CONFIRMED Ched Evans officially signs for SUFC

[GRUMPY BLADE]

I don't believe for one minute Wilder said "ay up Kev let's sign Ched Evans". I do believe the conversation was more like... McCabe:"Chris .... We've done a deal to resign Ched Evans, you OK with that?"

This has got McCabe and one of his missions to correct an injustice written all of it

What an insult to Chris.

There is no way Wilder would allow himself to be walked over and no way he would stand for McC giving interviews to the press about the Ched situation if he didn't agree with it.

Wilder would walk, he's a top man.

 

[Weasel]

I take the point on the midfield, but I'm not budging on the 29 in 30 is on a par with 36 in 36 point – one involves actually scoring 36 goals, the other suggests a trend approaching slightly fewer than 36 goals, made up of hypothetical goals that were never scored.

Just to put a straighener in here, Rhodes actually scored 36 league goals in 40 league appearances in season 2011 to 12. On that basis, Cheds goal average was actually better than Rhodes.

Oh, and Rhodes goals tended to come along like the proverbial buses. He scored 5 in one game v Wycombe, and 4 against the pigs, with a few hattricks chucked in for good measure. He wasnt the consistent goalscorer that Ched was in that season. All goals count of course and your entities to 'not budge' on your opinion here, but you could argue that more of Ched goals came when a positive result for his team mattered on him getting those goals, where as more of Rhodes goals came when he was picking off the team who was getting a hiding and probably just wanted to get off the pitch. You also have to remember Ched had an injury at the start of the season which meant that he had to come into the side cold and without a decent pre season training schedule behind him.

Just my opinion (and one I won't budge on either) but Ched was different gravy to Jordan Rhodes in that season.

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

Exactly. Call me cynical but I think some feminists have alternative social media accounts so they can lie and comment on shit like this.

Being on twatter stops 'em taking the car out, it might need parking.

 

[nopigfansintown]

Seems that I've heard differently to the general tenor of this debate. Kev McCabe being the one having serious reservations about this signing: due to the level of vitriol aimed at the club and its employees in the past re Ched; and the club wanting to draw a line under it for wider reasons. Wilder was definitely on board with the signing - as long as Ched cleared his name. The deal has been in the pipeline since February. Heard it was almost done on the week of the Oldham away game. For me, if Wilder's in, so am I. I posted on a thread when this was first leaked by RS, that the fee and wages quoted were miles out. Sun's recent figures are the same as mine. It's a low transfer fee, 150k, and a fifth of his last SUFC wage plus bonuses. A punt.

 

[nopigfansintown]

Just to put a straighener in here, Rhodes actually scored 36 league goals in 40 league appearances in season 2011 to 12. On that basis, Cheds goal average was actually better than Rhodes.

I'm pretty sure Rhodes got a lot of threes and fours in that. Ched seemed to impact more games with one or two goal hauls. Ched was also more of a creator of his own goals - less reliant on good service. Also more of a team player. Rhodes is getting a lot of pelters of pigs I know for being anonymous in their games.

 

[Weasel]

I'm pretty sure Rhodes got a lot of threes and fours in that. Ched seemed to impact more games with one or two goal hauls. Ched was also more of a creator of his own goals - less reliant on good service. Also more of a team player. Rhodes is getting a lot of pelters of pigs I know for being anonymous in their games.

Agree my friend. I've amended my previous post and I've added that Rhodes scored a lot of his goals when the other team were 'out of it'. He scored 9 in just 2 games for starters.

 

[Lawrence]

I find it extremely strange, that many United fans were more than happy to call him a rapist, on the basis of a Jury's opinion.

However, since that decision has been adjudged unsafe, he has subsequently been retried and found not guilty, by 'exactly' the same means, many of those same people seem uncomfortable to acknowledge his innocence?

It appears to me, that many took the opportunity to condemn his actions in order to promote to us all, their own exceptionally high moral values and social conscience . Yet conversely, to welcome him back to the club, as an innocent man, is somehow beyond them and a betrayal of everything they stand for?

Exactly! couldn't have put it better myself 'the morality card' He who casts the first stone!

OK, Now let's talk about Ched Evans the footballer.

 

[Pedro's Winger]

I find it extremely strange, that many United fans were more than happy to call him a rapist, on the basis of a Jury's opinion.

However, since that decision has been adjudged unsafe, he has subsequently been retried and found not guilty, by 'exactly' the same means, many of those same people seem uncomfortable to acknowledge his innocence?

It appears to me, that many took the opportunity to condemn his actions in order to promote to us all, their own exceptionally high moral values and social conscience . Yet conversely, to welcome him back to the club, as an innocent man, is somehow beyond them and a betrayal of everything they stand for?

By that logic, given many United fans did not accept he was a rapist despite a jury's opinion the opposite can now be true.
Lots of people will have their opinions on events, the eventual outcome and how it was reached.
Not sure you need exceptionally high moral values to recognise what Evans did was wrong and to be angry about what he did.
To welcome him back would be a betrayal of what a lot of people believe and hypocritical.
I'd rather we did well through the efforts of players who've never let the club down or dragged its name through the mud.
Players like those who represented the club so well this season.

 

[Lowen]

I take the point on the midfield, but I'm not budging on the 29 in 30 is on a par with 36 in 36 point – one involves actually scoring 36 goals, the other suggests a trend approaching slightly fewer than 36 goals, made up of hypothetical goals that were never scored.

In terms of my own views, I don't think I could have been clearer in my posts since his rumoured signing that I'd have preferred us to look elsewhere. I simply do not believe we are signing 2012 version Evans. It is a complete shot in the dark. This could be a Jake Wright piece of inspired signing. It could very easily be a Hussey-sequel misstep however. Happy if I'm wrong? I will be delighted.

This versions Evans is surely nowhere near the 2012 but it seems like its a relatively cheap gamble that could pay off but probably wont.

On the point of Rhodes vs Evans 2012 its a difficult one but Ched season was like a kettle and he was at boiling point when he was sentenced and clearly levels above everyone else. 14 goals in last 11 games scoring in 10 of those and scoring atleast 1 in 7 back to back games. he got 12 league assists too. Evans scored in 26 games Rhodes scored in 22 games. The midfield argument is fair and we did score 13 more goals as a team than Huddersfield. Rhodes did have a couple good wingers for service in Danny Ward and Gary Roberts though. Rhodes was also slightly younger. I personally think Evans was the better striker overall and especially second half of the season.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Just to put a straighener in here, Rhodes actually scored 36 league goals in 40 league appearances in season 2011 to 12. On that basis, Cheds goal average was actually better than Rhodes.

Oh, and Rhodes goals tended to come along like the proverbial buses. He scored 5 in one game v Wycombe, and 4 against the pigs, with a few hattricks chucked in for good measure. He wasnt the consistent goalscorer that Ched was in that season. All goals count of course and your entities to 'not budge' on your opinion here, but you could argue that more of Ched goals came when a positive result for his team mattered on him getting those goals, where as more of Rhodes goals came when he was picking off the team who was getting a hiding and probably just wanted to get off the pitch. You also have to remember Ched had an injury at the start of the season which meant that he had to come into the side cold and without a decent pre season training schedule behind him.

Just my opinion (and one I won't budge on either) but Ched was different gravy to Jordan Rhodes in that season.

Goals per start tend to be what most will go on when putting together a strike-rate – if there's going to be further stat-massage, it should probably be more towards the goals per minute variety as Champagneblade suggests.

"He scored 5 in one game v Wycombe, and 4 against the pigs, with a few hattricks chucked in for good measure" would in any other conversation be a fairly impressive marker regardless. I was at Adams Park for our game that season – I would say I'd wish Evans had managed even a couple in his 90 minutes to change that result, but that would have deprived us of the magnificent season we've just thoroughly enjoyed.

 

[Weasel]

Seems that I've heard differently to the general tenor of this debate. Kev McCabe being the one having serious reservations about this signing: due to the level of vitriol aimed at the club and its employees in the past re Ched; and the club wanting to draw a line under it for wider reasons. Wilder was definitely on board with the signing - as long as Ched cleared his name. The deal has been in the pipeline since February. Heard it was almost done on the week of the Oldham away game. For me, if Wilder's in, so am I. I posted on a thread when this was first leaked by RS, that the fee and wages quoted were miles out. Sun's recent figures are the same as mine. It's a low transfer fee, 150k, and a fifth of his last SUFC wage plus bonuses. A punt.

Not sure about the timings i.e around Oldham game (you could very well be right) but the rest of your post is very much in line with what I'd heard on the grapevine.

Cheap deal for Blades and a very low risk signing. Utd could get him for a low fee (cos Chessie are up shit creek financially and the ex pig chairman wants out with some money back) and CW was receptive to the deal as he thinks he can still make a decent player out of Ched.

McCabe was in a 'take it or leave it' mood on this one and definately wasn't insisting on anyone being signed by Utd. Only what I was told.

 

[Revolution]

As he says, he has a lot to prove. He's already proven he's a fighter who won't back down - it takes some balls to get back into the game after what he's been through. I hope he gets the support he needs to show that he can get back to his best with us.

The only things Evans has proved this year is he can't stay fit and he's a quitter with no interest in playing in a team battling relegation.

 

[Revolution]

I'm going to disagree with you here on the stats because over the entire season, Evans scored more goals per game than Rhodes when you look at actual minutes played. He also contributed a higher level of assists meaning he contributed to a goal every 75 minutes I think it is. Rhodes was closer to 90 minutes as he assisted little. Not got time now but figures are on Transfermarkt.

That said, the signing leaves me a little bit like that of having 'buyer's remorse'. For the first time we had a season not lamenting the loss of Ched and without the aggravation of his return being hotly debated all over. Had the signing took place 2 years ago I would have been delighted. As it is, it feels a little underwhelming. My concern is that this is more about scores being settled and the Chairman keeping his word than the manager taking a player in he wants. The one deficiency for example the forwards have is raw pace. Whilst no slouch on his day. He doesn't solve this. And his day was sometime in 2012.

I have no issue with him but I do hope this is a Wilder signing and not him accommodating his Chairman's wishes.

UTB

Rhodes has scored 90 league goals in the 5 seasons since then, all higher than league one.

Evans has 5 league one goals.

What happened 5 years ago is irrelevant to future performance.

 

[Weasel]

Goals per start tend to be what most will go on when putting together a strike-rate – if there's going to be further stat-massage, it should probably be more towards the goals per minute variety as Champagneblade suggests.

"He scored 5 in one game v Wycombe, and 4 against the pigs, with a few hattricks chucked in for good measure" would in any other conversation be a fairly impressive marker regardless. I was at Adams Park for our game that season – I would say I'd wish Evans had managed even a couple in his 90 minutes to change that result, but that would have deprived us of the magnificent season we've just thoroughly enjoyed.

But it was yourself who originally quoted an incorrect stat to help with you putting across your point which you seemed very adamant on. I merely stated that the stat was incorrect and that Cheds statistics were actually better than Rhodes stats that season.

Even if we applied the goals / assists per minute stat as Champers mentioned, then again Cheds stats would be more impressive.

I would wager that Cheds goals in that season counted towards more points being won for his team than Rhodes goals did. I know it means more to me if a goalscorer scores his goal when the game is locked at 1-1 to get the winner instead of knocking a couple in when my team is already 3 nil up.

It's clear that JR scored more goals than Ched did that season. That is beyond doubt and a fact. It's also a fact that Cheds stats are more impressive when scrutinised further. Put simply, imo Ched was a far better player in that season than Rhodes.

All water under the bridge though now of course but it does beg the question of what could Cheds career have been like but for a very silly mistake made.

I do wish Ched all the best now though (for obvious Utd supporting reasons mainly!) and hope he take's his second chance. He's probably a totally different person now that he is a family man, to the young idiot that he was.

 

[JOEYDEE]

Form is temporary, class is permanent, Ched was class when he last played for us,if anyone can get Ched back to form ,it's CW.
He'll feel at home again,and more comfortable, I think he might surprise a lot of us .....

 

[Weasel]

Rhodes has scored 90 league goals in the 5 seasons since then, all higher than league one.

Evans has 5 league one goals.

What happened 5 years ago is irrelevant to future performance.

Totally agree. However that wasn't the crux of what we were debating. We were talking about who was the better player in 2011 to 2012 season, not who's done what since.

Of course, the who's done what since point is very relevant to whether you or I think we should have signed Ched or not today, that's not in doubt.

 

[Kryten]

Screw the SJW's of the world, Welcome home Ched!

He's gonna bag at least 15 next season, itk!

 

[Toledo Blade]

http://www.sufc.co.uk/news/article/2016-17/sheffield-united-ched-evans-3710797.aspx

Its finally happened after all these years, I've got a tear in my eye....

'Ched Evans has re-signed for Sheffield United.

Following the completion of a medical, the Blades have agreed an undisclosed fee with Chesterfield for the Welsh international to officially return to Bramall Lane.
A three-year deal was concluded after discussions between the clubs at board level and the player meeting United manager Chris Wilder.

The Blades boss said: "The signing is just one element of the plans we have drawn-up for next season. We have done our homework on the player. We pride ourselves on team spirit - as the fans have seen this season - and plan to bring in players who can be part of that.

"Ched comes to us with targets to achieve along the way. With a full pre-season with us we believe he can provide us with options up front and score goals."

Ched said: "I am delighted to be back. I still feel I have plenty to prove in football both at club and international level and I believe I can achieve those goals at United, playing in front of the terrific fans whose support I have always appreciated.

"I am very grateful to Chesterfield, the board and football management for giving me an opportunity to return to the game. It is just disappointing that it has come in season which has seen the club suffer relegation. I would like to thank the Chesterfield fans who made me feel so welcome."

Evans, 28, originally signed for United in July 2009, scoring 48 goals in 86 starts for the club, which included 35 goals in the 2011-12 campaign. He scored 14 times in his final 11 games for the club.'

I feel like that report is neglecting to mention something, for the life of me can't figure out what that is....ah never mind

WELCOME BACK CHED

(Edit: Didn't the club ban people from buying shirts with 'Evans' on the back during the 2014 saga? Has that ban been lifted? XD)

Yes welcome back to a low life, I hope people will still remember what he did What a scumbag. I am hoping it does not work out for him. It's a punt for the Blades and like most relationships it hardly works out when You try to get that magic back a second time.

 

[FMBlade1]

Yes welcome back to a low life, I hope people will still remember what he did What a scumbag. I am hoping it does not work out for him. It's a punt for the Blades and like most relationships it hardly works out when You try to get that magic back a second time.

So you hope one of our players fails? Weird.

What he did was morally disgraceful, but if we set morals we'd only be able to sign around 10% of available players. He's moved on with his life, getting married and has a kid, he's not a scumbag any more.

 

[Weasel]

Yes welcome back to a low life, I hope people will still remember what he did What a scumbag. I am hoping it does not work out for him

So your not in agreement with giving him a second chance after he cheated on his other half then? Yes he may have been a selfish ethically bankrupt young lad back in 2011 but I would imagine that he's probably now grown up a lot, has learnt a very hard lesson in life, and has been very lucky that his missus has given him a second chance.

You on the other hand must have lived a life of pure virtue not to have ever made a mistake when you was a young un. Think most people think it's time to move on with this one but some clearly can't let the hate go. Hes probably a very different person now to the young idiot he was, but maybe he's just still just a 'scumbag' after all and your right. Nowt like hangin onto the past like a randy dog with a leg is there. Tell you what, I might wait to see what number he us allocated next season and have that on my new Blades shirt with 'Scumbag' as my name in letters above it.

I for one hope it works out fantastically well and Ched scores a shit load of goals for Utd. Hes just another sufc player to me now, no more and no less and I will support him the same as any other Blades player we have. If he scores a load of goals for us then that will make me a very happy fella.

 

[Groucho Blade]

Last season it was all about our magnificent team. I'm afraid that next season will be all about Ched blummin Evans.

 

[Champagneblade]

Ched - 35 goals and 11 assists - 3.335 mins. 95 mins per goal, 72.5 mins per goal contribution.

Rhodes - 39 goals and 3 assists - 3,781 mins. 97 mins per goal, 90 mins per goal contribution.

Anorak out!

 

[Davie Blade]

Ched - 35 goals and 11 assists - 3.335 mins. 95 mins per goal, 72.5 mins per goal contribution.

Rhodes - 39 goals and 3 assists - 3,781 mins. 97 mins per goal, 90 mins per goal contribution.

Anorak out!

Just missed the transfer fee comparison

 

[Razor1967]

This transfer wreaks of McCabe from top to bottom.

Someone called it in here when Evans signed for town (forget who) said there was a deal in place for him to come to us at the end of the year.

Taking out the personal controversy he was caught up in. Purely based on footballing reasons this IO is not a good transfer.

This season:

Played 25 scored 5 (1:5) played slightly over half a season of football.
No football in the previous 4 years. 500k is poor in my eyes.

I started a post saying this and got shot down in flames...it came from a good source at the time but who knows what has happened since. Purely based on footballing reasons, none of us really know. For those that watched him for the first 20 minutes at Chesterfield, he looked "unplayable" for 20 minutes! Whether that can be turned into 45, then 90 and then a season remains to be seen. I am looking forward to finding out...UTB

 

[McGrath]

So you're telling me Wilder is a spineless yes man who will let the owners sign players for him?

What's the distraction exactly? We've signed a player, no one at the club is going to treat him any different from any other player.

What the hell are you talking about. How on earth has your line of thought got to me calling Wilder a spineless yes man. The lengths some people will go to justify signing some injured crock has-been who has barely kicked a ball in 6 years and had one purple patch whilst the Sword of Damocles hovered over him, is something I find incredible

 

[McGrath]

Form is temporary, class is permanent, Ched was class when he last played for us,if anyone can get Ched back to form ,it's CW.
He'll feel at home again,and more comfortable, I think he might surprise a lot of us .....

You clearly never had the pleasure of witnessing him in the previous Championship seasons then.

We wouldn't have spent 6 years in that God forsaken division if Ched Evans has the class you say.

We could probably have signed 3 half decent Championship players that would have kept us up for transfer fee and wages we buffed up the wall on him

 

[Sheffsteel]

Last season it was all about our magnificent team. I'm afraid that next season will be all about Ched blummin Evans.

Last season it was all about the team because we had no outstanding player that stood out as clearly better than the others. It's rare that we've ever been a one man team over the decades, but in 2012 Ched was head and shoulders the most important player at the club.

The only way all the talk will be about Ched next season is if he becomes that best player again.

Would be good to see but I doubt he'll regain his best form. I reckon he'll be of a similar standard to our other strikers, so gradually the talk will die down as he becomes an ordinary/ decent Championship squad player.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Rhodes - 39 goals and 3 assists - 3,781 mins. 97 mins per goal, 90 mins per goal contribution.

If we're extending this to all goals rather than just league goals as you appear to have done, soccerbase has him down for 40 for the season – which notches the goal rate back in Rhodes's favour. Do you have an equivalent comparison for his 36 league goals to Evans's 29?

 

[YorkBlade]

We signed a boy from Chesterfield called Ched, called Ched
He could have stayed home but he went out instead, instead
He shagged a slag and did his time
Then overturned
It was no crime
Chedwyn Evans, United's Number nine
nananananananananananananana


...and no I'm not serious

 

[Weasel]

Last season it was all about the team because we had no outstanding player that stood out as clearly better than the others. It's rare that we've ever been a one man team over the decades, but in 2012 Ched was head and shoulders the most important player at the club.

The only way all the talk will be about Ched next season is if he becomes that best player again.

Would be good to see but I doubt he'll regain his best form. I reckon he'll be of a similar standard to our other strikers, so gradually the talk will die down as he becomes an ordinary/ decent Championship squad player.

This is how I see it. In a couple of weeks or even less, time everyone will have got bored of the Ched Evans has signed topic and will have moved on to talking about other transfers being made, whether we are having electronic advertising boards, or the standard of hot dogs available in the concourse at half time. It will be old news and no one will be going on about CE.

Likewise, the 'morally outraged' few who are that angry they could crush a grape, or are telling the world they will never enter BL again whilst a wrongfully imprisoned free man starts to practice his trade at the Lane next season again, will all have piped down and got back into their squawk box or will be 'morally outraged' at whatever other bollox is taking up their self righteous minds at the time. Maybe the standard of the hotdogs or the price of the tea going up by 15p a cup will have them howling their dissent and anger too (daft tw@ts).

CE will only be the talk of the town again next season, if he is doing extremely well for Utd on the pitch. If he is then I will be very happy to talk about him in a footballing context too for a change. If he does bugger all, then he will be a mere footnote to next season only.