The Peterborough United manager who signed Ivan Toney takes the plaudits and predicts big things from the striker

Ivan Toney has thanked Steve Evans for his part in his development. Photo: Joe Dent/theposh.com.

Steve Evans, who now manages League One rivals Gillingham, was in the London Road hotseat when Toney arrived from Newcastle United for a bargain £350k in August, 2018.

This week he moved to Championship promotion favourites Brentford for around £10 million and Evans has received his fair share of the plaudits following his rapid development.

Evans said: “I got a thank you from Darragh MacAnthony and a big, big thank you from Barry Fry. More important to me I got a huge thank you and a very welcome nice phone call from Ivan.

“When I signed him I said he would play in the Championship, if not the Premier League, I told him I would put him on a journey and help him and I think Darren Ferguson has continued that.

“I wish the young man, his beautiful fiance and his dad all the best in the world. They are a lovely family. They are great people. Ivan gave me some wonderful moments and I wish him well. I look forward to seeing him in the Championship. I think he will do well and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get 20 goals in the Championship and end up in the Premier League.

“Darragh already knew of Ivan as he is very knowledgeable on football, I didn’t insist, but I made it clear I wanted Ivan in preference to other targets. Darragh still had to sanction the spend, and he did it. It is just another one on the conveyer belt of strikers who turn up at Peterborough and leave for lots of money and it is an incredible record.

“It has been an incredible run of success with strikers.”