Steve Evans says he's staying at Bristol Rovers amid Hibernian link
Steve Evans says he is "not going anywhere" as Bristol Rovers manager. The 63-year-old has shut down speculation linking him with the vacant job at Hibernian.
Speaking to BBC Radio Bristol, Evans said there has been "no contact" from the Scottish club, as reported by BBC Sport. The interview was published on 19 September. His message was short and clear. He plans to stay.
Hibernian play in Scotland's top division and are based in Edinburgh. They sacked boss David Gray on 16 September after six home defeats in a row. That left one of the country's best-known jobs open.
A report had then suggested Hibernian were ready to ask Rovers for permission to speak to Evans, according to BBC Sport. In football, that permission is the formal step before clubs can talk to a manager under contract elsewhere. Evans says that call has not come.
He took charge of Rovers last December, with the club fighting to steady itself. He signed a new deal in April that runs until 2028. That long contract gives Rovers protection if other clubs come calling.
Rovers play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. They sit sixth in the early table after four wins from their first seven games. It is a solid start, built on momentum before the last week.
The mood dipped with two defeats in a row. The latest was a 3-0 loss away to Gillingham. One result can sting. Two can quickly change the noise around a club.
Evans has managed for 32 years but has never held a job in Scotland. He described himself as a lifelong Celtic fan. He added that the only club job that would take him to Scotland is "a certain team in Glasgow", apart from managing his country. He named no club directly.
For Rovers supporters, this means clarity. Their manager is under a long deal, the team is in the play-off places in the early going, and he says publicly he wants to carry on the job. That is the cluster of league positions that brings a chance of promotion, a move up a division, at the end of the season. Hibernian, meanwhile, must look elsewhere.
