Cardiff City v Rotherham United: Evans happy to get the backing Slade missed

The Millers may head into today’s game at Cardiff on the back of a seven-match winless Championship streak, with their last victory on a Saturday coming on August 23, but the words from Stewart to Evans have all been of encouragement.

He said: “Our conversations are daily and we have never changed our tack.

“He has always been loyal and supportive, even in League Two when we lost to the likes of Barnet and Bristol Rovers at home. People were getting a bit upset then, but we came through.

“We are at a level now where we’re going down to play a club that was in the Premier League last season. That is how far we have come.”

After locking horns in a Wembley play-off final in May, Evans and Russell Slade now come up against each other in the Principality following the latter’s move from Leyton Orient.

While Evans can count on the support of Stewart, Slade was not afforded that luxury from Orient owner Francesco Bechetti, who told players he was going to sack him before a midweek game in September, only then to say that he did not mean it.

A saga ended in Slade moving to Cardiff.

Evans said: “For it to be said in front of an open dressing room, ‘you will be sacked if you do not win on Tuesday’ was absolutely horrific.

“It must have given him (Slade) the biggest satisfaction and he must have had the biggest smile on his face when Cardiff offered him that job.”