A sports journalist credited with knowing more about his field “than the entire internet” has retired aged 81.

Howard Evans has decided to call it quits after covering sport across South Wales since the 1960s.

Howard, pictured, began his career with Cardiff-based agency Hill’s Welsh Press and has also written for the Swansea-based South Wales Evening Post and the News of the World, among other titles.

For the past 18 years he has covered Aberavon Rugby Football Club, more recently on a voluntary basis, but has now decided against making trips from his Cardiff home to report on the Port Talbot-based team.

Speaking to Wales Online, he said: “I have loved every minute of it. And there have been a lot of minutes.

“I first started writing for Hill’s Welsh Press, a Cardiff-based agency, in the late 1960s after I’d done some work as a broadcaster on Cardiff City [football ] games for hospital radio. I just knew it was for me because I was doing something I enjoyed.

“Richard Shepherd was broadcasting on the Cardiff City matches at the time and he was excellent, as good as it gets with his knowledge, awareness of history and ability to put his words across.

“The rugby has been hugely enjoyable over the years. Obviously, the game has changed hugely in terms of player access at the top level, but in the club game in Wales you can still get to chat to pretty much whomever you want after matches and everyone is still very helpful.

“I started covering Aberavon after a stint at Bonymaen and also at Dunvant. David Evans, the old South Wales Evening Post sports editor, asked me to write a few words for their Saturday evening paper The Sporting and it just went from there. All the clubs I’ve worked at have been excellent as far as reporting goes.

“I just feel that perhaps now is the time step back a bit. Aberavon were great about it and put out a lovely tribute online.”

Evening Post rugby correspondent Mark Orders has been among those to pay tribute to Howard.

He wrote: “Plenty in Welsh sports journalism will feel any such tribute to be merited in Howard’s case. Any time a fact has needed checking over the years or a titbit of information needed to be confirmed, he has been the man to ring.

“At times, it has felt like he knows more about Welsh rugby’s history than the entire internet.”

“When Howard wrote something, his words carried weight because he had seen so much and so was able to properly put things into context.

“For the Welsh Premiership, and Aberavon in particular, he has been a huge friend. That said, everyone deserves a decent retirement, and nothing lasts forever

“Now it’s time for this veteran Welsh rugby chronicler to let others carry the torch. The scene won’t be quite the same without him, though.”