Dean Ashton

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Dean Ashton
Personal information
Full name	Dean Ashton
Date of birth	November 24, 1983
Place of birth	Swindon, England
Height	6'2" / 1.88m
Nickname	Deano
Position	Striker
Club information
Current club	West Ham United
Number	9
Youth clubs
	Crewe Alexandra
Professional clubs*
Years	Club	Apps (goals)
Aug 2000-2005 Jan 2005-2006 Jan 2006- present	Crewe Alexandra Norwich City West Ham United	159 (60) 44 (17) 11 (3)
National team**
2004-2005 2006-	England U17 England U19 England U20 England U21 England	1 (1) 6 (5) 2 (0) 9 (4) 0 (0)
* Professional club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of May 13, 2006. ** National team caps and goals correct as of August 11, 2006.

Dean Ashton (born November 24, 1983 in Swindon, Wiltshire) is an English footballer who currently plays for West Ham United in the Premiership. Ashton is a strong, powerful forward 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 he has played in.

Ashton is a product of Dario Gradi's Crewe Alexandra academy. At the age of 16, Ashton signed for Crewe as a senior player, making his debut as a substitute against Gillingham. After five years at Crewe, Ashton moved to Premiership club, Norwich City 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. In total, Ashton has played 214 league games in his career, scoring 80 goals. He also won 9 caps for England U21s, 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.

On 11 August 2006, Ashton was called up to the England squad for the first time in his career for their friendly against Greece. Unfortunately, on 15 August 2006, it was confirmed that he had broken an ankle in training and should return to the competitive football in January 2007. England manager, McClaren, said that Ashton would have started the friendly against the European Champions, Greece and Ashton's chances of re-gaining his England place are now more limited, with Wayne Rooney and possibly Michael Owen likely to be available when Ashton recovers.

Contents 1 Transfer history 2 Ability 3 Early and personal life 4 Career 4.1 Crewe Alexandra 4.2 Norwich City 4.3 West Ham United 4.4 International career 4.5 Club stats 5 Career honours 5.1 Crewe Alexandra 5.2 West Ham United 6 External links 7 Footnotes 8 References

[edit] Transfer history

He 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 £1m deal that brought Jon Newsome to Norwich City from Leeds United in 1994. Additionally, Crewe inserted a 20% sell-on clause.

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. This could rise to £7.25m, as two £125,000 bonuses depend on a future England call-up and possible European qualification while Ashton is at West Ham. ^[1] Norwich also negotiated a 15% sell-on clause.

[edit] 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, ^[2] and it is not surprising that some pundits believe Ashton will one day fill the boots left by the Newcastle striker in the England side. When Alan Pardew signed Ashton for West Ham United, 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.

[edit] Early and personal life

Ashton grew up in the small village of Holmes Chapel near Crewe, and attended Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School. ^[3] He was originally on the books of Stoke City as a youngster but moved to join the Crewe Alexandra school of excellence. ^[3]

[edit] Career

[edit] Crewe Alexandra

Main article: Crewe Alexandra F.C.

Ashton was a product of Crewe'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 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, and his first goal for the "Railwaymen" was in their 4-2 victory against Burnley. His first start arrived in an FA Cup clash against Cardiff City in January 2001.

He finished his first season at the club with eight goals, including crucial ones against Bolton Wanderers, Portsmouth, Gillingham and Wimbledon 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, ^[4] 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 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, where he scored 2 goals and set up David Vaughan's 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". ^[5]

In the 2003-04 season, he became the first player in the club's history to score 20 goals in the First Division. ^{[citation needed]} One of Ashton's games secured his first Football League hat-trick in a 3-2 win at the JJB Stadium against Wigan Athletic (6 March 2004) - a game in which he converted two penalties. During the season, Ashton was reportedly linked to a number of clubs, Wolves were among the clubs interested in signing the striker at the time, however Dario Gradi regarded all the rumours as just speculation. ^[6]

Having previously played for England at Under-19 level, he stepped up to the Under-21 side that season, scoring against the Netherlands and Sweden.

Ashton scored 18 times for Crewe in the 2004-05 season prior to becoming Norwich City's record signing at £3 million. ^[7][8] His uncle helped negotiate his transfer to Norwich. ^[9]

[edit] Norwich City

Main article: Norwich City F.C.

He scored on his home debut for Norwich City against Middlesbrough 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, which later achieved second place in the BBC's Goal of the Month for February, Thierry Henry's goal against Crystal Palace won the award. ^[10] Many of the pundits believed that Ashton would be the key to Norwich's survival. ^[11] 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 Premiership. Later that year Ashton scored his first and only hat trick for Norwich City against Southampton, in a 3-1 win at Carrow Road. ^[12]

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 and Charlton. The Addicks manager, Alan Curbishley, was reportedly prepared to axe six of his players to buy the Norwich youngster. ^[13] West Ham were also among the clubs interested in buying the striker. ^[14] 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 manager ,Paul Jewell, was put off considering a move for Ashton because of this price. ^[15] Dean Ashton re-stated his commitment to the club in the summer of 2005 by signing a contract-extension until 2009. ^[16] 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. ^[17] Norwich accepted a £7.25 million bid from West Ham in the January 2006 transfer window. ^[18]

[edit] West Ham United

Main article: West Ham United F.C.

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

"I have had a great year at Norwich and would like to sincerely thank the fans and everyone I have worked with at Carrow Road. West Ham are a big club, I am ambitious and at the end of the day the chance of a swift step up to the Premiership is too good to turn down" - Ashton on his move to West Ham [19]

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 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, ^[20] and scored some key goals in West Ham's following fixtures, including two goals in the FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City, which was vital in continuing the team's inspiring FA Cup run in 2006. ^[21] 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 expierienced 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, Ashton broke 'Boro goalkeeper, Mark Schwarzer's cheekbone. He caught Schwarzer with his elbow in an aerial challenge in the first half. This incident didn't 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. ^[22]

To cap off a pivotal season in Ashton's career, he scored a goal and was a thorn in the usually solid Liverpool defence in the 2006 FA Cup Final, 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 Premiership tie versus West Bromwich Albion. ^[23] 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. Despite not managing to secure a place in Sven-Göran Eriksson's England 2006 World Cup squad, Ashton impressed sufficiently to draw praise from acid-tongued football pundit Alan Hansen ^[24] and West Ham manager, Alan Pardew. ^[25] 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. However, Alan Pardew claimed that "he [Ashton] will be going nowhere". ^[26]

[edit] International career

Main article: England national football team

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 squad for the first time in his career for their friendly against Greece. Ashton was one of four strikers in the squad, alongside him were Darren Bent (Charlton); Peter Crouch ( Liverpool) and Jermaine Defoe (Tottenham).^[27] 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.^[28] Ashton was predicted to recovery from his injury by mid-November 2006.^[29]

[edit] Club stats

Club	Season	Domestic League		FA Cup		League Cup		European Competition		Total
		App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals	App	Goals
West Ham United	06-07	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	05-06	11	3	5	3	0	0	0	0	16	6
Total	06-06	11	3	5	3	0	0	0	0	16	6
Norwich City	05-06	28	10	0	0	2	1	0	0	30	11
	04-05	16	7	0	0	0	0	0	0	16	7
Total	05-06	44	17	0	0	2	1	0	0	46	18
Crewe Alexandra	04-05	24	18	0	0	3	2	0	0	27	20
	03-04	44	19	1	0	2	1	0	0	47	20
	02-03	38	9	2	2	1	0	0	0	41	11
	01-02	32	7	4	3	1	0	0	0	39	10
	00-01	21	8	2	0	0	0	0	0	23	8
Total	00-05	159	61	9	5	7	3	0	0	177	69
Career Totals	00-Present	214	81	14	8	9	4	0	0	237	93

[edit] Career honours

[edit] Crewe Alexandra

• Runners up
  • 2002-2003 Football League Second Division

[edit] West Ham United

• Runners up
  • 2005-2006 FA Cup

[edit] External links

• Profile on Premierleague.com
• Knees Up Mother Brown - Unofficial Fan Site
• Profile at 4thegame.com
• Photo and stats at sporting-heroes.net
• (German) Transfermarkt.de Profile
• Dean Ashton Official Personal Website at icons.com

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] References

• whufc.com

All Match results are taken from:

• West ham site
• Soccerbase.com

West Ham United F.C. - Current Squad
1 Carroll | 2 Mears | 3 Konchesky | 4 Gabbidon | 5 Ferdinand | 6 McCartney | 7 Dailly | 8 Sheringham | 9 Ashton | 10 Harewood | 11 Etherington | 12 Cole | 13 Király | 14 Pantsil | 15 Benayoun | 16 Mascherano | 17 Mullins | 18 Spector | 19 Collins | 20 Reo-Coker | 21 Green | 23 Walker | 25 Zamora | 26 Newton | 27 Ephraim | 28 Reid | 29 Bowyer | 30 Tomkins | 32 Tévez | Manager: Pardew