Chris Evans

Chris Evans

Freelance Writer

Chris Evans is a freelance journalist and has been a regular FourFourTwo contributor since 2014, covering a wide range of stories up and down the football pyramid. Chris's work has also appeared in the Guardian, the Independent and other national newspapers, as well as on the BBC Sport and Mail websites. He is also the author of two books for Bloomsbury Sport, How to Win the World Cup: Secrets and Insights from International Football's Top Managers in 2022, and Gary Lineker: A Portrait of a Football Icon, which was published in 2025.

Latest articles by Chris Evans

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Surviving pre-season: FourFourTwo takes on Cambridge United's gruelling training regimen

By Chris Evans Published

Features See what happens when FourFourTwo are invited to spend a day training with Cambridge United

Features
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Cardiff City: The latest crisis club

By Chris Evans Published

Sunderland have overcome the woes that saw them drop to League One – now it’s the Bluebirds’ turn to endure life in the third tier

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How Cardiff City became the EFL's latest crisis club

By Chris Evans Published

Sunderland have overcome the woes that saw them drop to League One – now it’s the Bluebirds’ turn to endure life in the third tier

Stories
‘You have to make hay while the sun shines off the pitch. Chloe’s got people around her who won’t allow it to affect her football’ Lucy Ward on Chloe Kelly’s hero status

By Joe Mewis Published

EXCLUSIVE The Euro 2025 hero is one of England's most famous sports stars

EXCLUSIVE
Kelly has been forced to watch on the sidelines for the majority of this season
'Chloe Kelly’s ACL injury changed her – when she came back, she looked fitter and stronger' How the Lionesses heroine came back to be the difference maker at Euro 2022

By Joe Mewis Published

EXCLUSIVE The England forward was sidelined for 11 months before the Lionesses’ historic Euro 2022 triumph

EXCLUSIVE
Chloe Kelly celebrates England's 2025 Euros triumph
‘Boys of a similar age talked about how special she was and how many times they got out-skilled by her’ Chloe Kelly’s junior coach on her start at QPR

By Joe Mewis Published

EXCLUSIVE Lionesses heroine Chloe Kelly began her football journey at Queens Park Rangers

EXCLUSIVE
'They were deciding people’s livelihoods and careers by voting on who should play' Inside the club bought for £35 on the Internet and named after a train station

By Chris Evans Published

Ebbsfleet United took a novel approach to football club ownership in the late 2000s

Football
Ella Toone of England scores her team's first goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Semi Final match between Australia and England at Stadium Australia on August 16, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
‘I believe that when I step onto the pitch, I can create moments and goals out of nothing. I’ve got a name for myself for scoring in big moments – I like that’ Ella Toone on her big-game temperament

By Joe Mewis Published

EXCLUSIVE The Manchester United star is preparing to bring her big-ham mentality to Euro 2025

EXCLUSIVE
Best players in the Premier League
Ranked! The 50 Best Premier League players of the season

By Ed McCambridge Published

RANKED! From warhorses to Wor History-Makers, FourFourTwo ranks a half-century of talent from 2024/25 – has your man made the cut?

RANKED!
WIN a copy of ‘Gary Lineker: A Portrait of a Football Icon’ a new biography by Chris Evans

By FourFourTwo Staff Published

WIN! We have a copy of the new Gary Lineker biography to giveaway to one lucky reader

WIN!
BRISTOL, ENGLAND - JANUARY 19: Jocelyn Precheur, Manager of London City Lionesses, reacts in a team huddle after the Barclays Women's Championship match between Bristol City and London City Lionesses at Ashton Gate on January 19, 2025 in Bristol, England. (Photo by Dan Mullan - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
Rise of the (other) Lionesses: How one independent Women's Championship side are aiming high

By Chris Evans Published

EXCLUSIVE Not backed by a men's team, Women's Championship side London City Lionesses are setting ambitious targets under leading Lyon Féminin owner, Michele Kang

EXCLUSIVE
MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM - MARCH 29: Cristiano Ronaldo of Man.Utd reacts after a missed chance on goal during the Barclays Premier League match between Manchester United and Aston Villa at Old Trafford on March 29, 2008 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
“I asked Cristiano Ronaldo, ‘Did you mean it?’ He went, ‘Sorry?’ I didn’t think he’d heard, but he had and was like, ‘Are you f**king kidding? Yes I meant it!’”: When the Portuguese superstar didn't like being doubted

By Ryan Dabbs Published

EXCLUSIVE Cristiano Ronaldo didn't like his skill being doubted in one particular interview...

EXCLUSIVE
Kelly Cates 'It's weird I still get asked about my dad's football career – I'm nearly 50!'

By Chris Evans Published

The Sky Sports and BBC presenter on life as Kenny Dalglish’s daughter, Ronnie Whelan’s Coke bubble tips and a love for Wayne Rooney

Interviews
Todd Boehly
'Chelsea have done nothing wrong because they have kept within the rules, but they certainly haven’t kept within the spirit of the rules': Football finance expert on issues with PSR

By Ryan Dabbs Published

Chelsea have taken advantage of the Premier League's rules, which aren't 'fit for purpose'

Stories
Chelsea's players prepare for a group huddle ahead of kick-off in the English Premier League football match between Chelsea and Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge in London on October 6, 2024. (Photo by BENJAMIN CREMEL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by BENJAMIN CREMEL/AFP via Getty Images)
'When you realise how much of the recruitment has been data-driven, you think, "Actually, this is an interesting experiment". It’s high risk, high reward': Chelsea transfer policy intriguing former Stamford Bridge star

By Ryan Dabbs Published

EXCLUSIVE Chelsea are moving in a clear direction with their transfers, according to one former player

EXCLUSIVE
'We were 2-0 up and I started thinking, "The clock is going really slow now!"'– Ex-Leeds boss remembers the time his Whites side silenced Manchester United at Old Trafford

By Ryan Dabbs Published

Leeds United love nothing more than leading against Manchester United at Old Trafford, though failing to hang on for victory can be a devastating blow...

Stories
FRISCO, TX - MARCH 05: England head coach Phil Neville during the Women's SheBelieves Cup match between the USA and England on March 05, 2020 at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, FL. (Photo by Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
‘Phil Neville tried a lot of different ideas to get the best out of the Lionesses, but things weren’t quite right and needed ironing out – that wasn’t his fault’: Former England women's star reflects on time with national team

By Ryan Dabbs Published

EXCLUSIVE Phil Neville managed England for three years - but things didn't quite work out how everyone would have liked

EXCLUSIVE
Football League top 50 FourFourTwo EFL
Ranked! The top 50 Football League players 2023/24

By Chris Flanagan Published

EFL TOP 50 As the season’s run-in approaches, it can only mean one thing: with help from our readers, it’s time for FFT’s annual list of the finest stars outside the top flight

EFL TOP 50
Blur's Graham Coxon, Damon Albarn, Dave Rowntree and Alex James at album launch on February 1, 1997 in London.
'We’ve got more money than we know what to do with' Blur wanted something better than cash for being on FIFA 98 and they got it

By Tom Hancock Published

The iconic Britpop group provided theme music for the game – but they didn't want paying for it, at least not in the conventional manner

Stories
Avril Lavigne attends the Christian Siriano SS24 Runway Show at The Pierre Hotel on September 08, 2023 in New York City.
'One of her very first gigs was in our canteen' – How EA Sports discovered Avril Lavigne

By Tom Hancock Published

Football video game FIFA somehow played a key role in launching the Canadian popstar's career

Stories
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‘It sleepwalked into a cultural phenomenon’ – How FIFA video games became an accidental sensation

By Chris Evans Published

The FIFA games - this year rebranded as EA Sports FC - might never have been developed at all, FFT hears...

Stories
Kaoru Mitoma of Brighton and Hove Albion during the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brighton & Hove Albion at Molineux on August 19, 2023 in Wolverhampton, England.
How Brighton game the loan market to aid their youth development

By Tom Hancock Published

The Seagulls are soaring, and their incredible success in recent years owes much to their meticulous use of loan deals

Stories
Brighton & Hove Albion have become the envy of Europe - and club staff aren't even allowed to know the full extent of how the club is so successful
Brighton & Hove Albion Chief Executive Paul Barber on his secret recruitment algorithm that even club staff don’t have knowledge of

By Ryan Dabbs Published

The Seagulls have become the envy of Europe thanks to a formula even club staff allowed to know the full extent of

Stories
Brighton's Italian head coach Roberto De Zerbi celebrates at the end of the English Premier League football match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Newcastle United at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, southern England on September 2, 2023.
'The world is a huge place': FFT gets the inside track on Brighton's scouting network

By Tom Hancock Published

Brighton's recruitment has been among the very best at the top level in recent years, and they let us in on some of their secrets...

Stories
Brighton & Hove Albion's Evan Ferguson (right) celebrates scoring the opening goal during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Newcastle United at American Express Community Stadium on September 2, 2023 in Brighton, England.
'Anything is possible': Brighton CEO insists there is no ceiling on the Seagulls' potential

By Tom Hancock Published

FourFourTwo sat down with Brighton chief executive Paul Barber to get the inside track on the Seagulls' remarkable rise

Stories
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