Muscular and fast, Ray Evans was a good replacement for Joe Kinnear as the Spurs right-back when the Irishman could not keep his place in the team. Evans went on to have a good career at Spurs making marauding runs up the right wing with Cyril Knowles doing the same on the left side.
Attended Wilbury Way Primary and Huxley Secondary Modern Schools in Edmonton and played for Edmonton and Middlesex Schoolboys (with Spurs reserve player Ray Bunkell in the same side). Played in school football at inside left and went on to represent Edmonton and Middlesex schoolboys. Ray first played at a League ground for Middlesex Boys against Sussex at Loftus Road.
And when he was invited to train at Spurs on Tuesdays and Thursdays, he was elated, because Ray had supported Spurs and stood in the Paxton Road end, with Bobby Smith, Cliff Jones and Terry Medwin his favourite players. Ray was signed as an apprentice professional in July 1965.
Even though Evans started off as an inside-left, but was converted to left back, although on his debut (in the same game that John Pratt made his debut) in a defence which lacked experience due to injuries Ray played at right back, a position that he had only played for Spurs once before and that was in the reserves against Crystal Palace three days before. Ray had played right back for England Youth in the 1967-68 season and also played at centre half. It was in 1967 that Spurs signed Ray on professional terms.
When he got his chance through an injury to regular right back Joe Kinnear, Evans took over in that position and provided a threat with fast, over-lapping runs along with a notable fierce shot that chipped in with a few goals for the club. Strong in the tackle and quick to recover his position, his height also helped him when teams tried to play diagonal passes in behind him.
Ray's place in the Spurs team saw him stay in the UEFA Cup team that reached the final in 1974, but eventually lost out to Feyenoord amidst hooligan trouble in the away leg in Rotterdam. When Bill Nicholson left as Spurs manager, Evans dropped out of the picture and new manager Terry Neill allowed him to join Millwall for £35,000 in January 1975, moving on two years later to Fulham and then Stoke City two years after that.
Played in American Soccer for California Surf, Seattle Sounders and Tacoma Stars.
After his playing days came
to an end, Ray stayed in America, coaching at Columbia
Basin College (Washington - U.S.A.), before taking over
the post of Under-18 Boys coach and Technical Director
at Three Rivers Soccer Club in Washington.