Neil Ashton

Neil Ashton

Ashton playing for Wrexham in 2011
Personal information
Full name	Neil John Ashton
Date of birth	(1985-01-15) 15 January 1985
Place of birth	Liverpool, England
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Playing position	Full back, Midfielder
Club information
Current club	Wrexham
Number	3
Youth career
2001–2003	Tranmere Rovers
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2003–2005	Tranmere Rovers	1	(0)
2004–2005	→ Shrewsbury Town (loan)	24	(0)
2005–2009	Shrewsbury Town	133	(3)
2008	→ Macclesfield Town (loan)	19	(1)
2009–2010	Chester City	0	(0)
2010–	Wrexham	145	(6)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:36, 6 January 2014 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals).

Neil John Ashton (born 15 January 1985) is an English footballer who plays for Wrexham. He typically plays as left-back, but occasionally acts as a midfielder.

Career

Tranmere Rovers

Neil Ashton started his career with Tranmere Rovers as a youth player in 2001 and turned professional in 2003, he was part of the senior squad until 2005 making just one league appearance during his time at Prenton Park. In the 2004–2005 season he was loaned out to Shrewsbury Town and made 24 appearances.

Shrewesbury Town

After a loan spell at Shrewesbury during the 2004–2005 season, Ashton signed for the club in the summer of 2005 in the search for regular football after his successful spell at the club.^[1] When Ashton signed for the club he was the only left back and this resulted in him playing regularly in the first team, he made 133 appearances for the Shrews.

Macclesfield Town (Loan)

In January 2008 Ashton joined Macclesfield Town on loan for the rest of the 2007–2008 campaign in a bid to find first team football.^[2] Ashton made 19 appearances scoring once in his spell with Macclesfield.

Chester City

In the summer of 2009 Neil Ashton signed for Chester City^[3] who had recently been relegated to the Conference Premier. However Ashton was without a club on 26 February 2010 after Chester were expelled from the Football Conference after breaching five league regulations. This meant the club was wound up after the clubs finances proved to much for the club to handle.^[4]

Wrexham

After the demise of Chester, Ashton joined the clubs fierce rivals Wrexham on trial playing twice for the reserves, impressing then manager Dean Saunders. He signed for the Conference club ahead of the 2010–2011 campaign.^[5] He took the number 3 shirt and was a regular in the side and in his first season with the Dragons Ashton made 42 appearances including playing in both legs of the defeats to Luton Town in the Conference Play-off semi-finals.^[6] In the 2011–2012 season Ashton was part of the Wrexham side that finished second in the league gaining 98 points, but like the previous season they lost in the play-off semi finals to Luton Town, but as a consolation to Ashton he earned the Wrexham FC player of the year award for the season after making 48 appearances including an FA Cup 3rd round match against Brighton & Hove Albion at the AMEX and replay back at The Racecourse when they narrowly lost on penalties.^[7] He scored his first goal for Wrexham from the penalty spot, making it a 5–1 win against Braintree Town in what was virtually the last kick of the regular season. In the 2012–2013 season Ashton stayed at the Racecourse and was still a regular in the Dragons defence. After the departure of regular penalty taker Jake Speight to Mansfield Town^[8] Ashton took over penalty duties scoring his first in a 2–1 loss to Blackpool in a pre-season match. He scored his first goals in the 2012–2013 season in a game away to Stockport County where he scored two penalties but due to "over celebrating" he picked up a second yellow card and was sent off.^[9] On 6 November 2012 Ashton signed a new 3 year contract with Wrexham which would last until 2015. ^[10] His next goal came in a 2–4 FA Cup first round loss to Alfreton Town. On 8 December 2012 Ashton scored his first goal in open play against Nuneaton Town before scoring a second in the match from the penalty spot in a memorable 6–1 win.^[11] In March 2013 Ashton picked up his first career honour by winning the FA Trophy with Wrexham, Ashton played in every round but missed the final at Wembley due to injury.

Career honours

• FA Trophy
  • Wrexham 2012/2013

References

External links

• Neil Ashton career stats at Soccerbase