Evans Hero Retires

It was after appearing in 89 league games and scoring 24 goals that he was bought for £500,000 by Borussia Dortmund. He was as it happened only there for a year. The manager preferred to use him as a substitute so consequently his goal tally fell and he only scored 4 and was used as a defensive midfielder.

It was during one of the Czechoslovakian national game's that he came to the interest of Roy Evans. Shortly after, Patrik signed for Liverpool for a fee of £3.25 million.
Patrik came on as a substitute at half time during his second game for the club and immediately made an impact. Liverpool were playing Leicester City that afternoon at their old Filbert Street ground and Patrik did what Patrik does best and scored 2 goals.

The duck had been broken. The impact that Patrik made left goalkeeper Kasey Keller so shell shocked that he made the following comment.
"I've never seen a ball move so fast in my life. It's a good job I didn't get in the way of either shot or I'd have been back in the net with them."

The next opponents that seemed to send a shiver down his spine were Chelsea. Patrik liked nothing better than getting under a goalkeeper's nose. In September 1996 he scored 2 against Chelsea, only to follow that with 3 against them at Anfield in October 1997.

Patrik was one of those people who had a knack of scoring goals when they were required (if only we had players like that now?) One of the most memorable was against Manchester United in the 1999-2000 season when he scored from an absolutely stunning free kick at Old Trafford.

We had now reached the season that will always be remembered as the treble and unfortunately Patrik began to fall prey to the footballer's nightmare called injuries. The 2001 FA Cup final will always be remembered as the Owen final but Patrik played his part by using his fantastic vision and quick anticipation ensuring that Michael was able to score the goal that won us the cup.

Two years later Patrik's love affair with Liverpool came to an end after seven years when he signed for Portsmouth in 2003 and got his own back against Gerard Houllier by scoring at Fratton Park. A spell at Aston Villa came shortly afterwards before he returned home to Czechoslavakia to rejoin Sparta Prague in May 2008

During his time at Liverpool, Patrik, along with his wife and children quickly settled in Southport, living fairly close to Kenny Dalglish and Alan Hansen.

It was yesterday that Patrik, now aged 36 spoke to his coach Jozek Chovanec, with the words, "It's over. My knee doesn't support the burden anymore".

Patrik who had wooed the Kop for seven years and won 44 caps for his country, decided that his career as a footballer was now to come to a close.

He was voted in at number 79 in the highly acclaimed 100 Players Who Shook the Kop Feature. This was a position that he was immensely proud off.

I think I can say on behalf all Kopites, thank you Patrik for some really wonderful memories and making me cry when we beat Arsenal in the 2001 FA Cup final after a wait of 30 years.