Every year on March 8, the world pauses to recognise the achievements, resilience, and impact of women across every part of society. International Women’s Day is more than a date in the calendar — it is a celebration of progress, a recognition of those who paved the way, and a reminder of the work still to be done.

Ahead of International Women’s Day, we asked out very own Chair Nicola Sanders-Cooper a few questions about her journey as a Woman In Sport and any advice she would give to other women and girls from her experiences. Here’s what she had to say…..

What are you most proud of as a woman volunteering in football?

For me, it’s about challenging the norm and breaking down barriers within the industry. I strive to promote inclusivity in the sport and use my platform to encourage other women and girls to get involved. There are numerous roles in football, both on and off the pitch and it’s wonderful to see more women and girls gaining access to these opportunities

How does volunteering in football bring you joy?

I have met some amazing people since joining Ashington AFC, Individuals who I hope remain life long friends. The club has the community at its heart and has amazing volunteers and supporters. The club means so much to so many people and I’m honoured to have the opptunity to give back to the community of Ashington.

Who is a female role model who inspired you to get involved in sports?

Growing up it was always Karen Brady. She was one for the first to break the mould when it came to women in senior leadership positions within football. Her ambition, determination and drive really resonated with me throughout my own journey.

How can we ensure our football environment is respectful, welcoming, and inclusive for girls?

For me it’s encouraging and supporting females at all levels of the sport. Whether that be on or off the pitch. Raising awareness of issues that females face and promoting respectful behaviour. In addition, Identifying mentors and role models can inspire future generations and can demonstrate they can achieve success within the sport.

What advice would you give to a young girl looking to get involved with volunteering in and around football?

Follow your passion and embrace every opportunity as a chance to learn. Make sure you identify what aspects of football excite you, reach out to your local club and begin your journey towards pursuing your dream. Stay positive and most importantly enjoy the journey!

As a club, we would like to thank all of the women and girls who support us in our day to day work whether this is behind the scenes, working on the bar or volunteering on a matchday.

By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

Ashington’s interim manager Marc Ellison hailed his sides 1-0 win over Consett at Woodhorn Lane on Tuesday night and said “it was great to give the crowd something to shout about.”

Over 400 came through the gate on an evening which gradually saw a dip in temperature but Ashington warmed to the occasion and were full value for their second victory in four days after securing a similar result against Garforth Town on Saturday.

Defender Chris Reid was on target with his first goal for the club whilst the visitors finished the game with nine men after midfielders Calvin Smith and Marc Costello were both sent off by referee Alex Clark for second yellow card offences inside the final quarter of an hour.

A delighted Ellison said: “It was important to back Saturday’s performance up with another good one and take a positive result from the game. We know our home form hasn’t been the best this season but to get a little monkey off our backs and give the crowd something to shout about was great. We’re starting to look like a proper team lately who are willing to win ugly if that’s what it takes to do so – and at the minute the result is the most important thing. If I’m being totally honest, I thought we have been better on the ball and made better decisions in the two previous games. However at times tonight we’ve played some really good football and caused Consett problems. The work rate and desire to protect our goal was second to none once again leaving me a very happy man.”

He continued: “So, yes there’s stuff to work on, and there always will be but I’m delighted at how the past few days have played out, especially for the players as they’ve really bought in to what we’re trying to achieve and the way we want to play. If we keep believing in it and improving, hopefully we can carry on the way we are. Unfortunately we’ve been unlucky to have injuries this week to both Liam Henderson in training and Liam Wotherspoon in the warm up tonight but I’m really happy to have Craig Spooner and Ben Sampson back involved with the squad.”

He went on: “We have also been unsuccessful with our attempt to have Chris Reid’s red card against Garforth Town last Saturday over turned and he will be a big miss but we have players in the squad who need to take their chances now and we’ll hopefully be welcoming Oli Thompson into the squad at the weekend if all goes well in training this week.”

By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

Ashington’s versatile defender or midfielder Ryan Wombwell hailed the gritty performance by his team-mates following their 1-0 victory over Garforth Town on Saturday.

Now the 24 year old – who netted the only goal of the game ten minutes into the second half – says the squad need to turn Woodhorn Lane into a fortress starting on Tuesday with the first of two league games this week.

The Colliers are keeping their fingers firmly crossed that Tuesday night’s match against Consett will finally go ahead (March 3) after the fixture has had two late cancellations before the Wansbeck outfit meet Grimsby Borough on Saturday (March 7).

Newcastle-born Wombwell said: “It was a great win today where we really had to graft really hard. It was probably similar to the North Ferriby clash in the last ten minutes in terms of us having bodies behind the ball and defending for our lives and even moreso as we were down to ten men. However, I thought our victory was thoroughly deserved. To be honest we worked really hard in the first half and probably had more of the ball and dominated the game. For the first 20 minutes of the second period, it was pretty much the same but we had to dig in towards the end and put our bodies on the line. I thought we defended well and we probably got a bit of luck. Ben Metcalf has made a couple of unbelievable saves in goal to be fair – he’s there to back us up when it gets past us and he was brilliant as well.”

For the goal – his first of the season – which moved Ashington out of the relegation zone, Wombwell said: “Chris Reid got free just in front of me and the ball dropped just over the back of his head. To be fair, I wasn’t expecting it – it was more of a reaction as it dropped – but I’ve hit the ball on the volley and although they (Garforth) have tried to clear it off the line, it’s just snuck in.”

Wombwell says Ashington have now got to build on it: “We have won back to back away games at North Ferriby and today at Garforth but we want to play well at home,” he added, “We want to make Woodhorn Lane a hard place for visiting teams to come to. We’ve had two tough home games recently (Redcar Athletic and Emley) but when the fans turn up they deserve to see a better performance than against Redcar – 100 per cent. To be fair, I thought our display against Emley was more like it but we need to start winning games on our home patch. Hopefully if we can win our next two this week, it will put us in a much stronger position in the league table.”

By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

A smiling Marc Ellison emerged from the dressing room on Saturday and described his sides 1-0 victory over Garforth Town as being ‘a big, big win.’

Ryan Wombwell scored the only goal of the game ten minutes into the second half but the Colliers had to play out more than half of the second period with only ten men after Chris Reid had been red carded.

Ellison said: “I’m absolutely over the moon, it’s a big, big win for us. We started the game really well before a bit of a sticky patch in the middle of the first half where the game became a bit chaotic from both sides and Ben Metcalf had to make a brilliant save to keep the score 0-0. At half time we just asked the boys to have a bit more belief in what they were doing and try to take control of the game for longer periods. Again we started well in second half and in my opinion, deservedly got our noses in front.”

He continued: “After that it was about the character and desire to hold onto a massive three points but every single one of our lads have ran their socks off, put bodies on the line or ‘keeper Ben Metcalf has made great saves when needed. It’s all down to the players, I couldn’t have asked any more of their commitment this week – it’s been fantastic. I feel like as a squad we’ve come a long way in the last few weeks, especially with a massive reality check last weekend. The lads have shown a real togetherness and determination to make things better and I’m very proud of every single one of them.”

He went on: “Regarding the sending off (of Chris Reid), we’ll need to see it back and decide which way we would like to address it but my initial reaction was it’s not a sending off – so if we still think that’s the case after review we may take some action to look at trying to get the decision overturned.”

By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

Ashington’s interim boss Marc Ellison admitted that his side had come up short against promotion chasers Emley on Tuesday night – but praised the players for their efforts and said that ‘a draw would probably have been a fair result.’

Josh Gilchrist gave the Colliers the lead in the first half but the Pewits took all three points back to West Yorkshire with two goals in the final 25 minutes from Charlie Barks and Kurtis Turner.

Following their 8-0 hiding against Redcar Athletic on Saturday, it was a superb effort from the Wansbeck side who left every drop of energy out on the Woodhorn Lane pitch and who  came close to taking a share of the spoils.

Afterwards Ellison said: “The Ashington performance in the first half is the minimum I’ll expect from us over the next 13 games. I thought we dominated a team (Emley) who are second in the table for large spells of that half and going in 1-0 up was the least the players deserved. Emley adjusted their shape just before half time and in fairness, probably had the better of the second half.”

He continued: “We asked the lads to keep doing what they were doing but when you’re protecting a lead in the position we’re in, you sometimes find yourselves subconsciously holding on to what you have rather than building on it. Yes we need to be braver in possession at times and recognise when the game needs an extra pass to regain control but as a group, we’re still learning how we want to identify ourselves and that’s okay.”

He added: “After the weekend we’ve had, we held a good honest conversation about the expectations of this football club – from staff to players, volunteers and supporters. Ashington is a hard working town with down-to-earth people and the minimum they deserve is for our lads to give everything they have for 90 minutes, twice a week. I can’t fault the players’ effort tonight. They haven’t run like that in a long time.”

He went on: “Overall, I think a draw would probably have been a fair result based on our first half performance but we’ve come up short against a quality side. We can accept that but we know we still have to improve. It’s set a marker for our work-rate standards – nothing less will be accepted. We hope the fans can see that and get right behind us next week.”

Ashington travel to Garforth Town on Saturday (February 28) before they face Consett at Woodhorn Lane on Tuesday (March 3).

Saturday hurt.

No hiding from that. It was our heaviest defeat in 20 years and our heaviest home defeat in 33 years. We know many of you paid £10 to watch it. That isn’t lost on us.

The Consett game has already been postponed twice, both very late on. So we want to try and give something back and get as many of you through the gate as possible.

For Tuesday 3rd March at Woodhorn Lane against Consett, it will be pay what you feel at the gate.

If you’re able to give, thank you. If you’re not, just come and back the lads and enjoy the game. We need you there.

In addition, all season ticket holders will receive a drinks token at the turnstile to redeem at the bar as a thank you for sticking with us.

Thank you as ever for your support. Without it, we wouldn’t be here.

By Brian Bennett

Marc Ellison – appointed alongside Karl Ross as Ashington’s interim management team – described the 8-0 drubbing by Northern Premier League East Division league leaders Redcar Athletic on Saturday as being ‘a humbling experience’ and one which he hopes he will never have to face again.

In the reverse fixture between the teams in mid October, Ashington had chances to win the contest before the free scoring Teessiders scored an 89^th minute winner. However on Saturday, Carl Jarrett’s outfit were 4-0 up at the break and although the Colliers improved in the second half – and missed a penalty – the goals continued to rain in as the visitors showed no signs of a let up.

Man of the match Louis Johnson led the way with a hat -trick with other goals coming from John Howard, Adam Boyes, Oscar Fletcher, Rio May and substitute Brad Fewster.

Whilst the defeat was bad enough, more significantly it made Ashington’s goal difference the worst in the division as the Wansbeck side – who remain fourth bottom – battle to avoid the drop.

A dejected Ellison said: “It was a really, really humbling experience after last week’s good performance. Redcar are a brilliant team with a fantastic management set up behind them and are top of the league for a reason but if we aren’t prepared to do the ‘non-negotiables’ in football, things like today happens.”

He continued: “No-one expected us to get a result today and to be honest the easy way out would be to say it was a free hit for us but that’s something which I’m not willing to accept. I’ll take full responsibility as I’ve sent the lads out onto the pitch but there have been a few harsh truths that needed to be told within the dressing room. As I’ve said, I don’t want to take any shine off Redcar’s performance as they were really good value for their win and if it wasn’t for our goalkeeper Ben Metcalf, the result could have looked even worse than it does – but we cannot allow good teams and good players to do as they wish and crumble when things don’t go our way.”

He concluded: “It’s all about character now and we’ll do our best to have the lads ready to go again on Tuesday night when we are at home against Emley.”

Ashington AFC have further strengthened their squad with the addition of Rees Greenwood ahead of the upcoming fixtures. The former Sunderland player began his career with the Black Cats, progressing through the academy from the age of eight before making his Premier League debut against Watford in May 2016. Greenwood has since built a varied senior career with spells at Gateshead, Falkirk, Spennymoor Town, West Auckland Town and overseas in the UAE and Iceland, gaining valuable experience across different environments. His attacking qualities, versatility and senior experience add depth and quality to the Ashington squad.

The club can also confirm that 19-year-old left-back Christian Lynn has joined on a dual-registration with Gateshead FC. A technically gifted full-back, Lynn is comfortable in possession and provides an attacking threat, particularly from set-pieces. During his time with Newcastle Benfield he made 18 appearances, impressing with his composure, delivery and game understanding. Lynn was previously dual registered with Blyth Spartans, but a change in management limited his opportunities, and the move now provides a strong platform for continued development while contributing to Ashington’s defensive options.

Manager Marc Ellison added he was pleased to add further additions to the squad, with the current group stretched due to injuries, suspensions and player availability. He believes the duo will add important depth for the remainder of the season as the team prepares for a busy schedule of fixtures.

Photo: Sunderland AFC

Ashington AFC are pleased to confirm the signing of Ben Metcalf, who joins the club on a short-term youth loan from Sunderland AFC.

The 18-year-old goalkeeper arrives at Woodhorn Lane after progressing through the ranks at Sunderland, where his professionalism and consistency were recently rewarded with his first professional contract.

Metcalf made 20 appearances in the U18 Premier League last season for the Black Cats, establishing himself as a reliable presence and continuing his development within a high-performance academy environment. The move to Ashington provides an important opportunity for him to experience senior football and further accelerate his growth.

At international level, Metcalf is a Northern Ireland youth international. He was selected for the Northern Ireland U19 squad for UEFA European Championship qualifiers against Denmark, Israel and Albania in November, having previously represented his country at U17 level in 2022. His international involvement reflects the strong potential identified in his development.

Manager Marc Ellison welcomed the addition, saying:
“We’re delighted to bring Ben into the group. He’s a talented young goalkeeper with excellent habits and a strong mentality. His academy experience at Sunderland and exposure to international football make him an exciting addition, and we’re looking forward to supporting his development.”

We would like to place on record our thanks to Sunderland AFC. The loan highlights the positive working relationship between Ashington AFC and Sunderland AFC, with both clubs committed to providing meaningful first-team opportunities for emerging players.

Everyone at Ashington AFC would like to welcome Ben to the club and wish him every success during his time with us.

By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

Liam Wotherspoon scored his first goal for Ashington in the 2-0 victory over North Ferriby on Saturday – and was delighted to get off the mark.

However, the 29 year old said afterwards that securing the win was the most important aspect and that the club must kick on.

Wotherspoon – who joined the Colliers from Newcastle Blue Star earlier in the campaign – commented: “It was my first goal for the club today which I was delighted with but I was more pleased that we got the three points. It was one of those where we were hanging on for as long as we could for the last 10-15 minutes. We really dug in and got a chance with them (North Ferriby) piling forward and the ‘keeper coming up for the corner near the end. The ball broke to Liam Noble on the right and I just put the burners on and ran as quick as I could through the middle hoping he would play me in – which he did – and it was an easy finish.”

He continued: “We absolutely deserved it. For a number of weeks now we haven’t really been in a good place because we haven’t been getting the results we wanted but we’ve worked really, really hard in training, trying to implement some things and we put them into practice today. At this time of the season it is all about getting results and we knew that it was a massive, massive game for us today at North Ferriby. Yes they went down to ten men – but even before the sending off, we were dominating the game and I thought we played really well.”

He added: “It’s a huge three points but now we’ve got to kick on. There are some tough games coming up against teams who are in and around us but winning breeds confidence and we’ve got to make sure we win more games and hopefully keep the club in this league. We’ve got a really good bunch of lads with a blend of youth and experience who are all pulling in the same direction and hopefully if we stick at it and keep working hard in games and in training, the results will come.”

Newcastle-born Wotherspoon gave a special mention to the travelling fans who were vocal with their backing throughout: “It’s a long way to come and despite results not being the way we wanted recently, they have still travelled in their numbers,” he said, “The supporters make a difference 100 per cent and when I scored, the first thing I wanted to do was run over and celebrate in front of them as a big thank you for coming down. They could be doing other things on a Saturday but they have come to watch us and we are all really grateful to them for doing that.”

Ashington now move on to Tuesday night’s game against Blyth Town – one of Wotherspoon’s former clubs and he said: “I was at Blyth Town for a number of years and I know their management team of Gav Fell and Michael Connor will make it really tough for us – so we’ve got to make sure we’re up for the fight.”