By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

It wasn’t the dream start which Nick Gray and his assistant Liam McIvor had wished for.

Ashington’s new management team – in the dugout for the first time – looked on as the Colliers spiralled to a fourth consecutive defeat on Saturday against Stocksbridge Park Steels.

However despite the reverse, Gray is hoping that it will end up being a lucky omen for the future as he explained: “To be fair, I lost the first game I had in charge at my former clubs Seaton Delaval, Morpeth Town and Whitley Bay and we did alright after that so there’s a positive.”

Dissecting the contest, he said: “I thought there wasn’t much in the game at all in the first half. For me it was like a game of chess with a bit of nerves from both sides but we didn’t get the ball down and our play was too slow at times. We won a lot of first balls and if we didn’t win them, I thought we won a lot of second balls. We put our bodies on the line and application and effort wise, we couldn’t have asked any more from the players for the whole game – and if as a management team you are getting that then that’s a starting point.”

He continued: “Second half, Stocksbridge started really bright and well but we weathered that. Then we got on top and we’ve had a good half a dozen entries into the final third but haven’t got players in the box or in the right areas; selected the right choice or had the right belief – and that’s probably a word (belief) which we are looking at. We made substitutes to freshen things up and that was nothing against the players who were on the pitch because I thought they were all magnificent. For the first goal when a team are struggling for a little bit of confidence it is always key and you could see that a little bit. We were in the game then after the second goal, you could see that everyone was deflated.”

He went on: “Apart from the first ten minutes of the second half, I thought we were the better side. However I said to the lads that it’s a new era and we’ve just got to get our first win and the sooner we get it then we’ll be on track. I’ve heard that we’ve missed Connor Thomson. You can’t change the past but you can look towards the future and that’s what we’ve got to do. I thought there were some good performances today and you could see at the end that the lads were gutted. It’s a starting point and we’ve now got a free midweek which will be good.”

Gray was adamant that Ashington should have ended with some reward: “It’s not the result we wanted but there were more positives than negatives and we now look forward to playing Brighouse away on Saturday which we know is a tough place to go,” he added, “However if we have the resilience which we had today and a little bit of luck we’ll be okay. This afternoon, it showed that goals change games and at the end I thought the scoreline flattered them (Stocksbridge) because overall I definitely thought we deserved a point but sometimes in football you don’t always get what you deserve.”

By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

New assistant manager Liam McIvor says he cannot wait for Ashington’s NPL East Division home clash against Stocksbridge Park Steels on Saturday (October 12).

McIvor has been brought in by Nick Gray to be his number two with the pair previously working together at Ebac Northern League first division side Whitley Bay.

Throckley-born McIvor said: “When Nick asked me, I had no hesitation in saying yes. I like working with him because he’s a great manager and I’ve always said that when I was playing, I wished I had had someone like Nick in the changing room. He gets you up for games and I can understand why he has done so well in the past.”

He continued: “To be honest, Ashington is a massive club and has got loads of potential to go as far as the club want it to. I can’t wait for Saturday. It’ll be a very tough game – Stocksbridge are currently in a play off spot – but the league is wide open.”

The 41 year old added: “I watched Ashington against Sheffield recently and the result wasn’t the best but the lads never gave up and it was bit frustrating for them to go in at half time 2-0 down when they had controlled that game. However, it’s onwards and upwards and there were plenty of positives to take out of the 4-1 defeat.”

Nick Gray said: “I had Liam with me at Whitley Bay and he’s an honest, loyal and hardworking lad. Football is not rocket science and we are both on the same wavelength and have similar ideas.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington manager Nick Gray revealed that his proudest moment in football was eight years ago when he steered Morpeth Town to a 4-1 win over Hereford to lift the FA Vase at Wembley Stadium.

Recalling the unforgettable scenes, Gray said: “It was so special and is my proudest moment. There was a crowd of 48,000 inside Wembley and we were probably playing against the biggest favourites in Hereford. We watched them about 18 times. They had a lot of games and I even missed some of our own matches to take the opportunity to see them. Hereford had won the treble and I said to our lads ‘with no disrespect it’s like us being in the Northern Alliance League – because if we had won the NAL, we would have won the treble.”

He continued: “The Vase win was fantastic but the promotions with Morpeth Town were also great. To be fair it was important that we got out of the second division of the Northern League. We beat Brandon and Jarrow Roofing then drew with Seaham Red Star to win promotion on goal difference in the second year. Next up the ladder was the Northern League first division leading up to the Northern Premier League East Division followed by elevation to the NPL Premier Division. We were doing well and had hit a good streak then COVID kicked in in March and that’s when I decided to hang up my coach’s jacket. However, Ken Beattie the chair of Morpeth Town wanted to keep me involved at the club and that’s when the academy at the club came along.”

By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

Ashington manager Nick Gray has called on the public to come out in force on Saturday (October 12) when the Colliers take on Stocksbridge Park Steels in their Northern Premier League East Division clash at Woodhorn Lane (3pm).

Gray – installed into the managerial hot seat last Sunday – will be in the dugout for the first time on Saturday and is hoping for a bumper crowd to come through the turnstiles and have the place ‘rocking.’

He said: “I firmly believe that they (the fans) can play a big part. If they get behind the players will it lift them? 100 per cent it will. I know attendances have been down but especially in this area if they see attractive football and they see people giving work ethic – although I’m not saying the lads haven’t been giving it – then they’ll come back. I would love to see the public out in their droves to support us. The club had a gate of 400 against Sherwood Colliery and during their run in the FA Cup run last year they got crowds of over 1.000. A lot of fans in Northumberland pick a game to go to – and I’d like them to come and watch us.”

He continued: “There is the International break so there are no games involving Newcastle United or Sunderland – and I would love to see Woodhorn Lane rocking. The lads will be giving 100 per cent effort and work rate and will get a lift from the supporters – and if you cannot play football on the Woodhorn Lane pitch in what is a great stadium, then there is no point in having a pitch like that. If the fans see that there is some structure and shape to our game – again I’m not saying that there hasn’t been – they can help the players and give them confidence.”

Tickets for Saturday’s match can be bought online on the following link:

https://ashingtonafc.ktckts.com/event/asn2425home06/ashington-afc-vs-stocksbridge-park-steels-fc

By Brian Bennett

Newly installed Ashington manager Nick Gray has targeted a place in the play offs come the end of the season.

Gray – who was announced as the new boss on Sunday afternoon – supervised his first training session at the club on Tuesday evening ahead of Saturday’s home clash against Stocksbridge Park Steels and he said afterwards: “Its easy to just say consolidate – but that’s a cop out for me. I look at the league table and there is not a lot in the games but we need to go on a run. I’m sure we will tweak and refresh things a little bit but if we can generate a good team spirit and a good work ethic plus a little bit of luck which you always need then who knows? No matter what age you are, you are in football to win games – and I’m a different person when I win a game of football opposed to if I lose one.”

He continued: “We’ve got to think positive. We are only nine points away from a play off spot and there are always going to be teams who pick up or drop off. Ashington has got the nucleus and the shell of going higher and being where Morpeth Town are now – in the premier division on the NPL – it all depends on how far they want to go. That said, it doesn’t come easy but I do think we have got to target the play offs. If we don’t get there then I’m confident that I would know what was needed to make sure that we are in the middle of the play offs next season because that’s what you have got to do – keep on learning.”

Gray began his managerial career at Seaton Delaval where he spent four years working alongside Jon McDonald who is now the manager of Dunston. From there he joined Morpeth Town and had a highly successful period of nine years during which he won promotions and the fabulous triumph over Hereford in the final of the FA Vase at Wembley Stadium in 2016.

After he left the Highwaymen, Gray had a three year break before joining Ebac Northern League first division outfit Whitley Bay where he was in charge for a period of two years.

Since leaving Hillheads in February, Gray has continued to watch matches in the area – including Ashington’s recent clash against Sherwood Colliery – until his appointment with the Woodhorn Lane outfit was announced on Sunday.

He said: “There are only certain jobs that I would go for because its got to be the right club for yourself. You’ve also got to have ambition. Although I had quite a few commitments, the club (Ashington) were keen to get me onboard and I agreed to take the job.”

By Brian Bennett

Paul Robinson, Gary Ormston and Andrew Cartwright have stepped away from interim management duties after Ashington appointed Nick Gray as their new boss on Sunday afternoon.

And Robinson said that it’s a really good opportunity for Gray to ‘put his stamp’ on things: “Ashington is a brilliant club and I think it’s a terrific job for the new manager to really drive it forward. We have a free midweek so it’s a good time for the new boss to come in and put his stamp on things.”

He continued: “I think the lads are ready for that. Results haven’t gone our way in the last three games. The first two were a little bit flat and disappointing but I’ve seen enough character and fight out there from the lads to see that there is still lots to play for. It’s early October with 33 league games left in the season and we have got more than enough in that dressing room to go on a run, pick up points and fight for the play offs which I think everybody wants.”

By Brian Bennett

Paul Robinson thought Ashington ‘possibly deserved a point’ despite going down 3-2 against Consett at the Belle View Stadium on Saturday.

After Marc Costello’s opener for the home side, Jack Camarda levelled from the penalty spot but the Steelmen got their noses back in front through Brandon Holdsworth before substitute Jake Jensen added a third.

Andrew Johnson reduced the arrears but Consett held on to take all three points.

Robinson who was in the dugout as part of the interim management team, said afterwards: “We had a careless start to the game but got back into it and deservedly levelled at 1-1. Then two sloppy goals in the second half have cost us but credit to the lads after that because they dug in and showed some good character. We pulled a goal back and could have got another which would have been an equaliser. Eddie Thomas has had a good chance and on another day we could have come away with a 3-3 draw.”

He continued: “We huffed and puffed and it was an okay performance if not our best but I thought we possibly deserved a point on chances at the end. It was disappointing but I’ve just thanked the lads for their efforts.”

By Brian Bennett

Andrew Cartwright fronted up to deliver the postmatch assessment from the Ashington camp following their 4-1 defeat against Sheffield FC at Woodhorn Lane on Tuesday night.

Charlie Exley scored what turned out to be a mere consolation goal for the Colliers with an honest and frank Cartwright saying that the visitors wanted it more than Ashington and labelled the performance by the Wansbeck side as ‘not good enough.’

“In football, people have played for long enough without somebody standing telling them whether their performance was good enough or not and I think the boys will all walk away from tonight knowing that it wasn’t good enough,” said Cartwright, “However you can’t sulk about it and we’ve just got to go again when we got to Consett on Saturday which for us now is our biggest game – the next game is always your biggest.”

Cartwright – who was in the dugout – continued: “In the first half, I thought we were passive. From our point of view, the first goal for Sheffield was sloppy but these things happen and its not one thing that defines the performance. I didn’t think we were aggressive enough in the times where we had to compete and in fairness to Sheffield who had had a long travel, it just looked like they wanted it more than we did which for me is something which can never be an excuse – that can never be the case. You can talk about us having no manager or about players who are injured but I think when you get beat because a team look they want it more, that nullifies everything else because that’s not good enough. For the boys I think that should dent any footballers’ pride. We are here because we love playing football but to go home after the game thinking that the other team have wanted it more, that’s something which has hurt me and I’m sure the boys will be hurting as well but listen, the top and bottom of it is you’ve got to go again. If you sulk about it, it’s not going to be productive at all so we’ve just got to dust ourselves down, train on Thursday and go to Consett on Saturday and we’ve got to perform. There’s got to be a reaction.”

Trailing 3-0, Ashington reduced the arrears through Exley and Cartwright added: “When Charlie netted from a set piece, momentum shifts are a big thing in any sport but did we really look like a threat? We had a couple of half chances and then they (Sheffield) scored a fourth on the break. They got the ball forward quickly and that wasn’t because they lumped it – they got the ball in good areas and hurt us and you can’t expect to win a game after conceding four goals. Probably everyone in our changing room knows that they weren’t good enough. If that happens you’ve got to pull your mate out and perform to get back into the game – and we just didn’t do that so we’ve got to be upset and I hope it puts fire into our bellies for Saturday.”

The interim management team of Gary Ormston, Paul Robinson and Cartwright have been in charge for five matches and the latter went on: “We started well after the departure of the joint coaches (Andy Coyles and Richie Hill) and I said recently that you can’t get too high when you do well or too low when you don’t. The last time I did a postmatch interview was a high point – this time it is a low point. However, we will turn up at Consett ready to play at 0-0 so we have got every opportunity to put something right and I’m hopeful that we will do that. We’ve got a top, top squad but we were so below par tonight. Fair play to Sheffield – they came up here and battered us really.”

The interim management team has performed exceptionally well since their appointment, with the positive performances and results, allowing the club the necessary time to conduct a thorough recruitment process involving applications, shortlisting, and discussions. Their professionalism and commitment have been instrumental during this transitional period.

On Tuesday, the interim management team met with the club and expressed their desire to return to their playing roles as opposed to continuing in their current interim management roles. As a result, the club has decided to accelerate the managerial appointment process. We are confident that a new manager will be appointed within the next 7 days, which will allow them a full week to prepare ahead of their first game in charge.

In the meantime, it’s business as usual, with two important games this week, both of which will be overseen by the current interim management team.

We thank the interim management team for their continued hard work and dedication and look forward to announcing the new managerial appointment soon.

By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

Ben Williams says he is delighted to be back at Ashington – after signing for the Colliers at the end of last week on loan from Gateshead until January.

The 19 year old was a big hit with supporters at Woodhorn Lane last season which was confirmed when they named him as their ‘Player of the year’ at the awards ceremony and he was rewarded in the summer when the Vanarama National League side offered him a professional contract.

Newcastle-born Williams said: “I was in the 19’s programme with Gateshead last year whilst obviously playing here at Ashington where I thought I did quite well so to get the contract was a pleasing thing for me. I got the supporters player of the year (at Ashington) and was really pleased because it was my first season in proper men’s football. The award gave me the knowledge that I did have a good season and that I wanted to keep going and kick on.”

He continued: “I was told that I would spent the first half of pre season with Gateshead but with the depth of the squad they have got then probably go out on loan. It means I should get 90 minutes into my legs every week and develop that way whilst obviously still training every day with Gateshead.”

Williams – who is based in Bedlington – initially went out on loan to Northern Premier League Premier Division side Workington and he said: “I wanted to see what it was like to play in the league above Ashington’s – I had to give it a go. When the loan finished a couple of clubs came in for me in the NPL East Division but I said if I was going to come back into this league I wanted to return to Ashington where I had enjoyed my football last season. I thought it was only right – and I’m delighted to be back. They have got a top set of lads at the club and it feels as if I’ve never been away because I’ve fitted in really well again.”

Williams was in the starting line up for Ashington’s home match against Sherwood Colliery on Saturday which the Colliers lost 1-0: “The result obviously wasn’t the one we wanted today,” added the central defender, “I thought there were some good things in the game today and things which we could have done better. We’ve got to finish chances especially when you are only getting beat 1-0 and you feel as though you have done well defensively. I know it is putting the emphasis on the strikers and the attacking players to grab the goals that will win us the game – and that didn’t materialise today – but hopefully we can put it right on Tuesday night when we are at home against Sheffield.”