Final Straight Looms In Mercy Mission

Alun Evans is continuing to squeeze Wolverhampton visits into his prolonged stay in the country from Australia – but plans to return Down Under in the new year.

British football’s one-time record teenage signing turned 70 in April and had selflessly put his life on hold many months earlier to return to the Midlands to care for his elderly mother.

But he told us: “Mum died late in the summer at the age of 94 and her house in Kidderminster, where I am still living, has already been sold.

“I am just here for as long as it takes to tie up the loose ends really but am learning that these matters can drag on.

“I had hoped to go back to Melbourne before Christmas but it looks more likely now that it will be some time in January.”

Evans attended one of the Wolves v Liverpool games last winter and was also at Anfield recently to see Jurgen Klopp’s runaway Premier League leaders beat Leicester.

“It seemed strange to be back there more than 50 years after I had signed for Bill Shankly and to be watching a match that was a repeat of my debut,” he added.

“My two grandsons were there and I tried to interest them in a Liverpool scarf or something but they are all Wolves! They really came alive in the club shop at Molineux, especially when Adama Traore walked in and agreed to some photos with them a few days after his two terrific goals at Manchester City.”

Evans was watching the two lads, aged 11 and nine, playing football at Trysull at the weekend when we had this conversation with him.

He had thought that Liverpool’s 2-1 victory nine days ago might be his final visit to the red half of Merseyside.

But he was asked during the afternoon whether he would be prepared to be interviewed on the club’s own TV station and is now likely to be heading back there in the coming weeks.

Evans announced himself to his new fans with a couple of goals in Liverpool’s notorious 6-0 win over Wolves at Molineux in November, 1968.