Lee Ashcroft (English footballer)
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Lee Ashcroft[1] | ||
Date of birth | [2] | 7 September 1972||
Place of birth | Preston, England[2] | ||
Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[3] | ||
Position(s) | Winger; striker | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Longridge Town (manager) | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1987–1993 | Preston North End | 91 | (13) |
1993–1996 | West Bromwich Albion | 90 | (17) |
1995 | → Notts County (loan) | 6 | (0) |
1996 | → Preston North End (loan) | 7 | (3) |
1996–1998 | Preston North End | 57 | (19) |
1998–2000 | Grimsby Town | 61 | (15) |
2000–2002 | Wigan Athletic | 46 | (8) |
2002 | → Port Vale (loan) | 3 | (0) |
2002 | → Huddersfield Town (loan) | 4 | (0) |
2003–2004 | Southport | 36 | (13) |
2004 | → Chorley (loan) | 11 | (3) |
2004–2010 | Kendal Town | ||
Total | 412 | (91) | |
International career | |||
1992 | England U21 | 1 | (0) |
Managerial career | |||
2006–2012 | Kendal Town | ||
2012–2013 | Northwich Victoria | ||
2014– | Longridge Town | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Lee Ashcroft (born 7 September 1972) is an English former footballer and football manager who manages North West Counties Premier Division club Longridge Town.
An England under-21 international, the striker began his playing career at Preston North End in 1987. Six years later, he was sold to West Bromwich Albion for £250,000. Loaned out to Notts County in 1995, he returned to Preston North End for £150,000 in September 1996. He transferred to Grimsby Town £500,000 in August 1998, before being sold on to Wigan Athletic in August 2000 for £350,000. Loaned out to Port Vale and Huddersfield Town, he was released in 2003 and joined Conference club Southport, before ending his career with six years with Kendal Town.
He managed Kendal Town from 2006 until 2012 before taking the management job at Northwich Victoria in November 2012. He lost his job in December 2013 due to a confrontation with an opposition coach. He later became Longridge Town manager. He led the club to the West Lancashire league title in 2017–18 and the North West Counties League Division One North title in 2018–19.
Playing career
Ashcroft made it through the youth ranks at Preston North End, coached by Walter Joyce.[4] He turned professional at the Fourth Division club under John McGrath. Preston won promotion in 1986–87 after finishing as the division's runners-up. After retaining their Third Division status in 1987–88, the "Lilywhites" qualified for the play-offs in 1988–89, but lost out to Port Vale at the semi-final stage. Following this disappointment, they dropped down to just two places outside the relegation zone in 1989–90. Preston finished 17th in 1990–91 and 1991–92 under Les Chapman, before suffering relegation in 1992–93 under the management of John Beck. He later admitted that "I had to get away when John Beck was manager".[4]
In August 1993, Ashcroft moved on to West Bromwich Albion after manager Keith Burkinshaw splashed out £250,000. Ashcroft scored a vital headed goal on the final day of the 1993–94 season, in a 1–0 win at Portsmouth, to keep Albion in the First Division.[5] The club again flirted with relegation in 1994–95 under the stewardship of Alan Buckley, finishing two places above the relegation zone. Ashcroft scored four goals for Albion in 1995–96.
In March 1996, Ashcroft was
Ashcroft moved to First Division club Grimsby Town for a club-record £500,000 in August 1998, reuniting him with former manager Alan Buckley. He failed to meet to expectations, scoring just four goals in 29 appearances in 1998–99, spending much of the season out with injury.[6] He found his form though in 1999–2000, scoring 13 goals in 40 games to help the "Mariners" finish five points above the relegation zone.
In August 2000, he moved to
International career
On 12 May 1992 in Budapest, Ashcroft came on as a substitute for his only England under-21 cap against Hungary in a 2–2 draw. He played alongside several future full internationals including Ian Walker and Andy Cole.[14]
Managerial career
Kendal Town
In November 2006, Ashcroft was promoted from Kendal Town club captain to the position of manager.[15] He led the "Field" to a 19th-place finish in 2006–07 in the Northern Premier League, one place but 12 points above the relegation zone. Following an eleventh-place finish in 2007–08, Kendal qualified for the play-offs in 2008–09, but lost out to Ilkeston Town at the semi-final stage. On 3 October 2009, he was sent off for using "abusive and/or indecently insulting words towards match officials" and was subsequently banned for three months from all football activity (including training sessions).[16] Despite this, he managed the "Town" to another fifth-place finish in 2009–10, though again they lost at the play-off semi-final stage, after defeat to Bradford Park Avenue. Kendal finished seventh in 2010–11, finishing five points outside the play-offs. They finished eleventh in 2011–12, and reached the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup.
Northwich Victoria
In November 2012, Ashcroft became manager of
Longridge Town
He went on to manage West Lancashire League side Longridge Town.[22] He led his side to the West Lancashire league Premier Division title in the 2017–18 campaign.[23] He followed that up the following season by gaining a second-successive promotion as Longridge won the North West Counties League Division One North title after scoring 144 goals in 38 games in the 2018–19 season.[23] As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in England, the 2019–20 season was formally abandoned on 26 March, with all results from the season being expunged, and no promotion or relegation taking place to, from, or within the competition.[24] Longridge were sixth in the North West Counties Premier Division table at the time, with games in hand on the promotion places.[25]
Personal life
His sons, George and Ben Ashcroft, played football with Kendal Town, and Ben also played for Northwich Victoria during his father's reign as manager.
Career statistics
Club | Season | League | FA Cup | Other | Total | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Preston North End | 1990–91 | Third Division | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 2 |
1991–92 | Third Division | 38 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 45 | 5 | |
1992–93 | Second Division | 39 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 45 | 7 | |
Total | 91 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 107 | 14 | ||
West Bromwich Albion | 1993–94 | First Division | 21 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 30 | 3 |
1994–95 | First Division | 38 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 11 | |
1995–96 | First Division | 26 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 34 | 4 | |
1996–97 | First Division | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
Total | 90 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 111 | 18 | ||
Notts County (loan) | 1995–96 | Second Division | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
Preston North End | 1996–97 | Second Division | 20 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 8 |
1997–98 | Second Division | 37 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 46 | 16 | |
Total | 57 | 19 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 69 | 24 | ||
Grimsby Town | 1998–99 | First Division | 27 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 29 | 4 |
1999–2000 | First Division | 34 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 40 | 13 | |
Total | 61 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 69 | 17 | ||
Wigan Athletic | 2000–01 | Second Division | 30 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 6 |
2001–02 | Second Division | 16 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 3 | |
2002–03 | Second Division | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
Total | 76 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 84 | 9 | ||
Port Vale (loan) | 2002–03 | Second Division | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Huddersfield Town (loan) | 2002–03 | Second Division | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Southport | 2002–03[28] | Conference | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 2 |
2003–04[29] | Northern Premier League Premier Division | 25 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 31 | 13 | |
2004–05[30] | Conference North | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Total | 36 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 43 | 15 | ||
Chorley (loan) | 2003–04 | Northern Premier League First Division | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 3 |
Career total | 412 | 91 | 20 | 8 | 53 | 4 | 485 | 103 |
Honours
as a Player
Preston North End
- Football League Fourth Division second-place promotion: 1986–87
Individual
- Northern Premier League Division One South Manager of the Month: January 2013
as a Manager
Longridge Town
- West Lancashire league: 2017–18[23]
- North West Counties League Division One North: 2018–19[23]
References
- ^ "Lee Ashcroft". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
- ^ a b "Albion Till We Die – An Independent West Bromwich Albion Website". albiontillwedie.co.uk. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- ^ "FootballSquads – Port Vale – 2002/03". footballsquads.co.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
- ^ a b c Seddon, Dave (8 June 2019). "BIG INTERVIEW: Ex-Preston North End striker Lee Ashcroft's loving it at Longridge Town". Lancashire Evening Post. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
- ISBN 0-7553-1146-9.
- ^ Hubbert, Richard (6 August 2001). "Played for the Town: Lee Ashcroft". ElectronicFishcake.com. Archived from the original on 15 April 2007. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
- ^ "Latics sign new striker". BBC Sport. 4 August 2000. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
- ^ "Vale set for Ashcroft signing". BBC Sport. 9 October 2002. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
- ^ "Terriers snap up Ashcroft". BBC Sport. 19 December 2002. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
- ^ "Fan pays striker's salary". BBC Sport. 13 December 2002. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
- ^ "Wigan release Ashcroft". BBC Sport. 6 February 2003. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
- ^ "Southport appoint Ashcroft". BBC Sport. 28 February 2003. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
- ^ Malcolm Wyatt, 'Patterson finally gets his £1m man', Lancashire Evening Post, 10 March 2004
- Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archivedfrom the original on 25 January 2010. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
- ^ "Kendal Town History – 2006/7 update". kendaltownfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 30 April 2007. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
- ^ O'Kane, Patrick (6 March 2010). "Kilford steps into the frame as Ashcroft's Kendal Town ban is upheld". The Westmorland Gazette. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
- ^ "Northwich Victoria appoint Lee Ashcroft as manager". Cheshire Today. 27 November 2012. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
- ^ "Ashcroft given lengthy ban". 29 May 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ "Northwich Victoria boss Lee Ashcroft banned for 10 games". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ Jowett, Andy (1 February 2013). "Northwich Victoria boss Lee Ashcroft named Manager of the Month". Cheshire Today. Archived from the original on 31 October 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
- ^ "Gannon returns to management with Northwich Victoria". twentyfour7football.com. Archived from the original on 10 December 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
- ^ "Ex-PNE star is Longridge's new boss". Lancashire Evening Post. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
- ^ a b c d Browne, Gavin (8 May 2019). "Lee Ashcroft's gratitude to Longridge Town's players, staff and fans". Longridge News. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
- ^ "Coronavirus: All football below National League to end". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
- ^ Browne, Gavin (31 March 2020). "Longridge Town players can still be proud of their efforts". longridgenews.co.uk. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- ^ Lee Ashcroft at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
- ^ Lee Ashcroft at Soccerbase
- ^ "Player Details". Port Online. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
- ^ "Player Details". Port Online. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
- ^ "Player Details". Port Online. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2017.