Born in Old Swan, Liverpool, Evans first played junior football for Wirral club Ellesmere Port Town.
After two years in the reserve and youth sides, he made his first-team debut for Arsenal against Huddersfield Town on 22 August 1953.
During this time, he scored one of the most memorable own goals in football history; towards the end of a match against Blackpool on 17 December 1955, which Arsenal were winning 4–0, Evans heard a whistle from the crowd, and mistakenly thought the referee had blown for full-time.
For a short spell he was also Arsenal captain, and he played for the London XI in the 1955–58 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup semi-finals.
He remained an Arsenal player until 1963, helping to coach to the youth and reserve teams, and later had a spell at Luton Town doing the same.