Ched Evans - Would you keep him or let him go?

[BladeInIreland]

There's still a chance he can get fit. From what iv seen he still has it, just fitness is an issue. Don't think he's costing much, so id roll the dice again. Very popular in the squad too so no harm.

 

[Harry's Game]

His legs have gone, he’s lost the best years of his career unfortunately, he is not going to make it at Championship level.

If we could come up with some deal to pay him off I would.

 

[IdLiketoRogerMoore]

The film Sliding Doors is a great theory which really does underpin a lot of life's foibles.

Ched's sliding door was sadly the fire exit of a Travelodge. Without that, maybe we're all somewhere different.

One things for sure, his career would have been.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

Let go of a striker who has only scored 3 goals since August 2016 with the last of them coming in December 2016?

Don't let his little fan boys hear such blasphemy!

 

[SwitchBLADE Smiles]

Who would take him? Chesterfield again?

Stuck with him I am afraid, no doubt he will pick up another injury before September and be in the treatment room until just before Xmas, be back for the FA Cup third round when we put out the second eleven.

Some rumours going round our way is that Ched could be on his way to Donny. Same with the Don.

 

[originaltrueblade]

Let him have the preseason then it’s up to him to perform. It would be absolutely stupid just to get shot and seeing him perform against us in the championship.
It is complete common sense to give him this opportunity and to fail to do that could leave egg on the face of the Ched (don’t want him no matter what) haters.
As all Blades together we should all hope he succeeds because that has to be good for our club. It’s a no brainier

 

[Bruce Wayne]

The odds are stacked against him being a success. The constant injuries are one thing, being out of the game for over 2 years is even more significant. I have some sympathy for Ched because he could have gone on to be a top marksman but that ship has unfortunatly sailed. Hope I'm wrong but for me he's just taking up a wage now.

 

[Harry's Game]

Some rumours going round our way is that Ched could be on his way to Donny. Same with the Don.

That would be a good move for him.

 

[Redhead]

He will not be anywhere near starting next season.

Waste of a wage. Watched him with the 23s and his attitude and effort were shocking. Ty Smith would be a cheaper and better option as a first team squad player next season.

 

[metalblade]

Not costing us much but last chance saloon for him this season if he isn't pushing to start get rid in January so a keep him for me, he was no worse than Wilson. Hanson or Lavery.

 

[sitwell]

Let go of a striker who has only scored 3 goals since August 2016 with the last of them coming in December 2016?

Don't let his little fan boys hear such blasphemy!

How very grown up. Looking at your history ,anyone would think you have a bit of an obsession.

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

Depends. I've voted keep assuming that his wages are fairly modest nowadays. We need depth in all areas and I doubt we could command a big fee for him. Another year wouldn't hurt and perhaps he may surprise us following his surgery.

 

[8lade]

What's this, 'one more preseason' bollocks? He hasn't had one injury free preseason yet. He played at Chesterfield through injury and delayed having his op last season as United were short on strikers. Oh that's right, it's a hilarious joke! To some. And to the sheep they heard somebody else say it so repeated it without any thought. I didn't want him back, took the shine off a great season but now he is let's just give the man a chance FFS. Let him prove himself one way or the other and then we can all move forward.

 

[Carlton Blade]

I'd move him on because the whole signing was much more trouble then it was worth and I don't think he's anywhere near good enough.

Not happening though. He'll see out his contract or we'll pay him off. If we get anything at all out of him I'd be surprised now

 

[Redflame]

Mistake to bring him back the club had moved on he was never going to make it UTB

 

[Moan? Nope-I saw Longhorn]

Let him have the preseason then it’s up to him to perform. It would be absolutely stupid just to get shot and seeing him perform against us in the championship.
It is complete common sense to give him this opportunity and to fail to do that could leave egg on the face of the Ched (don’t want him no matter what) haters.
As all Blades together we should all hope he succeeds because that has to be good for our club. It’s a no brainier

With whom will he "perform against us in the championship" ?

 

[Cerberus Blade]

I’m in the minority, (there’s a surprise!), and that’s because of a few reasons:

1. That guy, at his peak, in his last season he played for us was phenomenal. Ok so it took him 2 seasons to get there under other managers. But I’ll never forget that season when he plundered goals for fun and looked completely unplayable. As good a centre forward as I’ve seen in all my years of watching the Blades. Good players don’t become bad players overnight. They may lose form and fitness, but the talent is there within. We’ve all seen that.

2. He played at a senior level for a big club, Man City, at European level, and for his country. You don’t perform on that sort of stage if you’re not of a very good standard.

3. He performed well for Norwich at this level, before we signed him. Most Norwich fans would have liked him to stay.

4. The lad may have been an idiot and let himself, his loved ones, and this club down with his antics. But anyone deserves a second chance.

5. It was always going to be a long way back after his absence from the game. He deserves a bit of patience from the fans whilst he re-habs back into the game.

6. He cost us bugger all. It was always going to be a gamble, but a cheap one, and if he doesn’t make the grade then so what? But if he does then BONUS!

7. You can’t judge a player who has struggled due to injury. Look no further than Coutts, who was a whipping boy for his first 18 months with many fans not appreciating he’d been out long- term injured before we signed him.

8. I trust Wilder’s judgment. If he sees something still in him that’s good enough for me.

Do I think Ched will ever return to the previous form?

Honestly no. From what I’ve seen it’s too little too late now.

But do I want him to have one last chance this season? Absolutely!

It’s the right thing to do.

 

[finlaytheblade]

This is a big season for Ched he may have had a 3 year contract but he is under pressure to make his mark this season.
Like Coutts he will be working g on his fitness ( rehabilitation ) as he needs to really kick on in pre - season.
Can't beleave Chesterfield got more than 50k for him when he signed,,the fee will be adjusted if he gets regular game time.
Wilder is no fool and Ched will be loaned to a lower league club if things don't work out here.
He needs to play games next season at some level , if he can't get the level of fitness for championship football he will move on maybe even back to Spirites.
Let's not give up on him yet ,good pre -season and who knows?.

 

[Smirth]

Yep, he deserves it

At a league one club perhaps. At a top 10 championship club, definitely not.

 

[zablade]

Some rumours going round our way is that Ched could be on his way to Donny. Same with the Don.

Yes I can confirm the River Don does go through Doncaster.

If Doncaster sign Evans and Donaldson they will be relegated to League two. Both completely finished.

 

[Numpty's Dusty Ruts.]

Ched's one successful season was ultimately a disaster for United. He bears a lot of responsibility for this for acting like an idiot. He paid a big price, but retains the love and support of his partner and family, something which many in his position don't, and he's a lucky man because of this. I too bear him no ill will, but can't believe he can now resurrect his career as a Championship footballer. Contrary to popular opinion, prisons are not like all-inclusive resorts with locks and bars (of the steel variety) - they wreck lives. This, together with the mental stress of what happened, and managing the wreckage of a bright career, means that Ched can't be the bloke he was, let alone the player he was. Some on here say there's no room for sentiment in football, citing Billy's advancing years as an excuse to get rid of him. I would say that over the years Billy has given a lot to the club and the fans, and he has had personal tragedy too, which was not self-inflicted by essentially being somewhere he shouldn't have been! If there is room for sentiment, mine's reserved for Billy, who has carried on like an old-fashioned "servant of the club" (albeit a rather well paid one!), and ultimately brought happiness and success to the Lane. Much of what Ched has brought has been the opposite, and so I think his time here should end, again without ill will.

 

[nopigfansintown]

I thought he looked impressive in the games he played a part in before the ankle really started playing up.He should've had the the op then, but we desperately needed somebody to play up front due to an injury crisis. If he's fit I think he's got something to offer, but the question is can he sustain a period of consistent fitness? He's looked decent at Chesterfield and decent at United, but not for long periods. The other stuff about his personal life has diddly squat to do with anyone; including the moral arbiters on this board.He needs a tough pre season, and maybe a loan spell if he's not going to challenge immediately for the first team.If he can come back in January with a number of goals to his name, having played consistent football, then attitudes would change.

 

[Keen Blade]

Everyone's concentrating on the merits of demerits of one chap called Ched , but whether and for how long he stays is gonna depend to a large extent on whether we manage to sign any strikers + thus how low Ched is ultimately in the ranking.

 

[BornOnShorehamStreet]

Depends. I've voted keep assuming that his wages are fairly modest nowadays. We need depth in all areas and I doubt we could command a big fee for him. Another year wouldn't hurt and perhaps he may surprise us following his surgery.

My thoughts exactly

 

[alcoblade]

Should never have fucking signed him. Wilder's bought a few duds but he's the stand-out one. You didn't need to be a football expert either to suss out this one was never going to work.

I don’t think he was actually Wilder’s dud though.

 

[alcoblade]

I believe 99% of what wilder says but not when he said the return of Evans to the club was his decision

It wasn’t. He was happy to let it happen, because it was either £500,000 out of the kitty on Evans, or £500,000 out of the kitty on court fees. I suspect.

 

[Bladezz]

People need to remember we are now a championship side and teams in the championship have to carry more players.

Yes I don’t think he’s going to score 30 next season, but there was games last year where the team was so bare. I remember Preston away we ended up with a midfield 3 or Lafferty/ Lundstram / Carruthers just as we were short on players.

Some teams carry players on double the money Ched is on Who never get a game.

 

[S64 Blade]

Can’t see him even scoring for us, never mind scoring a bag full for us as some like to think he will.

I was for the move last year to see how things went, but we both need to move on.

Happy to to be quoted on this next May when we had scored 20+ and proven me wrong.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

How very grown up. Looking at your history ,anyone would think you have a bit of an obsession.

Don't post on often on here. Only really on this topic as its such a disaster.

Three goals since August 2016. We'd not be trying to sign him if he was a free agent right now willing to play for free.

Sadly I think we are stuck with him as nobody will want him for football + any other issues ( most people unaware of verdict being overturned)

 

[Rob86]

Keep for me, 1 year left to save his football career. Agree with Ricky - on loan until Jan, then assess. He cost the same as Lavery, who has been a flop who will leave quietly and accepted by all as a failed punt. Ched is no different, he’s just got the history.

We need 3 strikers this summer, making it 5 in the squad and if Ched improves beyond the reserves we then have a bonus 6th striker.