Ian Ross Evatt was born in Coventry on 19^th November 1981 and very early on was spotted by our neighbours, Derby County. "At 10 years old, I was playing in my home town of Coventry with the district side, I got picked up by a scout and I started at Derby more than 10 years ago, starting there when I was 11", Ian recalls. "I signed professional on my 17^th birthday and I was told then that I was very much in the plans, Jim Smith was the Manager then, and I went on to make my debut whilst he was still manager."

Adam Murray and Marvin Robinson were in the same age group as Ian at Pride Park, Chris Riggott a year older but with seniors like Craig Burley, Malcolm Christie, Rory Delap, Stefano Eranio, Danny Higginbottom, Seth Johnson, Georgiou Kinkladze and Darryl Powell about, it was never going to be easy for a youngster to get a game.

However, Ian received his first ever first team squad call up for the final match of the 2000-01 season, he was on the bench along with Adam Bolder, Richard Jackson, Lewis Hunt and keeper Lee Grant. The game, on 19^th May, was at home to Ipswich Town, 33,239 were at Pride Park, Derby were safe from relegation and Ipswich a creditable 5^th. Jackson replaced Riggott at half time and with the score at 1-1 (Christie for Derby, Naylor for the Tractorboys), Jim Smith called off Thordar Gudjonsson and, in the 78^th minute, young Evatt entered the big stage for the first time. The game ended 1-1. "My Derby debut against Ipswich Town that was a pretty special day, playing in front of 30 odd thousand people at Pride Park, that day's very much in the memory bank", Ian recalls.

At the start of the following season, Ian was in less familiar surroundings, "A couple of years ago I went on loan to Northampton Town to get a bit of experience, it was a learning curve for me, learning to play at this level, so now I'm here permanently, that experience has been really positive for me, I've got to use that now and hopefully play well for Chesterfield and progress my game".

Former Rams star Kevin Wilson was the Northampton manager that borrowed Ian, he was a playing sub on the opening day of the season, replacing Duncan Spedding in a 3-0 home defeat against Bristol City on the same day that Sam Parkin made his Cobblers debut on loan from Chelsea.

He started, in a defensive position, in the next few games, including Northampton Town 0 Chesterfield 2, Luke Beckett and Ian Breckin scored our goals in our first win of the season. Eleven league appearances plus a couple in the League Cup, including a 3-1 loss at Middlesbrough were made for the Sixfields side before he returned to Derby after two months.

His next senior outing came in April 2002, as sub against Newcastle United, he replaced ex Magpies man Rob Lee, another sub role a fortnight later at home to Leeds before, as with his opening appearance a year earlier, the last day of the season provided Ian with a career boost, a starting place, his first in the top flight, at Sunderland, 47,989 there, a point would guarantee Sunderland safety, Derby were already down. Evatt played all 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw, John Gregory was Manager by then, and he was to playe a major role in Gregory's team the following season back in Division One. Ian remembers the day at Sunderland, "The highlight of my career so far has got to be my full Premiership debut, to play at the highest level at such a young age was a great thing for me so I've got to use that experience to help me play well for Chesterfield."

"I played nearly every game under John Gregory, that was a positive, so when he left it was a negative for me, but that's football I'm afraid," indeed Ian was a virtual ever present, if not in the starting line up, then certainly on the bench from August through to the beginning of February in season 2002-03.

He bagged his first goal in a League Cup tie, away from home, in a 3-1 win at Field Mill, Mansfield of all places and in the second round County drew Oldham at home, that was an unusual day for Evatt, "Oldham, it was extra time and our goalie Mart Poom got sent off and the gaffer just looked to see who the biggest guy was, he saw me so he asked me if I'd go in goal, which I did and I kept a clean sheet, no one scored past me. We did lose 2-1 but I can be positive about my time in goal, I didn't concede! It was very scary, everyone thinks goalkeeping's easy but it's not, I'd be busy watching the game, keeping an eye on things and I'd look round and my goal posts would be 50 yards away."

After February 8^th, a 6-2 loss at Portsmouth, Ian was consigned to the reserves with the exception of one final County appearance (his 34^th in the League for The Rams), ironically against Ipswich Town, the opponents for his first match, and in the summer, with a cash crisis fully in swing at Pride Park, anyone not bolted down with a contract was freed, Ian fell into that category but ex Rams stalwart Roy McFarland knew of his ability and brought him to Saltergate, a decision which seems to be an inspired one, Evatt's early performances, now he's match fit, have shown him to be a fine player at this level.

But what about his position, he's got the "utility man" tag? "I'm happy to play anywhere but central midfield is what I consider my best position, I want to settle there and hopefully begin to dominate football matches, keep passing the ball, we're a passing side, so if we can all continue passing the ball like we've started to do this season we'll be thereabouts this season."

I'm sure that his Man of the Match performance against Bristol City in our last home game will be the first of many from the big man who can play a bit, correction, the big man who can play a lot!

By Phil Tooley

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