Newport County star Will Evans sends important message over mental health and speaking out
In an era where men are renowned for stifling their emotions, Will Evans is proud to be one of the people who buck that trend.
The Newport County striker, 26, is going the extra mile to try and encourage others to embrace the significance of speaking out following the tragic loss of his cousin, Sam, two years ago.
Sam took his own life at the age of just 24 just weeks before Evans landed his big break in football with Newport, and the post announcing the move on Evans' Instagram page is even dedicated to Sam alongside a moving tribute.
Evans and Sam were, in the striker's own words, more like brothers than cousins, and the warmth with which Evans describes Sam and their relationship drives home the void that his passing has left. In an interview to mark Men's Health Week, Evans lays out how the events of the past couple of years have completely changed his outlook on life and made him aware of how important it is for people to take the initiative in reaching out to loved ones.
Evans recalls: "[Sam's death] was the most traumatic experience I've ever had. I think his funeral was on the Wednesday and it was announced on Thursday that I'd signed. We were like brothers: we spent so much time together and he would be the last person you'd ever think would, you know, push it that far. It makes you think, 'What can I do differently, how can I stop myself getting to that [point?]'.
"At the end of the day, it's an illness. Having gone through that experience of someone taking their own life at 24 who was so, so close to us and our family, it definitely gives you a different outlook on life. It makes you think: 'If I can say something, I will say something and if I don't, then this is, ultimately, where I could end up', especially in the profession that I'm in where you're surrounded by blokes in a male dominated environment and everyone wants to be the big 'I am'."
At Newport, they do things differently. Former club captain Mark O'Brien, who was forced to retire at 27 due to a heart condition, is a constant source of support to players. Evans benefitted firsthand from O'Brien's presence during a challenging first year at Newport, with the club icon helping him to articulate his feelings.
Players themselves also take simple steps to be more social. Rather than sitting alone on long away trips, hidden away with colossal headphones, players often participate in small-sized card games. Evans also highlights the Exiles' post-training coffee club: an environment where players are able to talk "absolute nonsense" and enjoy some rare respite from the pressure and demands of professional football and day-to-day life.
Evans' family are farmers and with his background working on his father's farm in rural Wales, he recognises that speaking out is even more important for people who - as farmers often do - regularly find themselves in situations where they are isolated for significant periods.
He adds: "When I look at the farming community as a whole, a lot of the jobs you do are individual ones. You could be sat on a tractor on your own for 12 hours a day. Alright, you might have things like a radio and you can speak to people, but effectively, it's just you, in a tractor, on your own.
Newport County striker Will Evans
Newport County striker Will Evans celebrates after scoring against Manchester United in the FA Cup
"If there's anything that I've learnt from what we went through, it's that being there for someone is everything. If people could maybe start a conversation with someone, especially somebody who you wouldn't expect to be struggling [it can make a huge difference]. It's not even about asking if they're you okay, because it's such a flaccid question that people just skim over. It's just about talking absolute nonsense: the sort of stuff that takes somebody's mind away from other worries, even if it only lasts for five minutes."
Evans' shirt last season adorned the number 29 in tribute to Sam, representing the date of his birthday. His presence was still keenly felt in a season where Evans enjoyed some of the most significant moments of a career which has been anything but conventional.
After being released by Shrewsbury Town as a teenager, Evans played for a local village team, Cardiff Metropolitan University's team and Bala Town. He got his big break at Newport after he piqued their interest by scoring twice for Wales' C team in a thumping win over England.
After scoring just twice in his maiden campaign - where he was utilised mainly as a left wing-back - he ended last season as one of League Two's top scorers after plundering 21 goals. He notched another four in all competitions, including one in the FA Cup against his boyhood club, Manchester United.
Evans, who was speaking at the launch of Spabreaks.com’s Real Men Relax campaign, added: "I can't speak highly enough about the club. We've got such a good social bubble and I think that shows on the pitch as well, because we're all so, so tight-knit together.
Newport County striker Will Evans after scoring in the League Two match with Notts County
"It's been a bit of a wild experience for me, having come off the back of last year with just the two goals. As a group we probably let ourselves down towards the back end of the season: we were two points off the play-offs with eight games to go and we went on a terrible run and lost them all.
"On a personal level, it was a special season. Lots of people have asked me what I've done differently this year [to score so many goals]. Honestly I've not changed anything! It's not like there's been some big change in mentality; I feel more comfortable with it being my second season, so I could maybe say that."
Not content with basking in the glory of his best ever campaign, Evans is already chomping at the bit to get back to work. He even reveals that his father has already tried to rope him into mucking in on the farm during his summer break.
He says with a smile: "I do it for them [family]. My old man comes up for midweek games as he's usually working on the weekends. He gets back at gone midnight and he's up at six the next morning. And my mum, she's actually become a bit of a football fanatic now.
"It's so pleasing to see their reaction in the stands to things, like the goal against United. It's so rewarding seeing how much it means to them, probably more [rewarding] than experiencing it on the pitch. It makes everything extra special."
Will Evans is an ambassadors for Spabreaks.com’s Real Men Relax campaign which aims to highlight the reasons why men should go to the spa. To find a selection of spas for men go to: https://www.spabreaks.com/categories/men
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