Brother's pride over United double

By Niall Glynn
BBC news website

Northern Ireland and Man Utd defender Jonny Evans has said he is "very proud" of his younger brother Corry, who is to join him as a professional footballer at United at the end of next month.

Corry, a member of the United academy side, has been told he will be given a professional contract when he turns 17 on 30 July.

Jonny Evans hopes for a bright future for himself and his brother Corry

His 19-year-old brother Jonny is back at the club after a successful loan spell with Roy Keane's Sunderland.

The Glengormley man said it would be fantastic if the brothers could play in the same United first team in the future.

"It would be nice for the family if that ever happened," Jonny said.

"But you don't know how things will work out obviously, football's really hard, even making it at United.

"But it's nice even when we get to train together - I've been training with his team this week, sometimes we're in opposite teams and we always try and get one over on each other."

The highly-rated brothers have been compared in some quarters to Gary and Phil Neville, the last pair of siblings to appear in the Utd first team together.

However, Jonny warned those comparisons were premature.

"I don't think we're at that level yet, Phil and Gary Neville have gone on to make great careers for themselves.

If I tried to give him too much advice he might think 'what's he telling me for, I'm only his brother' Jonny Evans

"It would be nice to compare to them but we've got a lot of work to do," he said.

The Evans family has moved to the Manchester area from Glengormley, with the two brothers living with their parents and sister.

Jonny said while he tries to impart the occasional piece of advice to his brother, he's conscious that Corry, a midfielder, has his own decisions to make.

"I wouldn't want him to try and follow my footsteps, he's his own man he's a totally different player from me - a different position - I'd just tell him to go and give his all," he said.

"If I tried to give him too much advice he might think 'what's he telling me for, I'm only his brother'."

The brothers could line out together at Old Trafford

Jonny, who has been playing left back for Northern Ireland but is a central defender for his club, said a successful season for him would be being a part of a Man Utd team which wins more trophies.

"My aim obviously is to try and play as many games as I can. I don't know how many games Alex Ferguson has in mind for me," he said.

"You just never know, through injuries and stuff, I might get a chance and it's up to me to take it."

And what of the prospect of the two Evans boys playing together in the green shirt of Northern Ireland in the future?

"That would be really nice. I definitely think Corry's got the ability to play for Northern Ireland," Jonny said.

"I think that would be one of the best achievements, both playing for your country - it would be a really nice feeling."