By Brian Bennett

Ashington manager Nick Gray and skipper Karl Ross have paid tribute to Gary Ormston who has announced his retirement from football at the age of 41.

Ormston played the last game of his career – which stretches 25 years – for Ashington against Bradford Park Avenue at the Horsfall Community Stadium on Saturday which the Colliers won 1-0.

Gray – who made Ormston captain for Ashington’s final home game against Heaton Stannington on Easter Bank Holiday Monday – said: “I’ve known Gary for a number of years. I’ve been involved with teams playing against him but I’ve always admired him as an opposition player. It’s been good to work with him this year because he’s been great on the pitch and in the dressing room. He’s a fantastic person who has had a glistening career. He’s won just about everything you can in non-league football and he’s been a fantastic ambassador over the years.”

Skipper Karl Ross said: “I could talk all day about Gary. He’s only been at Ashington a year and a half but it feels like ten years! From a personal perspective he has helped me so much to improve as a player and I would describe him as one of those that you don’t meet very often in football.”

He continued: “On or off the pitch he’s one of the nicest lads you could ever wish to meet and he’s everything you could ever want as a player coming into the dressing room. He’s encouraging, he’s loving, and he helps you through things but he’s also hard on you because he knows what you can do.”