After a ghastly loan deal at National League title challengers Notts County, Stockport announced they had recalled Connor Lemonheigh-Evans, as stated by an official statement issued by Notts County.
After seemingly struggling with the competition in League Two, Evans joined a league he was accustomed to after plenty of successful years in the National League with Torquay United.
A product of the Bristol City academy, Evans was subject to many loans from the Robins, with his first taste of non-league football coming at Bath City before joining Torquay.
After three consecutive successful loans in Devon, the deal was made permanent eventually in August 2020 and in his first season, he almost helped the Gulls to promotion from the National League, but a heartbreaking defeat on penalties to Hartlepool United halted Torquay.
Since then, Torquay United have hit a brick wall, with a rapid slide down the table, but this didn’t stop Evans as his goal return in the National League was electrifying.
Notching up 11 goals and being awarded Torquay player of the year and apart of the National League team of the year, a move to the Football League seemed imminent.
Stockport County, the previous seasons champions of the National League, took a punt on the tricky wide player, with Dave Chalinor adding the Welshmen to his re-vitalisation of County.
Evans has largely struggled to break into the County squad, so he made a short-term loan switch to another County, as title-challengers Notts County took a punt.
After an unsuccessful spell, Evans finds himself back at Edgeley Park for the remainder of the season.
On the Notts County website, an interview with manger Luke Williams read:
“We would firstly like to thank Connor for his efforts and wish him well for the remainder of the season.
“While the timing of this news means it would have been impossible for us to replace him, it’s unlikely we would have done due to the positive progress of Cedwyn Scott, who is nearing a return to action, along with Junior Morias’ improving condition.
“When you also consider that Sam Slocombe and Richard Brindley are available to us once again, and that Aden Baldwin and Jodi Jones will be back with us soon, we have no concerns as we head into this crucial run of matches.
“As our supporters will know by now, recruitment is a never-ending process for us and, like any club, we were considering our options up until the deadline.
“But we were not prepared to allow short-term unavailability of players to deviate us from our strategy of only making signings who we believe will significantly improve us for the remainder of the season and integrate well into our tight-knit squad.
“While the departure of Connor is of course disappointing, with only Tobi Adebayo-Rowling expected to be out for a significant period we feel we are well equipped to attack the remaining games.
“This fantastic group of players have carried us into an incredible position and they have our full support for what we’re sure will be a hugely exciting run-in.”
Writers View
My thoughts are that Lemonheigh-Evans must have been injured as it seems odd why Stockport have re-called him. Evans has barely featured for County so at this stage of the season, to recall him seems absurd and little bit of a waste of resources.
It leaves Notts County with a bit of a thin squad as they enter the run in for the National League title with Wrexham.
