were a Welsh football club founded in 1893 and based in Aberdare. They joined the Football League in 1921 but were replaced by Torquay United after failing to be re-elected in 1927.-History:...
, still as an amateur, in October 1926. He played 24 games in the 1926–27 season, which was Aberdare's last in the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
, as they finished bottom of the Third Division South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
and failed to be re-elected. Despite his club's lack of success, Evans himself performed sufficiently well to earn his first cap for the full Wales national team
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
. Evans moved on briefly to Merthyr Town
Merthyr Town F.C.
Merthyr Town Football Club is a Welsh semi-professional football club based in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. For the 2011–2012 season the club will be playing in the Western Football League Premier Division at Penydarren Park in Merthyr....
, also of the Third Division South, and had short spells with former club Cardiff Corinthians and with Western League
Western Football League
The Western Football League is a football league in the south west of England, covering Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, western Dorset, parts of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire and parts of South Wales...
side Lovells Athletic
Lovells Athletic F.C.
Lovell's Athletic F.C. was the works team for Lovell's sweet factory in Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales, which played professional football from 1918 until 1969.-History:...
, before settling at Barry
Barry Town F.C.
Barry Town FC are a football team based in Barry. They dominated the League of Wales during the 1990s, but finished bottom in 2003-04 and were relegated...
of the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
in 1928.
Described as "something of a risk-taker, but ... a classy and reliable 'keeper", his only weakness an erratic clearing kick, Evans passed two seasons at Barry. In April 1930 he returned to the Football League with Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
, then playing in the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
. He understudied Ireland international Tom Farquharson
Tom Farquharson
Tom Farquharson was an Irish footballer who played as a goalkeeper for Cardiff City F.C. between 1921 and 1934. A dual internationalist, he also played for both Ireland teams - - the FAI XI and the IFA XI. In 1927 Farquharson was a member of the Cardiff City team that became the only non-English...
at Cardiff, and in three years at the club played only eight league games, though this lack of first-team football did not prevent his selection for his country. In September 1933 he joined Birmingham
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
of the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
, again as deputy to an international goalkeeper, in this case England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
's Harry Hibbs. After playing only twice for Birmingham's first team in the 1933–34 season, Evans was appointed assistant trainer at the club. He then spent time abroad, returning to England in 1937 to take up the position of trainer at Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
, which he held until the outbreak of the Second World War.
International career
Evans was first selected for the Wales Amateur XI in October 1924; they beat the touring South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n team 1–0, though "they had a very anxious time during the first half, when they were mainly indebted to L. Evans, their goalkeeper, for preventing any score." He continued to receive complimentary notices when representing his country. Against England
England national amateur football team
The England national amateur football team was the amateur representative team for England at football. It was formed in 1906, due to the growth of the professional game which meant that amateur players could no longer easily find places in the main England national team.-First match and unbeaten...
in 1925, "if it had not been for some sound play by Evans, the goalkeeper, the score might have been considerably higher"; in a 4–0 defeat two years later, "the real hero of the Welsh side was L. Evans, the goalkeeper"; and in 1929, again with English opposition, "Evans gave a magnificent performance in goal, stopping shot after shot from the English forwards with amazing confidence". He made his last appearances for the Amateur XI in 1932, in a 5–0 victory against Scotland's amateurs, when, in the opinion of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
correspondent, "there was no cooler player on the field than L. Evans, the Welsh goalkeeper."
While an Aberdare Athletic
Aberdare Athletic F.C.
Aberdare Athletic Football Club were a Welsh football club founded in 1893 and based in Aberdare. They joined the Football League in 1921 but were replaced by Torquay United after failing to be re-elected in 1927.-History:...
player, and still an amateur, Evans was selected for the full Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
side; he made his debut on 9 April 1927 in a 2–2 draw at home to Ireland. He won his second cap as a Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
player, chosen to play 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...
on a day when the pool of players available for selection was restricted by the Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
's rule forbidding its clubs from releasing players other than to England on days when League matches were being played; this weakened team earned a 1–1 draw. He also appeared in Wales' next game, a 4–0 defeat at home to England, and his fourth and last full cap was won as a Birmingham
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
player and a professional, in a 1–0 win against Ireland in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
in November 1933.
In the summer of 1929, Evans was part of a Football Association of Wales
Football Association of Wales
The Football Association of Wales is the governing body of association football in Wales. It is a member of FIFA, UEFA and the IFAB.Established in 1876 , it is the third-oldest national association in the world, and is one of the four associations The Football Association of Wales (FAW) is the...
team which toured Canada, playing 15 matches over a five-week period where he shared the goalkeeping duties with Bert Gray
Bert Gray
Albert Gray was a Welsh international footballer who played as goalkeeper for various clubs in the 1920s and 1930s, including Oldham Athletic, Manchester City, Tranmere Rovers and Chester...
.