Sheffield Wednesday: Gillingham boss Steve Evans recalls when he 'turned down' Owls job

Steve Evans and Sheffield Wednesday have had a bit of a ding-dong battle over the years.
Former Rotherham United boss Steve Evans bings his Gillingham team to Hillsborough to face Sheffield Wednesday this weekendFormer Rotherham United boss Steve Evans bings his Gillingham team to Hillsborough to face Sheffield Wednesday this weekend
Former Rotherham United boss Steve Evans bings his Gillingham team to Hillsborough to face Sheffield Wednesday this weekend

And the latest installment comes on Saturday as Evans comes back to South Yokshire with his Gillingham team for a League One clash at Hillsborough.

Ahead of that match, Evans has spoken about how he was once in the running to take over as manager of the Owls, claiming that he turned down then owner Milan Mandaric.

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Wednesday were on the look out for a new manager after Dave Jones was sacked following a poor start to their Championship season.

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Gillingham may not bring full squad to Sheffield Wednesday as Steve Evans praise...

Up the M1 Evans was making waves with Rotherham United and that had come to the attention of Mandaric who at that point was trying to sell Wednesday.

His opposite number at the Millers, Tony Stewart, was having none of it and in the end caretaker manager Stuart Gray ended up doing enough to keep the job on a permanent basis.

Evans though, says the switch never came to fruition because he wanted to remain lotal to Rotherham.

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“I have had my rivalry with them for years when I was at Rotherham when of course we were just across the M1 from them,” Evans said.

“They are a fantastic supported and huge club and that will bring all of the difficulties that you would expect from going to Sheffield Wednesday.

“I turned down the opportunity to manage them during my time at Rotherham. Milan Mandaric met me in London and wanted me to go but I think there is a saying in Yorkshire, ‘once a Miller always a Miller’.

“I stayed and maybe some of the fans at Wednesday didn’t want me anyway but quite a lot did because of the success we were having [at Rotherham].

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“It is one of those stadiums that when their fans get behind them, like Bramall Lane, and like the New York Stadium, the hairs can go up on the back of your neck.

“It is a game where players should want to go and perform at their best on a magnificent stage. It’s a great stage, with all the tradition and history and I have been fortunate to go with there with Rotherham and Leeds and I look forward to taking Gillingham there on Saturday.”