'Derek Adams bore a grudge with me over Portsmouth title win. And he hated Paul Cook': Gareth Evans on mutual animosity with ex-Bradford and Plymouth boss

While the midfielder is convinced the Scot still bears a long-standing grudge over Pompey edging his Plymouth side to the League Two title in 2016-17.

Evans was an integral part of a Blues side which has forged a fierce rivalry with Plymouth in recent years, initially driven by Paul Cook’s time at Fratton Park.

As footballing fate would have it, Adams was appointed Bradford boss in June 2021 – inheriting a squad containing Evans.

And the former Pompey favourite insists the Valley Parade relationship was doomed from the very start.

Evans told The News: ‘Me and Derek Adams don't like each other. We had a few run-ins on the touchline at Pompey, the clubs hated each other.

‘I didn’t like some of the things he said after games, they were wrong. The way he spoke to me in the ref’s room when I was Pompey captain and handing over the team sheet was just rude.

‘He was appointed Bradford manager and I went all summer not thinking too much about it. We came in for the first day of pre-season and no-one had met the guy.

‘So there we were, all sat in the room waiting for him, this was the first time to introduce himself as a manager and for us to find out what he expected of us, to possibly learn a little of his philosophy and how he wants us to play.

‘Adams walked into the room and the first thing he said as manager of Bradford City was “Not got a problem with you Gareth, don’t worry about it. It’s water under the bridge”.

‘Not “Hi, I’m Derek, nice to meet you lads. I’m proud to be here, we’re looking to get promotion this season”. Which is what you would expect him to say.

‘I sat there thinking “What?”. Of all the things you could say. This was his first impression, none of the staff had met him, none of the physios, the chef was in the background making breakfast for everyone. It was just bizarre.

‘Well, obviously it wasn’t water under the bridge considering that’s the first thing to come into your head. The fact you felt the need to mention that, especially in front of everyone, it’s obviously an ongoing thing.

‘He had all of June to get in contact with me, to ask me to come into the training ground and have a chat or even pull me to one side at some point on the first day. But never did.

‘When he said that, I thought “Oh, we’ve got an issue here” – and he treated me differently to everyone else.

‘I actually played a reasonable amount for him early doors, then it got to the point where we were falling out on the training ground.

‘When left out on a Friday, I would be the only one told to run around the pitch – while everyone else worked on set-pieces and shape.

‘Then say there was an away trip, there would be four other lads not involved in the squad who would stay at home and work out at the gym, while I was told to drive to the training ground and train with one of the youth-team coaches on my own.

‘It was obviously a personal issue.’

Evans was a regular in Cook’s side which claimed the League Two crown on a dramatic final day of the 2016-17 campaign.

They did so by destroying Cheltenham 6-1 at Fratton Park – ensuring finishing ahead of second-placed Plymouth on goal difference.

Evans added: ‘Beating Plymouth to the league title played a part in Adams’ attitude towards me, without a shadow of a doubt, and he used to say stuff about Cook.

‘We might be playing Harrogate or whatever and he’d say “They play 4-2-3-1. When I was at Plymouth, we used to play against Pompey and Paul Cook would use that system”.

‘Yet he wouldn’t mention any other manager’s name all season. He had a massive problem with Paul Cook, he hated him, absolutely hated him.

‘The title win was a massive part of the reason behind that.’

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