By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner admitted that although his side were faced with challenging conditions, he nevertheless thought they deserved a share of the spoils against Carton Town on Saturday.

The Colliers travelled to Nottinghamshire looking to complete a seasons double after recording a 4-0 win over the Millers in November. However, a goal at the beginning and end of the second half saw them slip to a 2-0 defeat: “We weren’t at our best today in terms of the way we try and keep the ball and move the ball but I still thought a draw would have been a fair result,” said Skinner afterwards, “To be honest, I didn’t think it was a great spectacle with the game played out in difficult conditions with the wind and a difficult playing surface. However what I will say is full credit to Carlton and everybody involved at their club who gave up their time to get the pitch into a position for the match to go ahead so fair play to them for that.”

He continued: “The wind was blowing diagonally across the pitch and I think it was slightly in our favour in the first half and at times we got into some decent positions. I remember Wilson Kneeshaw being one-on-one on at least three occasions but to the credit of their number eight (Khyle Sargent) he defended really, really well – whether it be he made a last ditch tackle or whether he got a tackle in and sent the ball for a corner. On another day we would probably look at taking one or two of those chances whereas at the other end they (Carlton) fashioned a bit of a half chance from a set play and a long throw. Our goalkeeper Karl Dryden has made a comfortable save from a free kick deep into stoppage time and at half time a 0-0 scoreline probably summed the game up a little bit.”

The boss was unhappy with Carlton’s opening goal in the 53^rd minute from Niall Davie: “Second half, the wind was slightly in their favour but we’ve conceded a really poor goal from a set piece in terms of not being strong enough to defend our goal. After that, again it’s not been a great spectacle to watch and then having made three substitutes, we’ve ended up going down to ten men after having to withdraw Will Constantin. However, I thought that led to us having our best spell in the game. It’s funny how things work out in football – and there’s a physiological factor to it in terms of you know you are a player short so when you have got the ball you don’t want to give it away cheaply and when you haven’t got the ball you know you have got to work that little bit harder. We saw both elements of that and we started to cause them all sorts of problems. We controlled possession; we got into some good positions and you could sense that they (Carlton) were getting nervous.”

Skinner eluded to a golden opportunity which fell to substitute Connor Thomson two minutes into stoppage time: “It was a massive turning point in the game,” he said, “We’ve worked the ball from left to right and have got Connor (Thomson) in on the right hand side of the penalty area. He has hit a great strike but the goalkeeper has managed to get a foot to it and deflect it behind for a corner. Then a few minutes after that, they’ve been awarded a penalty which is soft to say the least. They scored from it and at 2-0 its game over because we are already into added on time at that point.”

He concluded: “Overall I was disappointed to lose. On what was a difficult afternoon could we have done things better? Possibly? However the pivotal moment was the save by their goalkeeper from Connor (Thomson) because if he had scored, we probably would have gone on to take a point.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC’s vice captain Karl Ross said it was’ hard to put into words’ his reaction to the news that manager Ian Skinner will be stepping down from his role as manager at the end of the season.

The 25 year old said that the players were told of the decision by Skinner ahead of training on Tuesday night: “We were getting ready (for training) when Ian came in and got us together in a huddle – then he broke the news to us,” he said, “It was emotional and it’s hard to put things into words because I’ve been on this journey with the boss for over five years and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. We are a tight knit group and it was a bombshell because we just didn’t expect the news.”

Skinner took over the managerial reins in January 2019 when the club were going through a challenging period but three years later he guided the Colliers to silverware as they won both the Northern League Cup and Cleator Cup.

Last season the Wansbeck outfit reached the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup before gracefully bowing out against National League North outfit King’s Lynn.

However on the final day of the Ebac Northern League campaign, Skinner’s side clinched second place in the first division after securing a 1-1 draw at Bishop Auckland and only a week later were promoted to the Pitching In Northern Premier League East Division following an emphatic 3-0 victory over Glossop North End.

By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC defender Gary Ormston said that the news which broke on Tuesday night of Ian Skinner’s departure as manager at the end of the current season came as a big shock to him.

And the 40 year old – who described himself as being ‘one of the senior people at the club’ – added that he will be ‘forever grateful’ to the outgoing boss who will step aside with his head held high after more than five incredible and successful years in the post.

“It was a big shock because there had been no word – sometimes you hear rumours but in this case there was nothing,” he said, “Consequently it was a first for me because I’ve never been to a club where the manager has announced during the season that he is leaving at the end of it. I was with North Shields when Ian (Skinner) took over at Woodhorn Lane in 2019. Ashington have always been a good club with a good fan base but as an outsider looking in, they were languishing a little bit. To have to play them at that time wasn’t a game which you would pick out as them being a championship rival or a FA Vase rival. However Ian brought together a real group of good young lads and he has nurtured them. A lot of them are on the cusp – being around the 25/26 years of age mark – and as the cycle of football goes, they need to step up now and become the experienced heads for the youngsters.”

He continued: “I’m equally as gutted as everyone else that Ian is leaving because he took a punt on me. As a 40 year old, I came in just to help out for one game here and there. But Ian has given me an opportunity to prove to myself and others than I’m still actually fit enough and good enough to play at this level so for that I’ll be forever grateful to him.”

Ashington have six league games remaining which begin with an away trip to face Carlton Town on Saturday. Then on Tuesday night (April 9), the Colliers face a semi final clash at home to Newcastle United U21’s in the Newcastle Flooring Northumberland Senior Cup – with Ormston adding that there will be no let up: “You want to win every game you go into so there’ll be no foot taken off the gas from us,” he said.

Ashington AFC regrets to announce the forthcoming departure of Ian Skinner from his position as manager, effective at the conclusion of the current season. This decision arises from a shift in Ian’s professional circumstances, making the demands of managing a Northern Premier League East side exceedingly challenging.

Nonetheless, while Ian will be stepping down from his managerial role, he will continue to serve the club as a director, transitioning into an administrative capacity.

Skinner’s association with the club dates back to 2006 when he initially served as a joint manager before returning as an assistant in the 2015 season. In January 2019, amidst a challenging period for the Colliers, Skinner assumed the role of manager. Under his leadership, the club has witnessed an extraordinary period of success at Woodhorn Lane. Notably, he guided the team to its first silverware in a decade, clinching the Northern League Cup and Cleator Cup.

The 2022/23 season saw the Colliers reach the Fourth Qualifying Round of the FA Cup and through playoffs, he steered the club back to the Northern Premier League after an absence of more than five decades.

In addition to his managerial responsibilities, Ian has been actively involved in various facets of the club’s operations, from bar work to serving food when needed. He will continue his association with the club as a director, providing support to the new management team in any capacity required.

Reflecting on his tenure, Ian Skinner remarked, “It has been my privilege to manage my hometown club over the past five years and to witness the progress we have made both on and off the field. When I first returned to the club it was a period of struggle but with hard work we built a team that would go on to challenge for silverware and achieve promotion. I want to thank everyone who has helped me as part of that journey, the playing and coaching staff, volunteers and supporters, your dedication to this club has meant the world to me.”

Chairman Brian Shotton expressed his admiration for Skinner; “When I first spoke to Ian about the job, I was honest about the scale of the challenge facing the club at the time, he accepted without hesitation and never complained. Together we drafted a vision for the next few years and despite the challenges presented by Covid, we went on to achieve them all. I cannot speak highly enough of Ian’s commitment to this club and the fact he has never taken a penny in payment since returning is testament to that.”

The club will be making a further announcement in due course.

By Gav Perry | Photo: Ian Brodie

A jubilant Ian Skinner spoke just after the final whistle of Saturday’s win against Bridlington Town saying “It was good to get a win at home where our form has been indifferent to say the least. Not often I publicly challenge the players but we did after last week’s performance and I thought in the first half today we started the game really well. We went 1-0 up following a really bright start but then conceded a really poor goal from an individual error. The reaction after that was good which saw us score another three goals in the half and overall all four goals in were very well worked and taken.”

Going into the interval with a three-goal advantage Skinner commented that “4-1 at half time is a difficult scoreline because you try and tell people that they need to come out second half and still work as hard and put as much energy and effort into it whilst knowing that we also play again in less than 48 hours’ time.”

When looking at the performance after the interval, Ian continued “We started the second half really bright again and scored another really good goal with a fantastic finish from Wilson to go 5-1 up. I’m disappointed with the second goal we conceded and that’s now seven games in a row where we have conceded two or more goals. We keep talking about making it difficult for the opposition to score against us, but we haven’t quite done it again today, but we’ll have to do it on Monday against a very good Hebburn side. The second half did get a bit scrappy, but when you win you win 5-2 at home, you’ve still got to be pleased overall and it’s now about how we recover and rest ahead of what will be a very tough game on Monday.”

Ian concluded by acknowledging that with Hebburn’s match being postponed today (Saturday), “you can only control the controllables and whilst they may be pleased to be going into their home game on Monday after a longer rest than us, we will also potentially look to freshen things up a little bit and utilise the squad”

Ashington AFC is pleased to announce the Matchday Entry prices for the 2024/25 season and offer early bird season tickets. We are pleased to confirm that both season ticket and turnstile matchday entry prices have been frozen.

Building on our commitment to accessibility and community engagement, we are pleased to introduce some exciting changes. From the new season onwards, up to two Under 16s will be permitted entry free of charge with a paying adult, fostering a family-friendly atmosphere at our matches. Furthermore, demonstrating our unwavering support for young supporters, we have reduced the season ticket price for Under 16s to just one pound per game. We can also advise that we will no longer be offering advanced discounts online for matches but will still recommend buying online to speed up entry to the stadium.

Here are the Matchday Entry Prices for the 2024/25 season:

£9.00 Adults

£5.00 Concessions (aged 65 and over and Students)

£3.00 Under 16s

Chairman Brian Shotton expressed his gratitude for the support received during the current ongoing season. “While the current season is nearing it’s end, I don’t think we can have too many complaints at how the club has performed in our first season at a higher level. It has been a tough learning curve on various fronts, but our amazing supporters have backed us in great numbers and where we have needed help financially. We are committed to improving our community links and fostering the enthusiasm from our young supporters which is reflected in our ticket pricing. As we see out 2023/24, we are already planning for 2024/25 and I am certain our supporters will back us once again”.

We are pleased to offer a three-instalment plan for purchasing season tickets, with payments taken in May, June, and July, providing greater flexibility for our loyal fans. Early Bird Season Ticket Pricing remains a fantastic opportunity for supporters to secure their place at a discounted rate, with savings of nearly a third on turnstile prices. These special prices will be available until the end of April:

Adult: £120.00

Concession (65 and over and Students): £65.00

Under 16s: £19.00

We look forward to welcoming both returning and new supporters to enjoy the atmosphere and affordable, local football. Together, let’s make history once again as we continue to strengthen the bonds between the club and our community.

Season Tickets are available to purchase HERE

By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC announced the loan signing of James McGeorge from South Shields towards the end of last week.

Woodhorn Lane boss Ian Skinner said: “James is a technically gifted player and he offers us a little bit of something that we haven’t got at the moment in terms of that final pass and the ability to take somebody on. He’s been on loan at Whitey Bay where he’s done particularly well. South Shields wanted him to make the next step up so it is a similar to the situation we had with Oli Thompson. Oli came to us from Gateshead and did really well but they (Gateshead) wanted him to make the next step and he joined Blyth Spartans. South Shields paid us nice compliments in terms of the environment we create and that the way we try and play would benefit James. It’s another player to help us in an area of the pitch where it’s the most difficult – finding that final pass to create and score a goal.”

He continued: “He’s a young lad and we could have put him in against Grimsby Borough today but I thought after how well we played at Belper it was really unfair on him to come into a dressing room where he’s never met anybody before and go into a squad. Now he can train twice this week with us ahead of our home game against Bridlington Town on Saturday.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner was seething and pulled no punches when delivering his postmatch thoughts following the Colliers’ 2-1 home defeat against Grimsby Borough at a windswept Woodhorn Lane ground on Saturday.

Striker Dan Maguire had fired the hosts ahead but as the performance from the Wansbeck outfit deteriorated, goals from Lewis Collins and Adam Drury secured all three points for ‘The Wilderness Boys.’

Skinner stormed: “I think it’s even gone beyond frustration now because I think I would struggle to give any one of our players more than five out of ten for today’s performance. It was on non league day where 700 people have turned up and we have served up ‘that’. I’m actually angry – and it’s not often that I use that word – with that performance because people hear about this team (Ashington) that showed unbelievable fighting spirit away at Pontefract to get a draw when really we possibly should have won. We’ve then gone to Consett and played really well and won then onto Belper where we played unbelievably well and should have won the game but a little bit of individual brilliance got Belper a point. People hear all these things and have come here today and they see ‘that’ performance and they probably think ‘are they spinning us a yarn?’ because that was anything but what we’ve had in the last three games. Listen – I don’t make any bones about it – the players know (about the performance) because we’ve told them. I’m a pretty honest straight talking person and I didn’t lose my temper today – because I take no pleasure in shouting and screaming at grown people but I’ve told them honestly what I thought about their performance today – that it was unacceptable.”

He continued: “It was always going to be difficult conditions with the pitch starting to dry out and being a little bit bobbly. Scott Robson our groundsman has done unbelievable work on it given what condition it has been in over the last few weeks. You say to people (the players) its going to be a difficult day so whatever we do, we make sure we don’t lose the game. Yes we want to go and win it and this is the way we are going to play to try and win it but whatever happens we don’t lose the game. We were kicking against the wind in the first half and I thought some of our play out was really good. The lads showed composure to get on the ball and try and play out from the back. We played out down our left hand side particularly well albeit we actually had a great move down the right hand side which saw us take the lead where we got Wilson Kneeshaw in behind and he’s cut it back to Dan Maguire who has finished the move off.”

Skinner then mentioned a turning point: “A massive moment in the game happens not long after that when we get Wilson (Kneeshaw) clean through again one on one with the goalkeeper and he blasts it high and wide. That is a huge chance because if we go 2-0 up I think we would have gone on and won comfortably. If we are 2-0 up against the wind and we are being able to play out, I’m not sure where Grimsby come back from. Then the frustration and the anger comes in – in the two goals we have conceded. Another message before the game was ‘let’s defend our goal really well; let’s put bodies on the line and let’s do whatever it takes to keep the ball out of our net. If Grimsby are going to score today, they are going to have to be really good and if it’s clever play or it’s a great strike then so be it. The first goal was a catalogue of errors where the ball has trickled in the net and from dominating the game it’s 1-1 and obviously Grimsby’s tails are up and I thought they finished the half the stronger.”

He added: “Second half we come out but we are just nowhere near where we need to be in terms of our play. We talked about being patient amongst others things – but none of that happened. For the second goal we conceded, I was actually writing something down and as I looked up, I saw the ball being played in behind for their striker against Gary Ormston. Obviously he’s gone through and finished it and the two goals we’ve conceded are not acceptable. It’s not like me to speak like this but people need to hear the truth. It’s becoming too often. Fair play to Grimsby – I thought they were the better side in the second half. We just looked abject and devoid of anything that we’ve done really well in the last three games. We changed our goalkeeper today but I gave the other ten lads who did really well at Belper the opportunity to do it again – and they haven’t done it.”

Ashington AFC is pleased to announce a new addition to our management team, aimed at providing more support for our dedicated volunteers. Nicola Sanders-Cooper will be joining Ashington FC’s expanding board, bringing her expertise to drive the club forward into its next strategic phase as we near the conclusion of our first season in the Northern Premier League East.

Nicola brings a wealth of experience, currently holding director-level positions in key local businesses, and boasting a background in sports, including her role as Women’s Sports Development Officer at Gateshead Council. She has facilitated businesses in securing funding through government-backed schemes and brings a diverse approach, with additional experience in the hospitality sector.

When asked about her involvement with Ashington FC, Nicola expressed “This appointment represents a great opportunity for me to give back to the community and contribute to the growth and sustainability of the club. I believe football has the power to bring people together, inspire, and create a sense of belonging. I am excited to work alongside dedicated individuals who share a common vision and I look forward to the journey ahead.”

Drew Tinsley, a fellow board member, commented, “I’ve known Nicola for many years and have witnessed her passion for sports and community involvement, particularly in something we hold dear at the club – charity. Nicola is already bringing in new ideas to push us forward and we are honoured to have her on board.”

Chairman Brian Shotton also remarked, “If, like Nicola, you believe you can offer your skills or profession to the club, we warmly welcome your support, especially in areas such as commercial sales and marketing, which are crucial for the club’s revenue growth and survival in this competitive football landscape. Please reach out to brian.shotton@ashingtonafc.com if you would like to join us on our journey.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC’s Paul Van-Zandvliet admitted that his goal after only 24 seconds against Consett recently is the quickest in his footballing career.

Van-Zandvliet pounced to score the rebound after Wilson Kneeshaw’s initial effort had been parried by Consett ‘keeper James Anderson.

For any player who scores in the first minute of a match it is surely a unique experience – only Van-Zandvliet has experienced it all before!

“Without a doubt it is the quickest I’ve ever scored,” said the North Shields born midfielder, “The ball got played over the top and Wilson Kneeshaw is like lightening with his pace. I knew what he was going to do because we had worked on it in training with the management team and I just wanted to be in and around the six yards box. The ball came to me and I just wanted to make sure that I concentrated and hit a clean strike with my left foot and when it hit the back of the net, it was a great feeling. Two years ago, I scored for North Shields against Newcastle Benfield at Sam Smiths Park which was around 43 seconds and that was a fantastic moment as well.”

For the 23 year old – who is an electrical engineer – it was his second goal in consecutive games and his aim is to bag more: “I’m buzzing after scoring two games in a row,” he added, “It’s something which the management team want me to do more – to arrive late in the box and add that bit extra to the team. Even from a personal point of view I want to score more goals to help the lads and everyone who supports the club.”