'Urge to play outweighed fear of paralysis' - Evans

Ched Evans (right) made eight substitute appearances in the Championship for Preston North End last season

New Fleetwood Town striker Ched Evans said he should have asked for help much earlier after suffering a neck injury in 2023 which could have left him paralysed.

The 36-year-old returned to the Cod Army last week for a third spell after turning down a coaching role at Preston North End.

Ahead of his side's opening fixture away to League Two new boys Barnet on Saturday, Evans revealed the severity of an injury which he regrets not reporting to medical staff earlier.

"I think the scary thing is I didn't tell anybody. That mindset of wanting to play football and prove something probably overtook my decision there," Evans told BBC Radio Lancashire.

"The symptoms of the injury had been going on for two years so the ability to look up or open the milk in the morning, I couldn't do.

"What I should have done is ask for help and I didn't. That urge to play football outweighed the fear of being paralysed. I knew it was bad, but just how bad, I didn't understand."

Evans eventually had surgery in April 2023 and return to action in October of that year.

He will be hoping to rediscover the form that helped him score 37 goals in 81 appearances in two and a half seasons for Fleetwood before a move to Preston, where he has spent the past four years.

Last season, Evans signed a one-year deal at Deepdale as a player-coach but he made only eight substitute appearances in the Championship as the Lilywhites narrowly avoided relegation to League One on the final day of the season.

Now the former Wales international has said he is unprepared to hang up his boots yet as he embarks on his 15th season as a professional player.

"For me personally, I was coming back to somewhere you know, and once I'd spoken to the manager [Pete Wild] and he talked about his plan and what he wanted to achieve, I was sold on that straight away," Evans added.

"It took a good few months but in the end my preference is [playing] football.

"I got offered to work with the [Preston] under-18s and under-21s and it did really excite me, but I would have had to retire and I wasn't ready to make that decision."