FOOTBALLER Ched Evans has broken his silence in the first in-depth interview following his rape acquittal.

The Sheffield United star served half of a five-year prison term after initially being found guilty in 2012, but the former Rhyl resident cleared his name and won his appeal after a retrial.

A public outcry followed after Evans tried to get back into football, and he was finally given a chance at Chesterfield before a £500,000 switch to the Blades.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Evans said: "I'm not bitter. I didn't believe anger or bitterness would help me in any way, so it's just been a case of getting on with it and being happy for what I've got.

"Football is a very short career and I've got the rest of my life to live after football, but to live with that anger and bitterness would be absolutely worthless."

The 29-year-old also stated that he has received death threats in the 18 months since his acquittal, has also been the subject of abuse from away supporters regarding his original conviction despite being restricted to just 13 appearances for the SkyBet Championship side this season due to an ankle injury.

“Not at every stadium do I get abuse, but at probably 70 per cent there will be fans shouting stuff - obviously at away games and away fans particularly,” he added.

“The favourite one is, 'you're a rapist', and this and that. Personally it doesn't affect me whatsoever. But when you go around the country and you've got people screaming and shouting those sort of words - that's not normal.

“But after five years of absolute abuse and scrutiny, I'm back where I belong and that's playing football, so people screaming and shouting at me is nothing compared to playing football again.”

Evans also outlined his ambitions to Jim White during the interview, where he hopes to finally make it to the Premier League with United andforce his way back into the Wales squad under new manager Ryan Giggs.