Former international footballer Daniel Bogdanovic and Malta goalkeeper Justin Haber, who both played with Ched Evans at Sheffield United, believe their former teammate should be given a second chance.

The controversy over whether Mr Evans, who has made 13 appearances for Wales, should be allowed to resume his footballing career after being convicted of rape surfaced in Malta over the weekend following reports that Hibernians offered him a deal until the end of the season.

Their hopes were shattered on Saturday evening when a spokesman for the English Ministry of Justice said the strict conditions imposed on sex offenders “effectively rules out working abroad”.

“We all make mistakes,” Mr Bogdanovic, who has played with a host of English clubs and currently turns out for Gozitan club Xewkija Tigers, told Times of Malta.

Mr Bogdanovic, 34, was good friends with Mr Evans when the two were at Sheffield United in season 2010-11. The club was at the time sponsored by the Malta Tourism Authority.

Mr Haber, the Birkirkara and Malta goalkeeper who was also on the books of Sheffield United when Evans joined the club, said Evans was a very good player and a hard trainer.

Read more on Times of Malta.

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