Wanners out of retirement at Newtown

Former Welshpool, Walsall and Rochdale star Wayne (Wanners) Evans is coming out of retirement to help Newtown.

Evans, now a Shrewsbury Town coach, has agreed to pull on his boots again and will be in Andy Cale's decimated squad for the New Year's Day trip to Welsh Premier League champions The New Saints.

"Wayne signed as cover at the start of the season and agreed to help out should there be selection problems," said Welshpool based Cale. "Well we certainly have selection problems for the TNS game and it will be great to have him in the squad."

One of three footballing brothers Evans spent five years at Welshpool before joining Walsall in 1993 and  went on to spend six years at the Bescot Stadium, making 229 appearances for the Saddlers, many of which were in Division Two. Brothers Ian (Summers) and Garry both played for Welshpool and Llansantffraid.

One of Wayne's career highights was playing against his boyhood heroes Manchester United in the FA Cup 4th round, Although Man Utd got through to the next round, it was a dream realised for Wayne to be playing at Old Trafford.

However, he had a final season at Walsall plagued by injury and he was released in the Summer of 1999, and was quickly snapped up by Rochdale. He was one of Steve Parkin's first signings for the club, citing a desire to work with Parkin as one of his reasons for signing with the club.

Evans then spent time coaching in Canada before returning to Shrewsbury this season.

Newtown are unable to call on load midfielder John McKenna, along with Craig Whitfield and Sean Jones. All three joined from The New Saints with agreements that they would not play against their old club.