IN an edition of the Abergavenny Chronicle dated March 1, 2018, an article on the origins of the Twin Town football tournaments stated that former Abergavenny Thursdays player Brian Evans had his football career tragically cut short by a mystery illness when still in his 30s.

This, as Chronicle reader Rob Hurley pointed out, was not true. We apologize for the error and to make right what was once wrong let’s have a more in-depth peek into the footballing career of the late, great Thursdays legend.

Brian Evans played for Abergavenny Thursdays for three seasons between 1960 - 63. He transferred to Swansea City in 1963 for the sum of £650 where he made 356 appearances, scored 58 goals and won five caps for Wales. He played for the Swans in the old second, third and fourth Divisions of the football league.

In June 1973 he transferred to Hereford United for a fee of £6000 where he made 48 appearances and scored nine goals. He is still treated as a ‘legend’ at Hereford as he is the only player to win caps for his country while at the club. He is also renowned for playing in the January 9,1974 FA CUP giant-killing victory over the great West Ham United team, where he famously supplied the assist for Alan Jones to score the winning goal for Hereford!

In 1975, at the age of 32 he became player/manager of Bath City who were then playing in the fifth tier of the football league.

After retiring from playing football he ran a painting and decoration business in Swansea. He died at the age of 60 in 2003 after a short battle with cancer.

Rob Hurley didn’t know Brian personally but when he was a child he used to to watch him play for Hereford.

“One thing that always struck me about Brian was that he was the perfect gentleman and never let the success he had go to his head,” explained Rob.

“A good example of this was when he would always find time to sign autographs and chat to the fans. I remember during the warm-up for the FA Cup game against West Ham United, when excitement was at fever pitch and seconds before kick off, he still found time to come over and talk to some of the fans next to me who had beckoned him over – I don’t think you would see that fourth wall being breached in a game today.”