Evatt deal to cover Clarke

After the disappointment of losing captain Peter Clarke Simon Grayson has brought in a second central defender in as many days.

Ian Evatt has joined from QPR on a six month loan deal. The deal will expire on the 3rd of January.

Evatt started his career at Derby, making 19 league starts. At his time at Derby he had a loan spell at Northampton.

He moved on to Chesterfield in 2003 on a free and stayed at Saltergate till 2005, making 84 league starts for the club scoring 9 goals.

In January 2005 he joined the Hoops in a 150,000 pound deal. Since being at the club Evatt has made 21 league starts. Following the departure of Ian Holloway he hasn’t been able to hold down a first team place under Gary Waddock.

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He was very inconsistent in the Championship. There were rumours that he missed his child in the north and he wasn’t settling in the area.

On the pitch he seemed a little out of place alongside Danny Shittu. He’s very strong in the tackle but his positional sense sometimes lets him down. He’s good in the air but sometimes he can’t get off the ground which is quite bizarre.

He’s not bad with the ball at his feet and always offers himself as a target to pass back to but his concentration lets him down.

I think he could have cut it but it was one of those moves that just didn’t work out.

He’s on the transfer list so there’s every chance he could stay with you. Waddock claims he had a ‘good look at him last season but decided the best thing was to put him on the list’.

We’ve a few good youngsters coming through who can play at centre-half so I think the case was ‘thanks but no thanks’.

Like I said, we have some good young lads but what happens if Shittu goes is still very much up in the air.

My personal opinion is that Danny will be here until at least January and I guess Gary Waddock will review things then. If Evatt is performing well he may take him back should Danny be sold.

Good luck to him though, he’s a nice fella. Bit of a gentle giant and quite shy but he means well.

Thanks to Mark at www.qpr.vitalfootball.co.uk