Steve Evans: Peterborough United name ex-Mansfield Town boss as manager

Steve Evans becomes Peterborough's eighth permanent manager since November 2009

League One side Peterborough United have named Steve Evans as their new manager, less than 24 hours after the Scot resigned as Mansfield boss.

The former Leeds manager, 55, has signed a "long-term deal" to replace Grant McCann, who was sacked on Sunday.

Evans watched from the stands at London Road on Tuesday as Posh beat Walsall for a first win in eight matches.

The Cambridgeshire club are eighth in the third tier, three points adrift of the final play-off place.

Mansfield are fifth in League Two, two points from an automatic promotion spot, but Evans left on Tuesday alongside assistant Paul Raynor, who joins him at Peterborough.

"As soon as somebody of the calibre of Steve Evans called to register their interest in the vacant position, there was no time to waste," said Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony.

"He is a serial promotion winner, including promotion from League One, has managed multiple clubs in the Championship and has an incredible reputation for getting the best out of his players with a never say die attitude and will to win."

Evans, who guided Rotherham to successive promotions from League Two to the Championship, has also managed Crawley and spent 15 months at Mansfield.

His reign at Championship side Leeds only lasted seven months as he was dismissed at the end of the 2015-16 campaign, where he led the Yorkshire side to 13th.

'The stars have finally aligned' - Analysis

Sam Edwards, BBC Radio Cambridgeshire's Peterborough United commentator

This has been the worst kept secret since Tuesday evening - Evans resigned as Mansfield Town manager at around 18:00 GMT before he took his seat in the stands as Peterborough beat Walsall 2-1 at London Road.

Evans has been strongly linked with the manager's job at Posh for a number of years now - his children grew up in the city, he used to manage Stamford and he still lives nearby - but for whatever reason it hasn't quite happened.

However, it was always a case of when, not if, and this time the stars have finally aligned.

He brings with him trusted assistant Paul Raynor and their first match in charge will be Saturday's trip to high-flying Shrewsbury Town.