Date of Birth: 21 05 1981
Place of Birth: California, USA
Position: Goalkeeper
Nationality: USA
Paul Rachubka Rumours and Transfers
11 10 2007
Blackpool goalkeeper Rhys Evans stoked up potential controversy with the Seasiders' fans with the candid admission: "We dislike each other."
Evans, currently on loan with League Two side Bradford City after losing his place as first choice to Paul Rachubka, said of his time at Bloomfield Road:
"I haven't been happy at Blackpool for a long time and I've not been made to feel welcome there in many ways. It's not necessarily down to the players and the staff, but the surrounding factors at the club. After an early period of last season the Blackpool fans decided that I wasn't the goalkeeper for them. We had a poor start and I think they tried to pin that on me a little bit. I had replaced the player of the season in Lee Jones, so I was the convenient target. We let in a few goals when the ball was bobbling over my hand and things like that and it all built up into a negative attitude towards me. That made it increasingly difficult for me to succeed there. I played 39 games last season but I don't think I enjoyed many of them.
"That's why I wanted to go somewhere just to enjoy playing football again."
However, Evans spoke of his determination to win over the Blackpool fans when he gets back.
"Hopefully by coming to Bradford and doing well, the fans will give me a clean slate when I go back and I may do the same for them. At the moment there's a mutual dislike with one another."
Evans was brought to Bradford on a month's loan by manager Stuart McCall and made his debut in the 2-1 defeat at the hands of MK Dons.
He was brought in because of a lapse in form of the Bantams' regular stopper Donovan Ricketts, the Jamaican international.
Evans said: "It must be very difficult for Donovan and I just hope I handle the situation with dignity. I'm certainly not here to rub his nose in it. I've been there and know what he must be going through. It happens to everybody."
Evans, the former Swindon and Chelsea keeper, added: "I know the manager wanted someone to come and take crosses and go for deep balls in the box. That's something I try to do generally in my game and I was pleased with that."
Despite his misgivings about the Blackpool fans' reaction to his displays, Evans says that there is an excellent team spirit at Bloomfield Road.
"I've come from a club where there's a positive feeling about it.
"If anybody was to ask me about the success at Blackpool, it's been built on a close unit and the good camaraderie among the lads. If I can put that across to the players here then maybe it will help."
