Evans departed Rotherham at 
lunch-time and by tea-time had offer to join another club

The Scot left the Millers after a golden three-and-a-half year association on Monday lunch-time following a meeting with chairman Tony Stewart.

A club statement said that both parties wished to “head in a different direction” following differences of opinion regarding the future of the club – with Evans revealing that he and Stewart said their goodbyes amid much emotion in a private moment between the pair following the meeting.

Evans says his respect for Stewart will never waiver, with the pair parting as close friends.

The 52-year-old is now waiting for his next step in management and confirmed that he has already turned down an offer from a club following his exit from Rotherham.

Evans told The Yorkshire Post: “It is fair to say that after the news broke just after lunch-time, at tea-time I could have joined another club.

“But it wasn’t right for me, even though it was a very courteous approach and polite conversation. But I will not mention a (club) name as the chairman asked for complete confidentiality.

“Whether it takes a month or a few months, a chairman (at another club) will open the door to Steve Evans and Paul Raynor and we will walk through the door and take on that challenge that is given to us.

“I will wait for the right club.”

Evans says he will forever treasure his time with the Millers and his relationship with Stewart, with the friendship to endure despite the events of Monday.

Evans said: “Tony Stewart believed in me and paid a lot of money to take me from Crawley and he asked me to deliver promotion to League One and Championship and we did that.

“We parted in a respectful manner and I have left some good people there.

“I had three and a half years working with Tony Stewart and in his words, in the next 20 or 30 years, subject to the ‘big man up in the sky’, we will be the best of friends.”

Attention has now turned to Evans’s replacement at Rotherham, with first-team coach Eric Black having assumed managerial duties ahead of Friday’s televised home game with Burnley.

Former Sheffield Wednesday head coach Stuart Gray is the favourite to replace Evans, with Neil Redfearn and Ian Holloway also figuring prominently in the betting.

Evans commented: “Whoever will get the Rotherham United job gets a fantastic football club with the infrastructure and the support of the chairman, which was terrific.

“If their Championship status continues, it will get better and the man who gets the job will work for a loyal and trusted chairman and just a nice, nice man.

“I wish the chairman every success and wherever I am in the country on Friday night, I will be watching television and hoping that the boys get three points against Burnley.

“I will be back at the New York one day and when I do, I will take the chance to thank the Rotherham United supporters by applauding them.”