Ched Evans returns to football after 4 years with a £2,000/wk one-year deal at Chesterfield as he awaits rape retrial

Ched Evans, recently cleared of rape charges, has signed a 1 year deal with League one club Chesterfield and is to report for pre-season duty on the 1st of July. It had been widely assumed that the 27-year-old, who spent two-and-a-half years in jail, would have to wait until after his retrial, due to begin in October, to resume his career but he has now been signed by Chesterfield on a contract worth about £2000 per week, peanuts when compared to the £20,000 he earned at Sheffield United.
Evans was convicted of rape in April 2012 and spent two-and-a-half years in prison. His conviction was quashed on 21 April 2016 by the Court of Appeal, after a referral by the Criminal Cases Review Commission, and a retrial has been ordered to start on October 4 at Cardiff Crown Court.

Evans said on the club's website www.chesterfield-fc.co.uk :

'I am very excited and privileged to be resuming my career at Chesterfield and I hope to make a valuable contribution both on and off the pitch for the football club, the fans and the community.'

Chesterfield chairman Dave Allen said on the club's website:

'We are delighted to have secured the services of an outstanding footballer, who is now keen to get back to work and score goals.

'Danny Wilson (the coach) knows Ched very well. Chesterfield Football Club have given a great deal of thought to this signing and following the court's decision, we are in no doubt that Ched Evans should be welcomed back into his profession as a professional footballer.'