Dean Ashton

Dean Ashton (born November 24 1983 in Swindon, Wiltshire) is an England football (soccer) who currently plays for West Ham United F.C. in the FA Premier League. Ashton is a strong, powerful striker (football) who is good in the air and a constant threat. He is widely-considered to be one of the most promising young strikers around, having consistently scored goals at every tier of English football league system he has played in.

Ashton is a product of Dario Gradi's Crewe Alexandra F.C. academy. At the age of 16, Ashton signed for Crewe as a senior player, making his debut as a substitute against Gillingham F.C.. After five years at Crewe, Ashton moved to FA Premier League club, Norwich City F.C. for £3 million, breaking Norwich City's transfer record. Ashton spent around a year at Norwich before moving to West Ham United for £7.25 million, becoming the Hammers' record signing.

He also won 9 caps for England U21 national football team, scoring four goals in those games. As well as his league record, Ashton has also played in 14 FA Cup matches and scored 8 goals, including one in West Ham's 2006 FA Cup Final defeat to Liverpool F.C..

On 11 August 2006, Ashton was called up to the England national football team squad for the first time in his career for their friendly against Greece national football team. Unfortunately, on 15 August 2006, it was confirmed that he had broken an ankle in training and at first it was thought he could be back by Christmas 2006 but this was then put back to February which Alan Curbishley denied saying he would not rush him back too soon. When near his return Dean Ashton had a scan on his ankle which revealed excess scar tissue. In March he had surgery to correct this putting his return back to June at the earliest.

Ability

Dean Ashton's main asset is his strength, along with his ability to use both feet, his aerial prowess and his natural eye for goal. These attributes are not dissimilar to those of Alan Shearer, and it is not surprising that some pundits believe Ashton will one day fill the boots left by the Newcastle United F.C. striker in the England team. When Alan Pardew signed Ashton for West Ham, he conceded that he believed the club may have spent over the odds, but most football experts believe that this investment in a player of Ashton's talent will pay dividends in the future.

Early and personal life

Ashton grew up in the small village of Holmes Chapel near Crewe, and attended Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School. He was originally on the books of Stoke City F.C. as a youngster but moved to join the Crewe Alexandra school of excellence.

On August 28th Ashton did not travel with the West Ham United team for their 2nd Round Carling Cup match with Bristol Rovers as it was announced that his partner had gone into labour with their first child.

Club career

Crewe Alexandra

Ashton was a product of Crewe Alexandra F.C.'s renowned youth development policy under manager/coach Dario Gradi. He signed scholarship forms as a 16-year-old in 2000 before making his first team debut later that year in Crewe's 1-0 win over Gillingham F.C. and became one of the youngest players to represent the club. He waited three months for his second appearance, again as substitute, in a 3-1 victory over Grimsby Town F.C., and his first goal for the "Railwaymen" was in their 4-2 victory against Burnley F.C.. His first start arrived in an FA Cup clash against Cardiff City F.C. in January 2001. He finished his first season at the club with eight goals, including crucial ones against Bolton Wanderers F.C., Portsmouth F.C., Gillingham F.C. and Wimbledon F.C. towards the end of the season as Crewe secured their First Division status.

His second season at the club was disrupted by injury and a temporary loss of form, but in spite of this he scored ten times and began to win international honours with England at Under-16, Under-17, Under-18 and Under-19 level. Ashton scored sixteen more times in the 2002-03 in English football season as the club bounced back to the First Division after just one season in the Second Division. Ashton had a number of notable displays for Crewe, one of which was in 4-0 win against Luton Town F.C., where he scored 2 goals and set up David Vaughan (footballer) goal. Crewe manager Dario Gradi said that "These have been his best performances and people are right to say he has a bright future in the game".

In the 2003-04 in English football season, he became the first player in the club's history to score 20 goals in the First Division. One of Ashton's games secured his first Football League hat-trick in a 3-2 win at the JJB Stadium against Wigan Athletic F.C. (6 March 2004) - a game in which he converted two penalties. During the season, Ashton was reportedly linked to a number of clubs, Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. were among the clubs interested in signing the striker at the time, however Dario Gradi regarded all the rumours as just speculation. Having previously played for England at Under-19 level, he stepped up to the Under-21 side that season, scoring against Netherlands national under-21 football team and Sweden national football team.

Ashton scored 18 times for Crewe in the 2004-05 in English football season prior to becoming Norwich City F.C. record signing at £3 million. His uncle helped negotiate his transfer to Norwich.

Norwich City

Ashton joined Norwich City from Crewe Alexandra for a fee of £3 million in January 2005, breaking the club's transfer record previously held by the £1 m deal that brought Jon Newsome to Norwich City from Leeds United A.F.C. in 1994. Additionally, Crewe inserted a 20% sell-on clause.

He scored on his home debut for Norwich City F.C. against Middlesbrough F.C. in an exciting 8 goal thriller, Norwich came back from 4-1 down to draw the game 4-4. In February, Ashton scored an impressive goal against Manchester City F.C., which later achieved second place in the BBC's Goal of the Month for February, Thierry Henry's goal against Crystal Palace F.C. won the award. Many of the pundits believed that Ashton would be the key to Norwich's survival. Ashton scored many important goals in Norwich's fight for survival, including the deciding goals against Newcastle and Birmingham. Norwich however, were relegated in 2005 and even with a host of Premier league clubs interested in him, Ashton decided to stay at the club in the next season in an attempt to try and win promotion back into the FA Premier League. Later that year Ashton scored his first and only hat trick for Norwich City against Southampton F.C., in a 3-1 win at Carrow Road.

With Norwich out of the top flight there was much speculation surrounding Ashton's future at the club, with some people believing a player with his qualities merited a place in the Premiership. Many clubs, including Manchester City F.C. and Charlton Athletic F.C.. The Addicks manager, Alan Curbishley, was reportedly prepared to axe six of his players to buy the Norwich youngster. West Ham United F.C. were also among the clubs interested in buying the striker. Nigel Worthington attempted to quash these rumours, saying that Ashton would only be sold for a price which matched his value to the club. Wigan Athletic F.C. manager ,Paul Jewell, was put off considering a move for Ashton because of this price. Dean Ashton re-stated his commitment to the club in the summer of 2005 by signing a contract-extension until 2009. By December, it looked likely that a Premiership club would bid for Ashton, as boss Nigel Worthington said that Ashton would be allowed to leave in January of that year - if the club are happy with the fee. After playing 46 games for Norwich, in which he scored 18 goals, he was transferred to West Ham on January 22, 2006 for a fee of £7 million, rising to £7.25 m, with two £125,000 bonuses dependent on a future England call-up and possible UEFA qualification while Ashton is at West Ham. Norwich also negotiated a 15% sell-on clause.

West Ham United

Norwich accepted West Ham United F.C.'s bid after apparently having been in negotiations with them for a few weeks.

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On 22 January, 2006, the day the transfer was announced, Ashton agreed personal terms with the club and underwent a medical later in the day. He was unveiled at a press conference prior to the West Ham vs Fulham F.C. match on Monday 23 January.

Ashton made an impressive start to his West Ham career, making his debut in the Hammers' 3-2 victory away to Arsenal F.C., and scored some key goals in West Ham's following fixtures, including two goals in the FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City F.C., which was vital in continuing the team's inspiring FA Cup run in 2006. However, it is not just his goal-scoring record that has stupefied the Irons' faithful. Not blessed with much pace, he has shown a pleasing touch and daring vision, often slicing defences open with eye-catching passes, hence drawing comparisons with his more experienced former West Ham teammate, Teddy Sheringham. Not only has he shown that he can consistently score at the highest level, he has also displayed an ability to introduce other players into the game. In West Ham's semi-final against Middlesbrough F.C., Ashton broke 'Boro goalkeeper, Mark Schwarzer's cheekbone. He caught Schwarzer with his elbow in an aerial challenge in the first half. This incident did not go well with the Middlesbrough fans, who booed Ashton for the remaining time he was on the field. Ashton however, made an apology to Schwarzer and to 'Boro fans and said that it was accidental and that no malice was intended.

To cap off a pivotal season in Ashton's career, he scored a goal and was a thorn in the usually solid Liverpool F.C. defence in the FA Cup Final 2006, which eventually ended (after a 3-3 draw) in a 3-1 penalty shootout victory for the Merseysiders. Ashton had been a doubt in the build-up to the game after picking up a hamstring injury in the FA Premier League tie versus West Bromwich Albion. However, despite not participating in any intensive training before the final, Ashton declared himself fit, and duly produced one of the most impressive displays in his short time at West Ham United F.C.. Despite not managing to secure a place in Sven-Göran Eriksson's England national football team 2006 FIFA World Cup squad, Ashton impressed sufficiently to draw praise from acid-tongued football (soccer) pundit Alan Hansen and then West Ham manager, Alan Pardew. He scored 6 goals in 16 appearances in his first half-season with the club. During the summer of 2006, Ashton was link with moves away from Upton Park, one club that was mentioned the most was Newcastle United F.C.. However, Alan Pardew claimed Ashton "[would] be going nowhere".

Ashton suffered a broken ankle while on England duty in August 2006, which meant that he was forced eventually to miss the whole of the 2006-07 season. In his absence, West Ham were fighting relegation for virtually the whole season, which led to speculation that Ashton would leave if the club was relegated. Eggert Magnusson, the club's chairman, stated in March 2007 that Ashton would not be allowed to leave until the following January at the earliest if the club were to go down. In the event, the club avoided relegation on the final day of the 06-07 season.

Ashton returned to the West Ham team on 14 July 2007 in a pre-season friendly against Dagenham & Redbridge F.C. where he played for 45 minutes. He admitted he had doubted whether he would ever return to top class football and was excitedly looking forward to next season, saying, "I don't think there will be a hungrier player in the Premier League this season than me". He scored his first goals for a year in the pre-season games against Leyton Orient F.C. and A.S. Roma. He made his return to the Premier League on August 11 2007 against Manchester City F.C., coming on as a substitute for George McCartney at the 65th minute.

International career

Ashton has progressed through the England youth set up, racking up an impressive goal-game ratio. On 11 August 2006, Ashton was called up to Steve McClaren's England national football team for the first time in his career for their friendly against Greece national football team. Ashton was one of four strikers in the squad, alongside him were Darren Bent (Charlton Athletic F.C.); Peter Crouch (Liverpool F.C.) and Jermaine Defoe (Tottenham Hotspur F.C.). Sadly for Ashton, just a day before the match, the striker suffered a broken ankle in training and missed out on a chance to make his England debut against the Greeks.

Club statistics

Career honours

Crewe Alexandra

- Runners up
- - 2002-2003 Football League Second Division

West Ham United

- Runners up
- - 2005-2006 FA Cup