By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner was naturally ecstatic on Saturday evening after his side had fought back from a two goal deficit to win the JR Cleator Cup against North Shields at Woodhorn Lane.

Indeed the Colliers were unfortunate to go into the break trailing to goals from David Robinson and Dan Wilson – but they dominated proceedings after the break and drew level through Danny Anderson and ex Robin Lee Mason before Lewis Suddick headed a brilliant winner.

A beaming Skinner emerged from the victorious dressing room and was full of praise for his side: “I thought we had the bit between our teeth when we came out for the second half and certainly to coin a cliché in football, we just ‘ran over the top of them’ and they (North Shields) haven’t been able to deal with it. We moved the ball better than them; we’ve created more chances than them and I can’t think of a real clear cut opportunity which they have had in the second half – certainly I can’t remember our ‘keeper Karl Dryden having to make a save.”

He continued: “Obviously the goal by Danny Anderson early in the second half helped because it gave us a bit of confidence and belief – then we equalised soon after and I was pleased for Lee Mason who has got of the mark. For what turned out to be the winner, it was a great free-kick by Dean Briggs and a fantastic header from Lewis Suddick – who had only been on the pitch two or three minutes. To be honest, I didn’t think we ever looked like losing it – and if anything we looked the better at going to extend the lead. Robbie (Dale) has brought a good save from a free kick then Jordan Lashley has pulled one out of the sky from nowhere a couple of yards out from goal and also been thwarted by ‘keeper Finlay Hodgson. We just looked a threat – and I thought we thoroughly deserved to win.”

Ashington AFC are delighted to reveal our 2022-23 away kit in tribute to Ashington hero Jack Charlton.

Jack was born and grew up in the Hirst (Beatrice Street) and spent countless hours on Hirst Park playing football. He had a superb playing career winning domestic and European honours with Leeds United.

Along with brother Bobby, Jack was famously part of the England side that won the World Cup in July 1966 beating West Germany 4-2 at Wembley. Following retirement in 1973 Jack moved into management at Middlesbrough where he won the Second Division in 1974. He oversaw a successful time at Sheffield Wednesday followed by a short spell at boyhood club Newcastle United.

Jack then became manager of the Republic of Ireland in 1986 making an immediate impact on the Irish game with qualification for Euro ’88 in West Germany which saw Ireland beat England in Stuttgart but ultimately fall with a defeat to the Netherlands. They once again qualified for a major tournament – World Cup ’90 in Italy, successfully qualifying from a group including England and the Netherlands. The Round of 16 saw David O’Leary‘s penalty securing a shootout victory over Romania. Unfortunately the superb Salvatore Schillaci scored the only goal of the quarter final to see Italy win 1-0 in Rome. By this point Jack had certainly won the hearts and minds of the Irish and changed the game in the country in a short space of time. The song from the tournament ‘Put Em Under Pressure‘ is still played to this day.

Qualification for Euro ’92 was a tough task with a group including England, Poland and Turkey with Ireland missing out by a point to England. World Cup ’94 in the USA followed and once again Ireland progressed beyond the group stage, helped by a superb Ray Houghton goal that saw Italy beaten 1-0. Unfortunately they fell 2-0 to the Netherlands in the Round of 16 but once again had given a superb account on the highest stage. Jack left his post in 1996 but in ten years had changed the face of Irish Football forever – on and off the field.

He sadly passed away in 2020 and despite the pandemic thousands lined the streets of Ashington to pay tribute to one of our heroes as he made his last journey through his hometown.

It was only a short few weeks ago we were proud to host the Jack Charlton Memorial Cup between England Fans FC and You Boys in Green.

We are delighted to present a tribute to Jack with our away shirt in honour of his special time as Republic of Ireland manager. An Ashington lad who achieved so much at home and abroad – thank you Jack from us all.

Details on the full release and availability of shirts to follow.

Ashington AFC are delighted to announce Lynx Precast as our Home and Away kit sponsors for the 2022-23 season.

Lynx Precast – based at Lynefield Park near Ashington – are specialists in the design, manufacture and installation of precast concrete flooring systems.

Club Chairman Brian Shotton “We are absolutely thrilled to have Lynx Precast on board as a sponsor for the coming season. The goals we work hard towards behind the scenes can only be realised with the support of sponsors and Lynx Precast have made a superb commitment to the club, we very much look forward to working with them this campaign“

Brent Hall, Commercial Manager at Lynx Precast “Lynx Precast are proud to sponsor Ashington AFC for the forthcoming 2022/2023 season.

Lynx are thrilled to be this year’s shirt sponsor and to help further the club’s progress. We look forward to working with Ashington AFC and the wider community over the coming season“

By Brian Bennett

Ashington will go into Saturday’s Cleator Cup final (July 23) against North Shields at Woodhorn Lane with three of manager Ian Skinner’s summer signings – Damen Mullen, Darren Lough and Lee Mason – fighting fitness battles.

Of the trio, Mullen is the biggest doubt – with Skinner adding that the midfielder is potentially facing a race against the clock to be ready for Ashington’s Ebac Northern League first division curtain raiser at home to Seaham Red Star on Saturday week (July 30).

The Colliers hosted South Shields in another warm up game on Tuesday evening ahead of the Cleator Cup clash against Marc Nash’s North Shields outfit and Skinner said: “We had two good games against North Shields last year. Obviously both squads have changed slightly but there is the added fact that there is a bit of silverware at stake. The game has been switched to our place and it would be nice if we can play a little bit better than we have done today in our single goal defeat against Charnock Richard.”

He continued: “We have a really good week coming up and we’ll find out where we are at the end of it. South Shields will be a tough test on Tuesday because they play a couple of steps above us then North Shields, who won promotion from our first division last season, come to us on Saturday.”

He went on: “Without being disrespectful, I think we need those next three games against South Shields (Tuesday) and North Shields (Saturday) at home and away to Blyth Spartans (Tuesday July 26) – because it will force us to be better. At times – and with no disrespect to the four teams we have played so far – I think we’ve played within ourselves whereas we will not be able to do that in the next three games – instead we’ll have to be at it from minute one. We’ll have to work really hard both in possession and out of possession and when we do create chances, we’ll have to take more care and be a little bit more ruthless.”

The Cleator Cup final has a 3pm kick-off.

By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

Ashington FC manager has given an update on the current fitness doubts surrounding three of his players – Darren Lough, Damen Mullen and Lee Mason.

Skinner said: “We’ve had a little bit of bad luck pre season. Darren (Lough) has missed quite a bit of training after he jarred his knee and it isn’t settling down much. We lost Damen (Mullen) who initially had illness and then cut his cheek – and then has played three minutes today (against Charnock Richard) and cut his eye on the other side so I think that will be him out for another week. He’s in a real race against time to be ready for the start of the season proper (July 30) because he has already missed the last week and a half’s work.”

He continued: “Lee (Mason) has been struggling because he kicked the bottom of someone’s foot and as a result, his own foot is badly bruised and that’s why he has played a very small part in the last three games. We’ve almost tried to ease him back in a bit today but his foot is still tender and sore. Again that’s part and parcel of pre season and all we can do it to play a waiting game.”

By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner said that his squad are a little bit behind schedule -with the countdown to the new season rapidly approaching.

The Colliers had two friendlies on Friday and Saturday against Newcastle Blue Star and Charnock Richard respectively and the boss said: “We are probably a little bit behind where we want to be – fitness levels are quite good but in terms of our play on the pitch we are not quite there. We have still got a couple of weeks before the campaign starts but we have lots of hard work to do. We had two good games against Newcastle Blue Star and Charnock Richard and there were lots to take from both games – lots of things that have been flagged up in terms of what we still need to work on but that’s what pre season is for. I don’t think there are any players who havn’t played at least 90 minutes across the two games other than if they are coming back from a long term injury or if they’ve had a little bit of a knock.”

He continued: “We lost one game – again I don’t look at results – but they were two good work outs. In spells today against Charnock Richard – and it was quite warm out there – I thought similar to the game at Newcastle Blue Star that we were better second half but we just need to take a bit more care in the final third. Today we got into the final third in the second half on numerous occasions but we were slack and then got outworked a little bit for the last five minutes – not physically, just that we wanted to push forward. We gave the ball away and got caught on the break but it wasn’t bad for pre season because the lads have then had to make big recovery runs.”

He went on: “Overall in terms of team cohesion and system of play there is still some improvement to be done and if I’m honest, I would like to get on the training pitch a little bit more in the next week or so. We’ll get an opportunity on Thursday which is probably more important than people realise because games are really difficult to influence getting across philosophies and how we should play in terms of our strengths and giving people the opportunity to really work on movement patterns and things like that. Players will argue that they prefer to play which is understandable but it’s difficult to learn as you play whereas in training you can be a little bit more specific on one or two things.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington have been handed home ties in both the Emirates FA Cup and Isuzu FA Vase after the draw was conducted on Friday.

Manager Ian Skinner’s reaction was to say that the two fixtures ‘couldn’t have been tougher’ – but reckons his counterparts will have said exactly the same!

In the Emirates FA Cup, the Colliers will take on Newton Aycliffe in the extra preliminary round on Saturday August 6 with the winners away to either Tadcaster Albion or Tow Law Town.

The Isuzu FA Vase first qualifying round has pitched the Wansbeck side against Billingham Town at Woodhorn Lane on Saturday August 27 with the winners at home to Sunderland West End.

Manager Skinner said: “There are two things to take from the cup draws. The first is that it is a real positive that they are both at home – but the second is that I don’t think we could have got two tougher draws if I’m honest.”

He continued: “Billingham Town have signed a lot of players from Sunderland Ryhope CW who resigned from the league and looking at last season’s table, Newton Aycliffe and Ryhope CW finished fourth and fifth respectively – so we will be playing two teams potentially that finished above us in the league. Therefore they will both be really; really tough games but hopefully home advantage will stand us in good stead.” He went on: “However, I’m convinced that both Newton Aycliffe and Billingham Town will be saying exactly the same as what I am – in that the draws couldn’t have been tougher.”

By Brian Bennett

Blyth Town manager Michael Connor has tipped neighbours Ashington for promotion – ahead of the new Ebac Northern League season which is rapidly approaching!

Connor looked on as his side went down 1-0 on Friday night after a goal by Paul Robinson early in the game against the Colliers – but although disappointed with the final score, he was nevertheless generally pleased with the way the game went.

Connor said afterwards: “It was a very good work out for us. What we didn’t want was to get a good hiding. We knew manager Ian Skinner has gone out and brought a lot of quality into what was already a good squad so our idea was to be more disciplined. Last week we beat Seaton Delaval and played more of a fast flowing game but we knew against Ashington that we needed to sit a little bit deeper, be disciplined and try and hit them on the counter attack. There were a lot of plusses for us. We have got a lot of new players and we are trying to do things the right way.” He continued: “Obviously you never want to lose but you would take a 1-0 defeat against Ashington. And when you see them bring on there substitutes – including one of my old players Adam Johnson – you just think, wow! Fair play to Ian Skinner and Ashington to put that kind of squad together – and they are a very good team. They hold the ball and Ian (Skinner) always gets them to play good football. Tonight everything was to the inch and precise about them and there were no misplaced passes at all. It was good for us because last season we played North Shields and lost 7-3 and went down 6-3 against Consett – so it was a case of what could we do against a team who in my eyes are probably the favourites for the ENL first division title.”