SKINNER’S MESSAGE TO HIS SQUAD OF PLAYERS

First Team

By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

“I WANT YOU ALL TO STAY ON THE JOURNEY THAT THIS FOOTBALL CLUB IS ON BECAUSE YOU DESERVE TO BE PART OF IT FOR WHAT YOU HAVE ACHIEVED”

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner has asked his squad of players to stay with him ‘on the journey’ as the Colliers prepare to compete in the Northern Premier League following their promotion on the final day of last season.

The boss delivered his heartfelt message at the club’s presentation evening in the clubhouse at the weekend. Addressing the players, he said: “All of the players have been magnificent this term and I want you all to stay on the journey that this football club is on because you deserve to be part of it for what you have achieved. This is a club with a lot of history. You have now written your names in that history and you should be super proud of it. You are one of the best teams I have ever had the pleasure of working with and I was quietly confident on that bus journey down to Glossop that if we turned up as a team then we would beat them (Glossop) – and we beat them comfortably.”

All of Ashington’s players received a personal memento from the Ebac Northern League for finishing as runners up to champions Newton Aycliffe.

The boss added that all of the players had been magnificent throughout the season and paid tribute to chairman Brian Shotton and his wife Nicola – along with others: “Thanks go to Brian Shotton who tries to make this football club the best it can be,” he said, “He puts loads of time and effort into it and deserves massive credit for that – but he couldn’t do it without the support of his wife Nicola. Credit also to Ian Reid the chairman of the supporters club; photographer Ian Brodie whose pictures have been top notch; Mark Ramsden; Gav Perry and Alan Brown.”

However Skinner said that the club needs the support from the fans ‘more than ever’ when he added: “Thanks to everybody who supports us on match days both home and away during the campaign but we need you now more than ever. It’s exciting to move up the pyramid and will it be easy? No. Will it be enjoyable? Yes. We are asking you (the supporters) to stick with us as we continue to fight hard to get to where we want to be because we can’t do this without you.”

To date the club have already sold over 80 season tickets for next season – their first in the NPL since the 1968-69 campaign.