Fans Forum Summary –  Saturday 7^th February 2026

Welcome and Introductions

Chair Nicola Sanders-Cooper welcomed everyone and thanked those who came along. With the fixture postponed and players already present at the ground, it was felt this was a good opportunity to hold an open forum and give supporters the chance to ask questions directly.

Nicola introduced the directors in attendance – Brian Shotton and Gavin Perry – along with interim management Marc Ellison and Karl Ross.

Board Update

Brian Shotton – Director Role

Brian explained the background to his return to the football board.

The Club operates across two separate businesses:

• The building, bar and facilities – Ashington Community Football Club Limited
• The football operation – Ashington Association Football Club Limited

Brian has remained involved on the building and facilities side. He resigned as Chairman in July 2024 and formally stepped down as a director of the football side in September 2024, feeling at the time he had taken that role as far as he could. After a period away, he has decided to return and support the Club again.

He reminded supporters that all board members work full-time elsewhere, some out of the country, and give their time voluntarily, so work and home life do come first. All directors do, however, take their roles seriously as custodians of this football club. There have been several positive ideas put forward to strengthen the Club financially, though implementing them takes time and capacity.

Interim Management and Future Plans

Fan Question: What is the process for appointing a permanent manager, and what is the current state of suspensions?

Gavin Perry: With 16 games remaining, the board must carefully consider whether now is the right time to make a permanent appointment. Many managers prefer to bring in their own players, and making a change at this stage could create disruption.

Brian Shotton: reiterated that bringing a new manager in now could result in further upheaval. Nothing has been ruled in or out.

Suspensions Update

• Karl Ross – 2 games remaining
• Marc Ellison – 3 games remaining

Communication and Social Media

A supporter raised concerns about recent social media criticism, that while everyone is entitled to an opinion, some commentary can feel personal rather than constructive. At times, it appears agenda-driven, which can be disheartening for those involved at the Club who are giving their time freely and put themselves in the ‘firing line’.

Nicola Sanders-Cooper: We welcome feedback and acknowledge that communication can improve, but we often cannot release certain information or do so in a timely manner for various reasons.

Recently, the club received criticism after an opposition side announced a postponement before us and before it had been formally confirmed by the league. We are required to wait for confirmation from the NPL before making any announcement; otherwise, we risk potential sanctions. In that instance, the situation was outside our control. It serves as a reminder that matters are not always as straightforward as they may appear.

Nicola reiterated that the board is approachable. Directors can be spoken to at matches and contacted via email. The board meets weekly, including one member (Drew Tinsley) who joins remotely from Dubai at 11 pm. The commitment is there, and supporters were asked to work with the board rather than against it.

Brian Shotton: Feedback is always noted, though it is not always constructive and can feel like certain members of the club are targets at times. He has always believed the club should be as accessible as possible and has always taken pride in transparency. Football clubs may operate as businesses, but they represent a wider community and carry that responsibility. At the same time, as with any organisation, certain information can be commercially or personally sensitive and cannot always be shared publicly. He added that the board’s focus is on getting things done and keeping the club moving forward. While consultation is welcomed wherever possible, there are occasions when decisions must be made quickly or within regulatory limits, and it is not always practical to seek wider input beforehand.

Sponsorship and Financial Position

Nicola Sanders-Cooper expressed the ongoing challenge of securing sponsorship. Many businesses are under pressure, making it difficult to attract new partners. The possibility of appointing a dedicated salesperson has been discussed and will continue to be explored.

The Club is currently fourth in average league attendance, which is positive. However, average attendances have dropped from over 500 per match in previous seasons to just over 300 this year (excluding Blyth Spartans fixture which attracted a large number of away supporters or supporters who might only come to big fixtures). That reduction has had a significant financial impact.

Brian Shotton: confirmed that the annual playing budget, including travel, now exceeds £140,000 per season. For a club without a benefactor or major sponsor, this represents a substantial commitment. During the recent spell of postponements and reduced income, directors have personally stepped in to support shortfalls in projected income. This was not a budgetary issue but a pure cash flow matter.

Playing Style and On-Field Approach

Fan Question: The Friday night game vs Newton Aycliffe a few months ago was one of my worst in memory for performance, and generally the football has been poor, is there going to be a change in the way we are playing? Is it going to be more entertaining?

Marc Ellison: Obviously, nobody has been happy where we are as a team and it has been too inconsistent. During the recent break in fixtures, the squad has trained with input from Ian Skinner, and has begun working on adjustments in approach. The players are eager to return to competitive matches. Ian has other work commitments and cannot assist on a full-time basis.

Postponements and FA Support

Fan Question: Do the FA provide contingency support when games are cancelled?

Gavin Perry: There are funding streams available, but not for general day-to-day running costs. Clubs are expected to account for those within their budgets. Applications are ongoing, though funding is competitive and not guaranteed.

Brian Shotton: While a budget exists, extended stoppages are difficult to plan for. The Blyth Spartans fixture in December provided a strong financial boost, but momentum has been lost with only one home game since. Any business would struggle if income ceased while costs continued.

Nicola Sanders-Cooper: added that the board is speaking with sponsors and reviewing other income options. The 50/50 draw being conducted today has been helpful, alongside pitch squares and wall tiles available online.

There was also discussion around reintroducing hospitality packages and hosting live music events. Supporters with ideas or proposals were encouraged to put their proposals to the board as nothing can be instantly dismissed at this stage.

League Position and Ambition

Fan Question: Would the Club be better off competing back in the Northern League?

There were differing opinions, though the overall view was that the Club and players want to compete at this level. While costs would be lower in the Northern League, there is no desire to undo the work that went into securing promotion two years ago.

Squad Development

Fan Question: Can we recruit a left-footed player to provide greater width?

Marc Ellison / Karl Ross: Such players are not easy to find. However, the intended style of play does not depend solely on that profile of player.

Ground Signage

Fan Question: Can a board be installed at the entrance to ground entrance to promote fixtures?

Nicola Sanders-Cooper: This has been discussed. Planning permission would be required for external signage. An existing sign did receive permission when first installed, and the Club is reviewing whether it can be adapted.

The meeting concluded with thanks to everyone who attended and contributed. Further dates for fans’ forums will be communicated when confirmed.

By Brian Bennett

A familiar face re-joined the board of directors at Ashington Football Club last week.

Brian Shotton – who as chairman steered the Colliers out of a dark period in the club’s history to a highly successful time during his six years at the helm – admitted that he stepped down due to exhaustion and other priorities but returns recharged, refreshed and revitalised for a ‘different type of challenge.’

A lifelong supporter of the club, Brian said at the weekend: “I’ve returned to what is the football board. I was still a director of the company that operates the ground and the bar, so I’d never fully stepped away from the club. I just moved back from the football side a couple of years ago. It felt like the right time. I’d worked very closely with Ian Skinner during his spell as manager, and as he moved on, new board members were coming in. I thought it was only fair to give them the space to settle in and bring their own ideas and direction to the club.”

He continued: “At that point, others were stepping in to take on some of the responsibility, which I felt was the right move. My day job at Hirst Welfare was also at a key stage of change, requiring my full focus at an important time. But with recent events and the club entering another period of change, I met with the board last week and agreed to return to offer some support. I feel refreshed and ready to contribute again. Running a Football Club is very demanding. From the outside, it can look straightforward, but the reality is very different. You’re balancing work, family life and football in what is already a busy world. My main priority will always be my day job and family life, with the football club alongside that.”

He added: “With Marc (Ellison) and Karl (Ross), I think we have got a good interim management team. We certainly have some good players who have a mix of experience and youth. I am confident results will come. We undoubtedly want to remain in the Northern Premier League. There was some discussion at the fans’ forum about whether dropping into the Northern League below might suit us better overall as a club, but I don’t share that view. It might reduce costs, yes. But I know the club’s mindset. We all want to test ourselves at the highest level we can. That’s where the challenge is, and that’s where we believe we belong. A lot of work went into getting this club into the Northern Premier League, and I’m not prepared to simply accept giving that up. I know others feel the same.”

Brian, 42, said: “My grandad was a lifelong Ashington supporter. He used to stand at Portland Park in the 1950s watching us play the likes of Peterborough and Wigan Athletic, and he took me along as a youngster to see teams managed by Keith Grant, Cec Irwin and John Connolly. I’m a Sunderland supporter through my dad, but Ashington is different. I bleed black and white for this club. I’ll always do what I can to help, and I hope I can bring some of the drive we had during my previous spell, when we enjoyed success on the pitch after the pandemic. Looking ahead, we need to be more community-focused, build stronger local links and be smarter commercially. We don’t currently run a junior section of our own, largely because of falling numbers, the challenge of attracting volunteers and the fact that we only have a grass pitch, which limits how much the facility can be used and does not lend itself to being as inclusive as we would like to have been as a club. That makes it even more important to work closely with junior clubs in the area and

ensure Ashington is seen as the natural next step into senior football. The landscape is tougher than it once was, both financially and structurally, but the objective is clear – connect with the community and compete at the highest level we can.”

He went on: “I’ve always seen myself as someone who gets on with things. I’m not one for just talking; I prefer to put things into action. People will always have views on how things are done, but the reality is that they are done in the best interests of Ashington Football Club. I genuinely believe everyone at this football club is giving what they can within the circumstances we’re working in. If anyone feels they can offer time, skills or support, I’d encourage them to step forward. Help is needed, and it’s always welcome.”

He concluded: “But all said I’m very pleased to be back. It’s a different challenge from last time, and I’m ready to play my part.”

By Brian Bennett

Marc Ellison says he is ‘more than confident’ that the relegation clouds will move away from the Woodhorn Lane based club come the end of the current campaign.

Ellison – charged with the task of taking over as an interim boss alongside Karl Ross following the departure of previous manager Nick Gray and his assistant Liam McIvor by mutual agreement  – was speaking on Saturday lunchtime after the wet weather had once again intervened and led to the Colliers home clash against Emley being called off due to a waterlogged pitch.

Earlier in the week Ashington’s match with Consett was also cancelled.

The Wansbeck side who are already in the drop zone, moved another place down the table after Bishop Auckland’s 2-0 win over Heaton Stannington but as his side prepare to face Bridlington Town on Tuesday night (February 10), Ellison pushed everything to one side to predict that Ashington will retain their status in the East Division of the Pitching In Northern Premier League next season.

The 35 year old said: “The lads seem excited and are looking forward to getting the games on to have a much better experience in the second half of the season. As a management team we’ve been able to get them on the grass at training and change a couple of things. We’ve also been able to talk to them and put over new ideas as to how we want them to play.”

He continued: “I can’t wait for Tuesday (v Bridlington Town). I’m probably not going to play this year whereas Karl (Ross) is the captain and nine times out of ten he’s going to be playing and he is there for me to bounce ideas off. I feel as if I’ve been put in a tumble dryer over the past week. My phone hasn’t stopped and I’ve been thinking about this and that but I’m really looking forward to it because management – as I have already stated – is something which I have thought about. I’m looking forward to getting my teeth into things, seeing where we go and for us to push on.”

Ellison – who is hoping the passionate supporters at Woodhorn Lane will get behind the team – added: “I’m more than confident and quite excited about the end of the season. The lads we have got in the squad are good players who have been about and we have got a really strong spine. With different ideas, they can implement what we are trying to do and change the way we play and I think that will also alter the way teams on the outside look at us as well. If we have a good month and get some results, that will make things easier – but if we don’t, I still reckon we’ve got more than enough in the squad to keep us up.”

🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍

Since Boxing Day, we’ve had just one home game at Woodhorn Lane. For a club at our level, that’s been a tough run. Long gaps without football affect everyone connected to Ashington AFC.

A special mention to Scott Robson, who continues to put the hours in trying to give us every chance of getting matches on. No one wants football back more than the people working behind the scenes.

Home fixtures are our main source of income. Gate receipts, bar sales and the 50/50 draw usually keep things ticking over. When games are postponed, that income isn’t there – but player wages, rent, utilities, insurance and the rest of the weekly costs still have to be paid.

We understand times are difficult for many, so any support, in whatever way you can manage, is appreciated. We’re fortunate to have some of, if not the best, supporters around.

If you’re able to help the club through this spell:

1️⃣ Call into Colliers Bar when live football is on TV and help keep things moving.

2️⃣ Make a donation to the club:
https://www.ashingtonafc.com/donate

3️⃣ Get your Woodhorn Wall Fan Tile:
https://www.ashingtonafc.com/wall

4️⃣ Sponsor a piece of the pitch for 2025/26:
https://www.ashingtonafc.com/pitch

5️⃣ View our Sponsorship packages:
https://www.ashingtonafc.com/sponsorship

We’re also planning an upcoming Fans Forum with the club directors and interim management team to provide an open update and answer questions. We’ll confirm the date shortly.

Thank you for sticking with the Colliers. We’ll be ready to go again as soon as the weather allows.

🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍🖤🤍

Ashington AFC is pleased to confirm that Brian Shotton has re-joined the football board.

Known to many as a lifelong supporter of the club, Brian previously served as Chairman from 2018 to 2024 during a period of recovery and one of the most successful spells in the club’s recent history.

He returns determined to play his part again, offering experience, stability and a strong belief in the club’s future both on and off the pitch.

By Brian Bennett

Ashington lynchpin Scott Lowery has been ruled out for the rest of the season.

The tall defender has been sidelined since the middle of October with a knee problem but has now received the diagnosis: “The injury happened in the first half of the home game against North Ferriby,” said Lowery who will celebrate his 30^th birthday next week, “I felt a pop in my knee and the initial pain was pretty bad. However I played the rest of the match and was okay – until I woke up the following morning and couldn’t move! I thought it was something which I had twisted or jolted and I tried to return to training after a month but the knee popped again. I’ve had an MRI scan and I’ve torn the posterior cruciate ligament in the back of my right knee.”

Ashington-born Lowery continued: “It’s not a full rupture or fully severed but is a grade two tear. I think surgery was an option but it can basically heal by itself with rest and restrengthening. Kev Chapman, the club’s physiotherapist has given me some workout plans to do and I could probably catch the last couple of games of the campaign. However for the long run it’s better off maybes strengthening it a bit more and not forcing things and looking to come back next season.”

Cramlington-based Lowery added: “I’m devastated. It’s a lonely place being injured because you forget just how much you see the lads which is twice a week at training – unless we have a midweek match – plus a Saturday. I do try to support the lads as much as I can but when I watch the games, I’m kicking every ball and jumping for every header.”

He went on: “It’s so tough watching because all I want to do is to be playing and helping the lads as much as I can and there’s nowhere I’d rather be than back out on the pitch to be honest.”

By Brian Bennett

Jeremy Perera says he has two primary targets after signing for Ashington following his release from neighbours Blyth Spartans.

The Gibraltar international is hoping to become a leading light in the Colliers’ squad as well as looking to help steer the club away from the clutches of the relegation drop zone.

Whilst the Colliers were idle on Saturday, Lincoln United’s 2-0 victory over Ossett United saw them leapfrog from the basement in the table above Ashington on goal difference and push the Wansbeck outfit into the bottom four.

Perera – who trained with his team mates after the Colliers’ match away to Blyth Town had been called off – said about his move: “Obviously it’s a big step to take but I had no hesitation in putting pen to paper. I wasn’t playing at Blyth but I want to be a key player here at Ashington – that’s my aim – and hopefully to help the club to stay in this league.”

The 20 year old, who plays in a defensive midfield role, is raring to go: “The club look as if they have got a good fanbase and I’m itching to get going,” he added, “The game at Blyth Town was called off which was sad news but hopefully we can get going against Consett on Tuesday night.”

By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

Marc Ellison and Karl Ross have agreed to take over team affairs during the interim at Ashington Football Club.

The move comes after manager Nick Gray and his assistant Liam McIvor left the club by mutual agreement last week.

Unfortunately the duo’s first game in charge turned out to be an anti climax as the Colliers’ away fixture at Blyth Town was called off on Saturday morning due to a waterlogged pitch.

Now the pair turn their attentions to Tuesday night’s home clash against Consett – a fixture which has already been postponed on two previous occasions.

Ellison and Ross are both members of the current playing staff – and both spoke at the weekend about having ‘no hesitation’ in taking on additional duties at Woodhorn Lane.

In Ellison’s case, a move into management had already crossed his mind: “I would be lying if I said it wasn’t something I hadn’t thought about anyway as age wise I’m 35,” he said, “I had no hesitation. My body doesn’t feel great so was it something I’d be looking at? Yes. Did I think it was going to happen now – no. I probably was going to be thinking about it at the end of the season anyway so from a selfish point of view I can get to dip my toes in and see if I like it. Will I be needed to play again this year? I don’t know.”

Apart from being skipper, Ross is the longest serving player in the squad. He is in his eighth season playing for his home town club after signing in November 2018 and making his debut in a 1-1 draw at Shildon.

The 27 year old said: “We had a little conversation about it and I had no hesitation in saying ‘yes’. It was a no brainer for me because I’ll do anything I can just to try and help the club which will give them a bit of time to get things into place.”

Hartlepool-born Ellison added: “Did anyone expect Nick (Gray) to leave the club on Tuesday? No – but quite simply, we haven’t been good enough from the start of the season to where we are now. It was disappointing that the match at Blyth Town was off because you always want to play on a Saturday. We’ve got a couple of games coming up where we play teams around us so it would have been ideal to have played today (Saturday) to try and get some points on board. On the flip side it gave us a chance to have a training session and work on things.”

Tuesday’s game against Consett has a 7.45pm kick-off.

We are pleased to announce the signing of Gibraltar international midfielder Jeremy Perera, who joins the squad following his release from Blyth Spartans. Perera, known for his technical ability and game intelligence, will be available for selection in tomorrow’s matchday squad.

The decision to bring Perera on board comes as the club’s Interim Management Team has been granted full autonomy to strengthen the team during this transitional period. As the search for a new permanent manager continues, the management team remains committed to enhancing the squad’s capabilities to ensure competitive performance on the field.

Ashington Football Club would like to provide a further update regarding the vacant manager’s position.

Following a meeting with players last night, the club can confirm that Marc Ellison and Karl Ross will take charge of the team on an interim basis while the club considers its options moving forward.

The club would like to thank both Marc and Karl for stepping up and appreciates the continued support of players, staff, and supporters during this period.