By Brian Bennett

Goalkeeper Ross Coombe says he is looking forward to enjoying his football again after signing for Ashington last week.

The 24 year old who has also worn the number one jersey at South Shields, West Auckland and Consett, said:  “I’m looking forward to enjoying my football again. After the end of every campaign, I keep myself fit and always enjoy pre season. This year it will be different as I get to know my new team mates and at Ashington, it’s nice to hear about a club that have ambitions to go higher.”

Ashington boss Ian Skinner said: “We monitored Ross for a little while. Being with Consett last season, he played for a team who are in the league we have just joined so he has got some experience. He was very enthusiastic and really keen and I’m delighted to have him on board.”

By Brian Bennett

George Rounsfell, one of Ashington FC’s new signings, admitted that he is looking forward to playing at Woodhorn Lane – in a stadium where there is a ‘proper atmosphere.’

The 21 year old admitted that he went through a period where he fell out of love with football but played towards the end of last season with Washington to try and get some enjoyment back. Now he says he is ‘looking to push on.’

Born in Kingston-upon-Thames in London, Rounsfell commented: “I followed Ashington last season and they are a club who are on the up. Not only that but I noticed that they were playing in front of big crowds for the majority of their games which stood out. From my point of view, I would like to play for a team in front of a crowd where there is a proper atmosphere so I’m buzzing to be joining them. When you go to a new outfit it gives you that bit of incentive because you don’t want to be lagging behind and I can’t wait to meet everyone to be fair.”

Rounsfell – an assistant accountant on TV and film productions – added: “I felt out of love with football. I was at Newcastle United from being a six year old until I was 19 then I went to the USA to play for Campbell University Athletics. Towards the end of last season I played for Washington to try and get some enjoyment back but I felt it was not at the standard that I need to be playing at. Now I’m looking to push on.”

Ashington boss Ian Skinner said: “George is a player who we very much look forward to working with. He has got huge potential. He is used to being in an elite performance environment from his time with Newcastle United and then moving overseas to play in America. He came back over here towards the middle to the end of last season and he played a couple of games for Washington. He’s someone who we have monitored in terms of the potential he showed previously and we feel we can offer him an environment where we can unearth that potential again and help him to kick on and get back to the levels that he was before.”

The FA have today released the scheduled for the Emirates FA Cup and Isuzu FA Trophy for the 2023/24 season.

Last season, we had a magnificent run to the 4th Qualifying Round of the Emirates FA Cup, whilst in 2023/24 we will be competing in the Isuzu FA Trophy for the first time since 1984/85.

Emirates FA Cup – Round Dates

Extra Preliminary Round – Saturday 5 August 2023
Preliminary Round – Saturday 19 August 2023
First Round Qualifying – Saturday 2 September 2023
Second Round Qualifying – Saturday 16 September 2023
Third Round Qualifying – Saturday 30 September 2023
Fourth Round Qualifying – Saturday 14 October 2023
First Round Proper – Saturday 4 November 2023
Second Round Proper – Saturday 2 December 2023
Third Round Proper – Saturday 6 January 2024
Fourth Round Proper – Saturday 27 January 2024
Fifth Round Proper – Wednesday 28 February 2024
Quarter Final – Saturday 16 March 2024
Semi Final – Saturday 20 April 2024
Final – Saturday 25 May 2024

Isuzu FA Trophy- Round Dates

First Round Qualifying – Saturday 9 September 2023
Second Round Qualifying – Saturday 23 September 2023
Third Round Qualifying – Saturday 7 October 2023
First Round Proper – Saturday 28 October 2023
Second Round Proper – Saturday 18 November 2023
Third Round Proper – Saturday 9 December 2023
Fourth Round Proper – Saturday 13 January 2024
Fifth Round Proper – Saturday 10 February 2024
Sixth Round Proper – Saturday 9 March 2024
Semi Final – Saturday 6 April 2024
Final – Saturday 11 or Sunday 12 May 2024

By Brian Bennett

He may be joining a new club only a few miles up the road but Matty Dopson is excited about his move from Blyth Spartans to Ashington.

Dopson who has linked up with the Colliers after playing at Croft Park for the past two seasons, can operate as a defender or midfielder: “I think joining Ashington is brilliant,” he said, “Obviously they are a club who have come off the back of a great season with promotion to the Northern Premier League and who will be looking to improve even more this coming campaign. I’m looking forward to it and can’t wait to meet the lads and get pre season started.”

The 19 year old – who is based in Bedlington – is hoping to get more ‘game time’ under his belt: “I was approached by the club (Ashington) and we had a few chats with really positive thoughts,” he added, “For me being a young lad I was at a brilliant club in Blyth Spartans but I wasn’t getting enough game time so I’m hoping for more with Ashington. Knowing the likes of former Blyth players Dan Maguire and Nathan Buddle will be great to help me settle in but the majority of the lads are going to be new faces for me in what is a fresh start.”

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner said: “Matty fits into the type of player we have looked to try and recruit in the summer. He is really receptive to coaching; he always performed admirably when he played for Blyth Spartans and maybes we are a good fit for his development in terms of exposing him to more game time. He has a good pedigree in terms of being around an elite environment and has been with England schoolboys where he played in every game of the Centenary Shield. So it could be good for both parties in terms of us being able to give him more game time and try and help him develop further and for him to really go on and flourish.”

By Brian Bennett

Charlie Exley – one of a plethora of new signings made by Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner – says he is ‘buzzing’ and ‘can’t wait’ to join his team mates for the pre season programme.

The Newcastle-born defender who was formerly with Queen of the South and Consett, said: “I’m delighted to be on board and excited about meeting the new lads who have come into the squad as well as the players from last year. I usually try to keep myself ticking over during the close season but there’s nothing better than going to a new club pre season because it gives you an extra boost. To be honest, I’m buzzing and can’t wait.”

He continued: “I’ve got plenty of endeavour; I know what I can produce and I’ll be looking to do that on a consistent basis. The manager (Ian Skinner) has built on top of an already good squad and I think we will be a surprise package in the league. I reckon we’ll cause a bit of an upset but it’s important that we look to get off to a good start.”

However the 22 year old defender is keeping his fingers crossed for better luck as he heads into the 2023/24 campaign: “I have done my Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) on two occasions,” he added, “The first time I think I was the youngest person to suffer that kind of injury being only nine years old and the last time was in August 2021. I had my operation six months later and when I returned to football, Ashington’s assistant manager Andy Coyles – who at the time was manager at Consett – integrated me back into the squad. I played my first game for Andy away to Ossett then he left the club. I made 13 more appearances for Consett then in the match at Bridlington, I broke my hand. Consequently I’m hoping for a bit more luck!”

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner said: “Charlie is a product of the Gateshead Youth Academy who went to play at Queen of the South but unfortunately things didn’t quite work out for him. He spent last season at Consett but had a couple of injuries which meant he didn’t play as many games as he would have liked. We are looking forward to getting him back to full fitness; getting him onto the pitch; working with him and again he is somebody who will challenge and push to try and fulfil that potential because he’s ambitious and wants to kick on.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner has pulled off a major coup with the signing of former Blyth Spartans defender Nathan Buddle.

The Woodhorn Lane club report back for pre season training on Tuesday (June 20) and Buddle can’t wait: “I have fond memories from being at Ashington as a junior and I’ve seen how much the club have progressed,” he said, “They are going in the right direction and as a player that’s what you want – to be part of a club who are ambitious and definitely on the up. I’ve got friends at Ashington and was keeping an eye on things – and I was over the moon for them when they were promoted at the end of the last campaign.”

The 29 year old is delighted to make his return to the sport after an injury threatened to bring his career to a premature end last year. Buddle said: “I suffered a concussion injury but I’m delighted that I received the all clear and I’m genuinely desperate to get back onto a football pitch. We start training at Ashington next Tuesday and I’m absolutely raring to go.”

Manager Skinner said: “I previously worked with Nathan at Newcastle when he was a junior and I’m obviously delighted to have signed a player of his pedigree. We enquired about him really early in pre season but he needed some time to weight up all of his options. Momentum has been building over the past week and from Nathan’s point of view, it was an interest which he was keen to explore further. We were thrilled and over the moon when he decided that Ashington was going to be the best fit for him. He turned down a number of clubs from National League North and the Northern Premier League and even at the 11^th hour just before I was due to meet him he received an offer from another team higher up the pyramid. However, Nathan stayed true to his word that he had given to myself that he was going to sign for Ashington and that is just testimony to the type of person and character he is.”

He continued: “Nathan suffered a career threatening injury last season and from his point of view, it was about the whole package – where he thought would be good to get back playing regular and enjoying his football again and also what would suit his work and family life balance. He’s obviously coming into a dressing room with a number of familiar faces and I think that contributed as well.”

He went on: “The signing of Nathan will help us to try and move the club forward and I look forward to working with him again. I think he will be a massive influence both on and off the pitch for us in terms of the leadership qualities he brings and the hunger and the desire to be successful in everything that he does which can only be good for the players we already have at the club.”

By Brian Bennett | Photo: Ian Brodie

Ashington FC’s longest serving player Karl Ross cannot wait for the new season to get underway.

The 24 year old midfielder was included in a recent list of a dozen players by the Woodhorn Lane based club who were either contracted or had signed a new contract with the club.

And although Ross is champing at the bit, he is astonished by the rapid progression of the club as he reflected on his time at Woodhorn Lane.

Ross – the only player who remains from the squad which Ian Skinner inherited when took over as manager four years ago – said: “What a difference and transformation there has been at the club in such a short space of time. I can’t believe it.”

But turning the clock back, there was a period where Ross admitted that a move away from his home town club was a possibility: “I wasn’t in the first team and I just wanted to play,” he said, “I had a chat with the boss (Ian Skinner) and that’s why I went to play for the reserves. I enjoyed my time with them; I was playing up front and scored a lot of goals. I’m thrilled that I didn’t move on. All I wanted was to stay because I love playing for the club.”

Last season, the Colliers went into their final Ebac Northern League game only needing a draw at Bishop Auckland to secure a play off place. The game finished 1-1. “We went there and we knew we were a better side – and I thought it showed,” said Ross, who is based in Cramlington, “We went there for the three points – we didn’t go there to sit in and change the way we play. However when they (Bishop Auckland) got a penalty and scored, I thought it was going to be one of those days. We got in at half time and believed in ourselves and said we had nothing to be scared of. In the second half, we got back on terms and should have won but a point was enough.”

The following week, Ross’s loyalty and commitment was rewarded when Ashington clinched promotion to the Northern Premier League after an inter step play off win over Glossop North End in Derbyshire: “It was unbelievable and is my greatest achievement,” said Ross, “The feeling when the referee blew for full time – I’ve never experienced anything like that before. With me being at the club for so long, I think I went through every emotion. Four years ago we were trying to stay in the first division of the ENL then all of a sudden to think that were going up into the league above was unreal.”

He continued: “As a player, it’s the best season I’ve had at any club,” he said, “It was phenomenal from top to bottom. Obviously results help and we hit record attendances with the fans but we showed on our day that we could beat anyone and the lads were just outstanding – certainly it was the best dressing room I’ve ever been in. Now the club are where they need to be – and next season will be a new challenge.”

Manager Ian Skinner said: “Karl got a special mention at the end of season presentation evening because he is the only player who has been here from the day I came back to the football club. He was in and out of the team. He went to play for the reserves, scored loads of goals and got back in the first team. He sat in my room and said he wasn’t playing very much and I said to him ‘if you don’t play much more I’ll let you go.’ Karl stuck at it; he’s still here and he had a fantastic run towards the end of the season.”

By Brian Bennett

Ashington FC manager Ian Skinner said that the club had ‘monitored’ the progress of Ross Coombe and Cameron Gascoigne ‘for a while’ before the pair put pen to paper for the Woodhorn Lane outfit last week.

Coombe is a goalkeeper whilst Gascoigne is a forward.

Skinner said: “Ross (Coombe) is somebody who we’ve monitored for a little. He was at South Shields then went to Consett where he competed for the number one jersey last season with Mark Foden. He played his fair share of games in the league we are going into so he has got experience. Goalkeeping was not a department we were looking to strengthen if I’m being honest but Kyle Hayes’s work commitments have a significant impact on his availability so with the level of competition that we will be playing week in week out, I thought it was important to make sure that we had an opportunity to have two goalkeepers who were available who could compete with each other (the other being Karl Dryden) and we thought Ross fitted the bill perfectly for what we were looking for. We were delighted when we could get a deal done and he was very enthusiastic and really keen to join the club which was really pleasing as well.”

He continued: “Cameron Gascoigne – formerly with Newcastle Benfield – is another player we have monitored since he was playing at Newcastle Elite and one of the football education programmes. He’s a young and hungry player – somebody who wants to try and play at the highest level he can. He looks after himself and takes the game seriously and is receptive to coaching. He has got ambitions and represents England Universities and plays at a good standard within that. When we thought he was available or potentially was looking to try and play a little bit higher up in the pyramid than he was last year, we got in touch. Again he is another person who was enthusiastic and really keen to come to the club. He turned down two other clubs in preference to us and he liked the set up; the management team; what we are trying to do at the club and he thought it gave him the best opportunity to develop so we are delighted to have him on board and hopefully we’ll be able to add one or two more to the squad in the coming weeks.”

Next season Ashington will compete in the Northern Premier League for the first time in more than half a decade. Travel will increase substantially meaning additional costs to both getting to games and for personnel now spending more of their weekend on football.

Unlike many non-league clubs Ashington has no benefactor with deep pockets to cover these costs. Our progress to this point has been built on the support of the people and businesses in the community. Our progress in the future is dependent on this continuing support and we firmly believe we have a bright future if our magnificent supporters continue to back us.

With all of this in mind we are this evening launching our “Build the budget” campaign. We are asking those supporters who can spare it, to help build the budget and give Ian Skinner the best chance of building a squad to compete as we transition to the higher level of competition.

How it will work
We’ll be running the scheme between Friday 9th June and Friday 7th July, simply pledge a monthly donation that will go directly towards building our squad and be rewarded for your support. All donations above £5 a month will gain access to our Colliers Club Draw, with further benefits added the more generous you are able to be. The benefits and draw prizes are outlined below;

Collier Club Draw Prizes
1st – Limited edition home shirt
2nd – Matchday hospitality for 4
3rd – Adult season ticket
4th – Concessionary or U16 season ticket

To sign up contact budgetbuilder@ashingtonafc.com with your name and the amount you’d like to pledge and we will be in touch with a link where you can set up your direct debit. Alternatively you can make a one off payment at https://checkout.square.site/buy/UZN5L3DSY3KOWRBVYFP47KQS any above £40 will also be entered into our draw.

The Colliers club draw will take place on Friday 7th July in the clubhouse and we will be running a quiz night on the evening.

As we look forward to the 2023/24 season, we are looking to make changes that will move the club on and see it compete at the next level. The return of Northern Premier League football to Ashington for the first time in more than half a century has been the culmination of a lot of hard work on and off the field over the past few years. Victory in the interstep playoff at Glossop at the end of April saw the Colliers move up a division.
Next season will bring new and unique challenges for the famous old club. Ashington will face journeys to Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire bringing additional travel and personnel costs, whilst ground improvements will also be required to meet the criteria set by the Football Association. We are confident that with the right support we will be able to make a success of these challenges.

As well as travelling, the Colliers will also welcome teams from across the North to our town throughout the season and we believe many will make a weekend of it, travelling to the most Northernly team in the pyramid and enjoying the wider region. We are determined to showcase our local area and to represent it with pride on our travels.

Last season the local community really came out to back the Colliers and next year we will need it more than ever. The Colliers saw average gates during 2022/23 well above 500, with more than 900 watching a top of the table clash with Newton Aycliffe and 1,424 seeing Ashington put Stocksbridge Park Steels to the sword in an FA cup replay.
To make a success of the new league we really need the support of the community, of local businesses and individuals.

In the coming days we will be announcing ways that our supporters can play even more of a role in making next year a success, we’re already in the process of speaking to local businesses about how they can support us and today we are looking to expand our team off the field.

We are looking for individuals with a passion for our community and with expertise in business, finance, fundraising and development to come in and join our team. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of something challenging but rewarding. If that sounds like something you’d be interested in please contact exec@ashingtonafc.com to arrange an informal conversation.