Evans Albert Image 3 Aston Villa 1896

Description

Barnard Castle, County Durham born left back Albert Evans joined local junior side Barnard Castle in 1894 from where he joined First Division Aston Villa in August 1896, making his Football League debut against Bury in November 1896. He won three League Championships in his first four seasons in the team (ironically an ever present in 1897-98 in the one season Villa failed to win anything) as well as winning the 1897 FA Cup (to complete the Double that season) as Aston Villa beat Everton at The Crystal Palace. He made 216 appearances for Aston Villa over 10 seasons playing his last match for them in January 1906. He also played in all three Sheriff of London Charity Shield matches against The Corinthians between 1899 and 1901, and was part of Aston Villa’s team beaten in the 1901 FA Cup semi final when they lost in a replay to Sheffield United at The Baseball Ground, Derby.

While never honoured for England, he played for The Football League in a 4-2 victory over The Irish League at The Solitude, Belfast in November 1900.

He then spent two seasons before retirement with West Bromwich Albion whom he joined in October 1907, and for whom he played a further 40 games, hanging up his boots in June 1909. He would have played more matches in his career but for suffering four broken legs in his career, in 1901, 1903, 1906 and 1908.

He began his career in coaching after his playing retirement and coached West Bromwich Albion until May 1911. He then coached Sarpsborg FK in Norway until the First World War, during which he served as a sapper and then a sergeant in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. After the War  he spent more than four years as manager of Coventry City taking the post in June 1920, when he had become Coventry’s third manager in three months, and relinquishing it in November 1924, later scouting for Aston Villa in the 1950’s. Before he died aged 92 in 1966 he was the last surviving member of Aston Villa’s Double winning team.