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Tuesday, May 29, 2007

Ian Evatt on QPR (and what Evatt Was Saying a Few Months Ago)

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Interview on the QPR Official Site with former QPR defender, and now Blackpool stalwart, Ian Evatt.
(And what Evatt was saying about QPR and John Gregory back in January.)

QPR Official Site - EVATT'S REUNION
"...Speaking exclusively to www.qpr.co.uk this morning.... Evatt was released from QPR by mutual consent at the turn of the year, but he's settled into life well with the Seasiders ...."I struggled to settle in London, but QPR are a good Club and I'm looking forward to returning to Loftus Road with Blackpool next season,'' he said.
"John Gregory obviously made a big impact there last season and although things didn't work out for me, I don't hold any grudges and I wish the Club all the best.
"I'm still very good friends with Cooky (Lee Cook) and I know Bolds (Adam Bolder) quite well through my time at Derby, so it will be nice to see those two again.''
"I struggled to settle in London, but QPR are a good Club and I'm looking forward to returning to Loftus Road with Blackpool next season.''.....'' QPR

What Ian Evatt was saying in January:

IAN EVATT The Times Evatt proves to be Wise signing Ian Whittell
Blackpool 1 Norwich City 1
".......“QPR bought my contract out at the start of January, I’d had a good loan spell here and was more than happy to sign,” Evatt said. “But I was disappointed and felt let down a bit by how QPR treated me, especially towards the end.
“You just have to hold your head up and keep battling away and I’ve proved today I can play at Championship level, most of the lads have done. Going for promotion, as we are, that has got to give you confidence...” Times

Dail Mail Leveller Evatt sends message to Gregory - By COLIN WOOD - Blackpool 1 Norwich 1
Ian Evatt clearly hopes his rescue act for Blackpool will come to the attention of Queens Park Rangers manager John Gregory and everyone at Loftus Road....
The tall, 25-year-old central defender feels he has no cause to be grateful to Gregory and QPR, who paid him off before he made his loan to Blackpool a permanent move this month.
Evatt played under Gregory for more than a year at Derby and admitted that he felt his old boss had treated him with "a lack of common courtesy".
Speaking of the latest parting, Evatt said: "He got sacked at Derby while I was there. Having known him a while it's disappointing that I didn't even get a phone call. I felt let down, the way I was treated at QPR towards the end. A few players will say the same thing. I did not speak to John Gregory, full stop."
But after netting his first goal for Blackpool - "the most important I've ever scored" - he doesn't intend to let that bitterness stop him enjoying his time ahead.His sights are set on promotion to the Championship and a place in the fifth round of the FA Cup - a stage the club last reached 17 years ago..."
Mail

Guardian -Evatt settles the scores of a season Louise Taylor at Bloomfield Road
"... afterwards Blackpool's villain-turned-hero displayed greater enthusiasm for deconstructing Gregory than discussing the rematch. "I was bitterly disappointed by the way it ended at QPR; I felt a bit let down," said Evatt, who joined Blackpool, where he spent the early part of the season on loan, for nothing this month after QPR terminated his contract. "I didn't get one phone call from anyone at QPR to explain what was happening. And John Gregory didn't speak to me, full stop. That hurt but I've just got to hold my head up and try and get back into the Championship with Blackpool," added the 25-year-old who, although already borrowed by Grayson when Gregory took charge at Loftus Road, believed their earlier association at Derby County entitled him to a debrief, if not a second chance.
Things went badly wrong for the centre-half almost from the moment QPR's former manager, Ian Holloway, paid Chesterfield £150,000 for him and said he was the club's "new Glenn Roeder". Evatt's decent distribution failed to compensate for a lack of pace and a string of mishaps. Grayson, though, detected potential and Evatt has vindicated this by playing an important role in Blackpool's emergence as promotion contenders...." Guardian

Also: Evatt - Telegraph Evatt proves worth to Blackpool peers - By Peter Gardner Telegraph

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