Gillingham’s former boss Steve Evans is back in management with one of their League 2 rivals.
Evans has been without a job since his second spell at Rotherham United ended in the sack towards the end of last season. He’s the new man in charge at struggling Bristol Rovers, agreeing a deal until the end of the season to be their new head coach.
Evans had led Stevenage to promotion from League 2, alongside trusted no.2 Paul Raynor, in their first job following their Priestfield exit.
The pair had enjoyed a couple of solid seasons in League 1 with Gillingham, leading the side to two 10th place finishes in the third-tier.
They left in January 2022 after a difficult first half of their third season, leaving the club 22nd in League 1. Neil Harris was his eventual successor, but he was unable to save the club from relegation.
Evans takes over a Bristol Rovers side which sits second to bottom in the table. They are due to visit Priestfield in March.
Rovers dismissed head coach Darrell Clarke and his assistant Jon Stead after a run of 10 straight defeats, losing to their local rivals Swindon Town 3-0 at the weekend.
“It’s fantastic to be here at Bristol Rovers,” Evans told the club. “I have had a seven or eight-month break, and I was delighted to receive the call.
“Bristol Rovers is a club that is very traditional. Every time I have brought teams here, I have always said it’s a really difficult place to come.
“I’m really looking forward to it here. It’s a huge club, but I’m very mindful of the immediate challenge and I’m looking forward to getting down to work.”
