Here is how Steve Evans has fared in League Two at previous clubs
(Image: Rachel Le Poidevin/PPAUK)
Bristol Rovers‘ Steve Evans has managed 10 teams during his career, winning nine promotions. He will be looking for a 10th promotion next season, as he looks to secure Rovers’ return to the third tier.
League Two is a division in which the 63-year-old has previously enjoyed success. He left Crawley Town in pole position to secure promotion to League One when he joined the Millers in April 2012.
Evans gained promotion with Rotherham in the following campaign in League Two, while repeating the feat with Stevenage in the 2022/23 campaign.
It was a much different test for Evans when he walked into Rovers, as the club were in danger of back-to-back relegations to the National League. The Scotsman steadied the ship, though, securing 45 points from 26 league games as the Gas finished 14th.
He is looking to challenge at the top end of the division come May 2027, so before the season starts, let’s take a closer look at Evans’ complete record in the fourth tier.
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The former Third Division was rebranded as League Two at the start of the 2004/05 season. Evans was managing Boston United at the time and secured mid-table finishes in his first two campaigns in the rebranded division.
The 2007/08 season didn’t go to plan, though, as Boston were relegated to the Conference, losing to Wrexham on the final day.
Evans League Two record at Boston United: 138 matches, 41 wins, 42 draws, 55 losses, 163 goals scored, 198 goals conceded, 166 points.
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Crawley Town
Crawley won promotion to the Football League for the first time in the club’s history in the 2010/11 season, with 105 points and only three defeats. Their first season in League Two was a success as well, as they secured back-to-back promotions to the third tier.
Evans managed the first 39 games of the campaign, winning 20 matches and securing 72 points before departing to join fellow League Two side Rotherham on April 9, 2012.
Evans League Two record at Crawley Town: 39 games, 20 wins, 12 draws, 7 losses, 67 goals scored, 46 goals conceded, 72 points.
Crawley Town’s Manager, Steve Evans and his Assistant Manager, Paul Raynor signal to the referee for a card to be shown – Photo mandatory by-line: Dan Mullan/Pinnacle – Tel: +44(0)1363 881025 – Mobile:0797 1270 681 – VAT Reg No: 768 6958 48 – 29/01/2011 – SPORT – FOOTBALL – FA CUP FOURTH ROUND – Torquay United v Crawley Town – Plainmoor, Torquay, Devon
Rotherham United
Evans managed the last four games of Rotherham’s 2011/12 season, winning one, losing one, and drawing two. After a disappointing 10th-placed finish, the Scotsman guided the Millers to automatic promotion, finishing second behind Gillingham and winning the final five matches.
This piece is focusing on the manager’s record in League Two, but, as is well documented, Evans secured back-to-back promotions to the Championship in the following season via the play-offs.
Evans League Two record at Rotherham United: 50 games, 25 wins, 9 draws, 16 losses, 81 goals scored, 67 goals conceded, 84 points.
Mansfield Town
Evans’ next League Two venture was Mansfield Town, as he replaced Adam Murray. In the last 30 games of the 2016/17 campaign, he picked up 13 wins, drawing eight and losing nine as the Stags finished 12th.
He resigned in February 2018, though, with the club in fifth place after 30 games, only two points behind the automatic promotion places.
Evans ended his time at Mansfield with a points-per-game record of 1.67 after 64 matches.
Evans League Two record at Mansfield Town: 64 games, 29 wins, 20 draws, 15 losses, 92 goals scored, 66 goals conceded, 107 points.
Stevenage
If Evans eventually leaves Rovers in the same place he departed Stevenage, his time in BS7 will be a successful one. When he arrived at Stevenage, the club were 22nd in League Two, only three points above the relegation zone, which was a very similar situation to the one at Rovers midway through the 2025/26 campaign.
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The 63-year-old secured survival and in the following season won promotion to League One via automatic promotion after picking up 85 points from 46 games.
He left Stevenage at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, with the club ninth in the third tier.
Evans League Two record at Stevenage: 55 games, 28 wins, 14 draws, 13 losses, 73 goals scored, 49 goals conceded, 98 points.
Steve Evans is the new Bristol Rovers manager(Image: Getty Images)
Bristol Rovers
This section doesn’t need much introduction to Gasheads. Evans arrived at Rovers, with the club free-falling towards non-league and in the League Two relegation zone following 10 consecutive defeats under Darrell Clarke.
It wasn’t an immediate turnaround, with the manager picking up only four points from his first seven games, but a number of positive January additions helped the Gas move away from the bottom two.
Evans’ side finished 14th and nine unbeaten, including a run of eight consecutive league wins for the first time at Rovers since 1953.
He will be looking for a 10th promotion in the 2026/27 season.
Evans League Two record at Bristol Rovers: 26 games, 14 wins, 3 draws, 9 losses, 41 goals scored, 27 goals conceded, 45 points.
Steve Evans League Two record in numbers:
- 372 matches
- 157 wins
- 100 draws
- 115 losses
- 517 goals scored
- 453 goals conceded
- 571 points
- 1.53 points per game
Statistics as per Transfermarkt – correct as of 13/05/26.
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