Family Comes First, So Alun Is Back

Alun Evans is back living in the Midlands following several decades of residency in Australia.

British football’s first £100,000 teenager has selflessly moved back home to care for his elderly mother and says he is here indefinitely.

“She had another fall recently and it is best that I am around for the time being to keep an eye on her,” he told us this week.

“I am an only child and, as she is 93, she clearly needs some care, so I just tidied some things up over there and have flown to the UK for the third time in 2017.”

Evans, who turned 68 in September, dutifully spends a month or so each year with her – usually in our spring – and is more often than not accompanied by his daughter, Abbey.

This time, though, he is alone and adds: “She is the main bread-winner in the household these days, so it wasn’t possible for her to join me.

“It all happened in a bit of a rush in any case. I just booked my flight as soon as I could and jumped on the plane in Melbourne.

“Mum has been on her own since we lost Dad a few years ago and has coped pretty well overall but she does need someone keeping a closer eye on her at the moment.”

It is 50 years last month since the forward made the first of his 22 League and cup appearances for Ronnie Allen’s Wolves, the 2-1 mid-September victory at West Ham being followed by his first goal a week later – in a 3-2 home win over Burnley.

Other goals followed within weeks at Sheffield Wednesday, against Arsenal at Molineux and in the clash with Liverpool at Anfield at the end of November.

The close family bond was emphasised when Alun spoke publicly at the time of his father’s passing in January, 2008.

He praised him for his unstinting support in travelling to all the matches he played, although he – also named Alun – had suffered a serious injury in his own playing career that left him with some blindness.

Evans Senior played 19 games for Albion and at various Wales levels and passed away at the age of 85.