Past playersRoy Evans
Years: 1970-1973
Appearances: 11
Roy Evans' playing career was a short one, beginning as an apprentice at Liverpool before signing professional forms when he was 17 years old in October 1965.
He had to serve a different kind of apprenticeship in the Reds’ reserve team and didn't see a hint of first-team action until nearly the end of the 1969-70 season, when he figured in three of the last eight matches.
In fact, the Bootle-born player would only make a further six appearances in the league, plus one each in the League Cup and European Fairs Cup, before surprisingly being offered the chance to take control of the club's reserve side.
It was a task he relished and for a long period Liverpool won the Central League trophy more often than not.
Bob Paisley, who had just taken over from Bill Shankly, offered the then 25-year-old a great chance of joining the famous Boot Room in 1974. John Smith, Liverpool's chairman, made a prediction of Nostradamus proportions: "We have not made an appointment for the present but for the future. One day Roy Evans will be our manager."
Evans proved to be very successful in charge of the reserve team, leading them to victory seven times in nine years. When Paisley retired in 1983, Evans was promoted to first-team coach, proving to be of invaluable assistance to Joe Fagan and then Kenny Dalglish in the dugout.
Graeme Souness took charge in 1991, and it was to be Evans – fulfilling Smith's prophecy – who replaced the Scot as Liverpool manager on January 31, 1994.
