Steve Evans re-emerges as Rotherham United managerial candidate with reports of Nathan Jones snub

Evans, who led the club from League Two in 2012 to the Championship when he left for Leeds United in 2015, was initially thought to have been overlooked but Jones’ apparent rejection of the job has forced a rethink.

Former Luton Town and Southampton manager Jones was in the crowd for Saturday's 0-0 draw at Birmingham City, which Wayne Carlisle was expecting to be his last as caretaker manager.

Previous manager Matt Taylor was sacked following a 5-0 November 11 defeat at Watford, with his side in the Championship relegation zone with just one point away from home all season.

Carlisle doubled that tally at St Andrew's on Saturday, but only after a 4-1 defeat at Hull City which left him accepting his chances of getting the job permanently had probably gone. They were always slim, with chairman Tony Stewart looking for a manager with Championship experience.

Before boarding the bus to St Andrew's, Carlisle said: "On Friday morning (head of recruitment) Rob Scott spoke with the players and outlined where the club were at without putting any names or anything forward.

"You can feel the players are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel."

Evans is currently manager of Stevenage, fourth in League One, but there is mutual affection between him and the Millers, who he kept in the Championship in 2014-15, famously donning a sombrero for the final game.

Taylor has been appointed as manager of Bristol Rovers and is likely to be keen to bring in Carlisle, Dan Green and Scott Brown – all of whom also worked with him at Exeter City – if they are not wanted at the New York Stadium.