ROB EVANS admits it will be strange coming up against hometown club Wrexham who have been a big part of the midfielder's life but there will be no room for sentiment this afternoon.

Evans, who hails from Penycae, began his association with Wrexham by playing for the under eights and he progressed through the age groups before signing a first professional contract when he turned 16.

Five years playing for the Wrexham first team followed - he was also appointed captain during that time - before Evans was released in the summer of 2017.

Spells with Billericay and Warrington followed before Evans signed for National League North outfit Curzon Ashton in May, and the 24-year-old will come up against former club Wrexham in today's friendly at The Tameside Stadium.

Evans, who coaches the Reds under 15s and also combines playing part-time by working as a sports-coach in a school, said: "It will be the first time I have played against Wrexham.

"It will be strange.

"With coaching Wrexham under 15s and the school I work in, they know me and they are all Wrexham fans as well so they don't make it any nicer for me to say I hope Wrexham don't win!

"I have got a job to do at Curzon and have got to be professional about it.

"I am looking forward to it, it will be a good test for both sides.

"Even though it is only a pre-season game and it is all about getting minutes under your belt, the new season is only two weeks away and it is about getting performances and wins, and we want to win the game."

Evans, handed his senior Wrexham debut in April 2012, made more than 120 league appearances during his time at The Racecourse and he is looking forward to seeing some familiar faces this afternoon.

"I had a good send-off by the Wrexham fans," said Evans.

"This will be the first time I have played Wrexham since I left so it will be nice to see the fans who make the journey and play my hometown club I came up with.

"A few of the coaches are still there and lads like Paul Rutherford, James Jennings and Mark Carrington."

Evans, beaten in the Northern Premier League Premier Division play-offs with Warrington last season, jumped at the chance to step up and play at a higher level.

"I had a great year at Warrington," said Evans. "We were unlucky not to go up in the play-off final.

"The aim for me was to get back into full-time or back into the National League, and I thought it was a good opportunity for me to go up a league at Curzon.

"It is a very good set-up and run professionally, and you have got the perks of playing big clubs like York.

"The games are coming nice and quick and I am enjoying it."

But Evans still has ambitions of returning to the professional ranks.

"I know my name has been around for a while but I am still only 24," said Evans.

"The aim is one day to go back full-time but at the moment, I can't knock what I am doing.

"I am still playing football at a good level, I am working and I've got my coaching background so it all fits in perfectly.

"But if the opportunity came to go back full-time, it would be hard to turn it down."