AN ENGLISH LEAGUE One club is in talks to sign convicted rapist Ched Evans, Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) chief executive Gordon Taylor has confirmed.
The former Wales international has been looking to return to football since October, when he was released from prison after a two-and-a-half year spell.
A spell training with his old club Sheffield United was blocked after protests from fans, patrons and sponsors, while proposed moves to Hartlepool and Maltese club Hibernians have also fallen through in recent weeks.
Reports in the British media this morning suggested that a third tier outfit is planning to give the 26-year-old a second chance and, although Taylor, refused to name the club in question, he did reveal that it plans to hold a press conference on Monday.
“The club are due to hold a press conference tomorrow and I’ve made it clear that I cannot attend,” Taylor told Sportsweek on BBC Radio 5 Live this morning.
“We appreciate that this is a very sensitive issue. A lot of people feel he shouldn’t return to football until after the Criminal Review Board has considered the case.
“But the fact is, that under the law of the land, we made it clear in our statement, that he has served his time and the job of society is to look to rehabilitate him.
He’s a footballer, he wants to return to society as a footballer. At the moment there’s nothing stopping him from doing that but he does need an employer to take him on.
“We’ve had a number of steps forward and a number of steps back. I’m not going to count my chickens,” he added.
“If a club are looking to sign him they need to be 100% committed and give their reasons and get on with it, rather than invite a public debate.”
