Edwards Evan Image 2 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1923

Description

Bedlinog, Pontypridd born left winger Evan Edwards joined Southern League club Merthyr Town after the First World War and when they joined The Football League in 1920-21 he was a key member of their team, making his League debut against Brighton & Hove Albion that September, scoring once in 34 appearances that season. Edwards had played for Wales in an amateur international match against England Amateurs in January 1920 at Merthyr’s ground, Penydarren Park. According to the Daily Express report, “E.J. Edwards, the Merthyr outside left, was the star artist of the Welsh attack, and his elusive runs and centres were a feature of the first half, but following change of ends he was kept well under control”; his team lost 9-0 after being only 2-0 down at half time.

In the summer of 1923, after 11 goals in 94 appearances for Merthyr (post their elevation to League status), he joined Wolverhampton Wanderers and immediately helped Wolves to win the 1923-24 Third Division (North) Championship, scoring 7 goals in 38 League appearances and described as being blessed with “a useful turn of speed”. But after just two seasons at Molineux he joined Southern League Mid-Rhondda United in 1925 having scored 13 goals in 70 appearances in old gold and black.

He returned to Football League action when he joined Second Division Swansea Town later in 1925, scoring once in 11 games before spending 1926-27 at Northampton Town, where he scored twice in 12 appearances for The Cobblers. He joined Halifax Town in the summer of 1927 but didn’t feature in their first team and soon moved on to non league Ebbw Vale, but once again returned to the Football League with Darlington in the summer of 1928 scoring 3 times in 28 appearances during 1928-29. He finished his career with Clapton Orient, making 4 appearances for them in the late summer of 1929 before retiring from the game.