George Evans made his one and only appearance for Manchester City in a team that featured the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Sergio Aguero, and he has opened up on how it helped shape his career
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George Evans (centre) came up through Manchester City's youth system
George Evans (centre) came up through Manchester City's youth system
(Image: Francois Nel/Getty Images)
A midfielder who once shared the pitch with Kevin De Bruyne and was managed by Wayne Rooney is now turning out for Wrexham in League One.
George Evans was considered a promising talent at Manchester City, having joined the club at the age of six in 2001. After a 14-year journey, Evans made his senior debut for City as a late substitute in a 4-1 League Cup win over Sunderland in 2015.
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At 20 years old, he played alongside stars like De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero, and Raheem Sterling, becoming only the second player to represent every age group at City, from the academy to the first team. Although it was his only appearance for his boyhood club, Evans credits learning from top players for shaping his career, which eventually led him to join Wrexham, owned by Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, in 2023.
"As a young lad coming through an academy, especially at a team like Man City, you start training with the first team and it's a bit surreal at the start," Evans told the Southwark News. "You're a young lad training with the best players, but you want to adapt and learn as much as you can and progress your game.
"It's better to learn from the likes of Kevin De Bruyne. It was a great opportunity for me and I think that was a good starting point in my career, I learned so much at such a young age being around players like that."
He added: "Being amongst them every day, talking to them, watching the extra yards they put in even when they were reaching the top of the game is something that I've taken with me throughout my career. It was a good squad. They had a good English core, with Joe Hart and James Milner. They were quite easy to talk to."
Kevin De Bruyne and George Evans take part in a training session at Manchester City
Kevin De Bruyne and George Evans take part in a training session at Manchester City
During his spell at City, Evans went on loan to clubs including Crewe Alexandra, Scunthorpe United, and Walsall. He explained how those experiences whetted his appetite for regular first-team football which led to his departure from the Etihad in 2016 as he joined Championship side Reading.
After an impressive 18 months with Reading, Evans secured a transfer to Derby County in July 2018, where he played under managers Frank Lampard, Phillip Cocu, and later Wayne Rooney. In 2021, Evans made the move to Millwall, clocking up over 40 appearances in the Championship across two seasons before signing with Wrexham.
He joined the Racecourse in September 2023, making 27 league appearances in his debut season, aiding the Red Dragons in securing promotion to League One at the first attempt. Wrexham can partly attribute their success to Rooney, who Evans praised for his managerial skills after speaking highly of the Manchester United legend.
Wrexham midfielder George Evans
Midfielder George Evans has become a popular figure at Wrexham
"He's fantastic and I can't speak highly enough of him," he said. "I've got nothing but good words to say about him and I think he's going to be a great manager.
"He's had the best career, we watched him as kids growing up and who better to learn from. In terms of man-management he's a great guy. He'll tell you what you're doing well and what you need to improve on. He was very clear in his messages to me and I found that really good."
Injuries have relegated Evans to a more minor role for Wrexham in League One this season. However, the 30-year-old made a comeback in their 1-0 victory over Rotherham on Saturday, marking his first league appearance since October following ankle surgery.
Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson commended Evans for his efforts to return to his plans. Speaking to the BBC, he said: "We've got to give George credit because he's been unlucky this season. He got himself back in the team and then got a bad injury against Stevenage, and he's worked hard."
Parkinson's team currently sits third in the table, pursuing another promotion to the Championship, with a pivotal match against second-placed Wycombe Wanderers scheduled for Saturday.