soccer

Evans says he turned down offer to leave Rovers

Bristol Rovers have moved six points clear of the League Two relegation zone since Steve Evans' appointment [Shutterstock]

Bristol Rovers manager Steve Evans said he turned down an offer from another club in the past week as he is "very loyal".

Evans was only appointed at the Memorial Stadium eight weeks ago and has won three out of 10 league games so far to move the Gas six points clear of the bottom two.

"I think I've demonstrated to the owners in the last week that I'm very loyal to the cause here cos I could have jumped and went after being made a really good offer," Evans told BBC Radio Bristol.

"But that was never going to be considered more than a thank you, but no thanks."

The 63-year-old did not disclose the club who approached him but said he was "not opening his eyes" to anything.

Evans' deal with Bristol Rovers runs until the end of the season with the goal of keeping the club safe in League Two, and he said if that was achieved he would then speak about the future.

"Let's get to the summer as a collective, as a group, as everyone pulling in the same direction," Evans said.

"The wonderful support you get here from the owners - I keep saying it and I believe it - and from Ricky (Martin) in particular in the transfer window has been amazing."

Evans' side travel to Cambridge United in their next game on Saturday, 14 February.

He added that his hope is to replicate his achievements at former club Stevenage, who he helped avoid relegation at the end of 2021-22 and then guided to automatic promotion a season later.

"I've got a huge opportunity to turn this football club into a survival football club to a promotion football club, very similar to what we did at Stevenage," Evans added.

"'Keep 'em up and take 'em up' is what I said to the chairman before the weekend and I mean it."

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