Column: Who cares what motivates Evans on Sunday if he bags a goal to beat the Blades?

If Ched Evans bags the winner on Sunday and runs straight to a Sky TV camera, no one will question his motives.
GOOD EVANS! -- striker Ched Evans volleys Chesterfield's winning goal at Colchester United in the FA Cup, First Round. (PHOTO BY: Howard Roe/AHPIX.com)GOOD EVANS! -- striker Ched Evans volleys Chesterfield's winning goal at Colchester United in the FA Cup, First Round. (PHOTO BY: Howard Roe/AHPIX.com)
GOOD EVANS! -- striker Ched Evans volleys Chesterfield's winning goal at Colchester United in the FA Cup, First Round. (PHOTO BY: Howard Roe/AHPIX.com)

It won’t matter one jot if the striker is out to impress future employers, aiming to repay Town for giving him a chance, attempting to make a point to the Blades or simply trying to put a smile on the faces of his team-mates and manager.

This game is a big one for many reasons.

The close proximity of the two clubs, the many links that tie them together, the presence of the Sky cameras, a huge travelling support and the thus far differing fortunes of the two sides in League One are all factors that contribute to the game’s importance.

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Evans is of course one of those links, like ex Blades boss Danny Wilson, Sheffield United legend Chris Morgan and former Bramall Lane prospect Connor Dimaio.

It’s Evans who will be under the most scrutiny however.

He will undoubtedly be cheered by both sets of fans when his name is called out.

Refreshingly, there won’t be a repeat of the vile chants heard during the visits of some of Chesterfield’s other rivals.

Should he find the net, there’ll be Blades who will applaud and some who grow even angrier that it was Town and not their club who offered Evans a route back into the game.

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Sky TV and this fixture offer Evans a further opportunity, a chance to show that he’s back.

It’s a shop window.

Who knows what will be going through the striker’s head before kick off and indeed during the game, or what drives him?

Who cares? If he produces the goods, no one at Chesterfield will be stopping to ask what motivated him.

And it might just add a bit more to his value ahead of a very interesting January transfer window.

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Evans could singlehandedly plug that gap in the finances if he catches fire between now and the new year.

As for Gboly Ariyibi, if he’s to become another Spireite to go on to ‘bigger and better things’ he’s got some work to do – Sunday would be a fine time to start showing that potential we all saw in pre-season and in the early games.

A win over United would not only upset the form book, it would provide a huge lift to everyone at the Proact.

The two cup wins have set it up nicely because the Blades are no longer visiting a side who can’t buy a goal.

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Don’t sniff at those two results or the quality of opposition, Town just needed to remember what it feels like to finish a match as victors.

For those thinking of staying away on Sunday, ask yourself this: wouldn’t you like to say you were there the day Ched and Chesterfield beat the Blades?

In 2016 stranger things have happened.