Lee Ashcroft

Lee Ashcroft (born 7 September 1972) is an English former footballer and football manager who now manages North West Counties Premier Division club Longridge Town.

For the Scottish footballer, see Lee Ashcroft (footballer, born 1993).

Lee Ashcroft
Personal information
Full name Lee Ashcroft[1]
Date of birth (1972-09-07) 7 September 1972
Place of birth Preston, England
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2]
Playing position(s) Winger; striker
Club 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)
National team
1992 England U21 1 (0)
Teams managed
2006–2012 Kendal Town
2012–2013 Northwich Victoria
2014– Longridge Town
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

An England under-21 international, the striker began his playing career at Preston North End in 1987. Six years later he was sold on 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 a six-year spell 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 manager of Longridge Town and 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.[3] 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".[3]

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.[4] 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 loaned out to Notts County, playing six games for the club. Colin Murphy's team went on to reach the Second Division play-off final in 1995–96, losing out 2–0 to Bradford City. Still out of the first team picture at West Brom in 1996–97, he was loaned out to former club Preston North End in September 1996, before Gary Peters made the deal permanent two months later for £150,000. He finished the campaign with eight Second Division goals for Preston, also scoring three goals in cup competitions. He finished as the club's top scorer with 16 goals in 46 games in 1997–98, bagging a hat-trick against Fulham at Deepdale on 29 November.[3]

Ashcroft moved to First Division club Grimsby Town for a club-record £500,000 in August 1998, in a move that reunited him with former manager Alan Buckley. He failed to live up expectations, scoring just four goals in 29 appearances in 1998–99, spending much of the season out with injury.[5] 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 Wigan Athletic, after manager Bruce Rioch bought the striker for £350,000.[6] He scored six goals in 36 appearances in 2000–01, helping the "Latics" into the Second Division play-offs, where they were beaten by Reading at the semi-final stage after losing 2–1 at the Madejski Stadium. He scored just three goals in 17 games in 2001–02, whilst picking up seven yellow cards and one sending off. Wigan won promotion at the end of the 2002–03 season under Paul Jewell's stewardship, though Ashcroft did not feature in any league games at the JJB Stadium. He instead joined Port Vale on loan in October 2002.[7] After four appearances for Brian Horton's "Valiants", he moved on to Huddersfield Town in December of the same year, again on loan.[8] Huddersfield were so short of funds at the time that the loan could only go through when a wealthy supporter agreed to pay Ashcroft's wages.[9] He appeared four times in the Second Division under Mick Wadsworth, before returning to Wigan, where he was released in February 2003.[10] Later in the month he moved down to non-league Southport, taking up the role of player-coach at the age of 30.[11] He scored twice in eleven Conference games, as the "Sandgrounders" were relegated at the end of the 2002–03 season. In March 2004, Ashcroft signed for Chorley on loan, where he scored three goals in eleven appearances in the Northern Premier League First Division.[12] He later moved on to Kendal Town, where he scored 23 goals in the 2004–05 season.

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 Andrew Cole.[13]

Managerial career

Kendal Town

In November 2006, Ashcroft was promoted from Kendal Town club captain to the position of manager.[14] 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).[15] 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 Northwich Victoria, becoming their fifth permanent manager of the calendar year.[16] They went on to finish eighth in the Northern Premier League Division One South in 2012–13. In the match against Gresley on 12 January, Ashcroft used abusive words towards a female coach, allegedly in relation to her gender. The FA handed Ashcroft a ten match touchline ban and £1,200 fine which – he denied the charge and lodged an appeal.[17][18] Despite the incident, he was still named as the division's manager of the month for January.[19] The suspension was postponed until December 2013, at which point Ashcroft changed roles at Northwich to director of football as Jim Gannon took over as manager.[20]

Longridge Town

He went on to manage West Lancashire League side Longridge Town.[21] He led his side to the West Lancashire league Premier Division title in the 2017–18 campaign.[22] He followed that up the following season by gaining a second successive promotion as Longbridge won the North West Counties League Division One North title after scoring 144 goals in 38 games in the 2018–19 season.[22] 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.[23] Longridge were sixth in the North West Counties Premier Division table at the time, with games in hand on the promotion places.[24]

Family

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.

Statistics

Source:[25][26]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Preston North End 1990–91 Third Division 1410031172
1991–92 Third Division 3853040455
1992–93 Second Division 3972040457
Total 91135011110714
West Bromwich Albion 1993–94 First Division 2131080303
1994–95 First Division 381021104111
1995–96 First Division 2641070344
1996–97 First Division 50001060
Total 90174117011118
Notts County (loan) 1995–96 Second Division 60000060
Preston North End 1996–97 Second Division 2052310238
1997–98 Second Division 371432604616
Total 571955706924
Grimsby Town 1998–99 First Division 2730021294
1999–2000 First Division 341210514013
Total 611510726917
Wigan Athletic 2000–01 Second Division 3053130366
2001–02 Second Division 1631000173
2002–03 Second Division 00001010
Total 7684140849
Port Vale (loan) 2002–03 Second Division 30001040
Huddersfield Town (loan) 2002–03 Second Division 40000040
Southport 2002–03[27] Conference 1120010122
2003–04[28] Northern Premier League Premier Division 251111513113
2004–05[29] Conference North 00000000
Total 361311614315
Chorley (loan) 2003–04 Northern Premier League First Division 1130000113
Career total 41291208534485103

Honours

as a Player
Preston North End
Individual

as a Manager
Longridge Town
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References
  1. "Lee Ashcroft". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  2. "FootballSquads - Port Vale - 2002/03". www.footballsquads.co.uk. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  3. 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.
  4. McOwan, Gavin (2002). The Essential History of West Bromwich Albion. Headline. p. 160. ISBN 0-7553-1146-9.
  5. 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.
  6. "Latics sign new striker". BBC Sport. 4 August 2000. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
  7. "Vale set for Ashcroft signing". BBC Sport. 9 October 2002. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
  8. "Terriers snap up Ashcroft". BBC Sport. 19 December 2002. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
  9. "Fan pays striker's salary". BBC Sport. 13 December 2002. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
  10. "Wigan release Ashcroft". BBC Sport. 6 February 2003. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
  11. "Southport appoint Ashcroft". BBC Sport. 28 February 2003. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
  12. Malcolm Wyatt, 'Patterson finally gets his £1m man', Lancashire Evening Post, 10 March 2004
  13. Courtney, Barrie (10 January 2004). "England – U-21 International Results 1986–1995 – Details". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 25 January 2010. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
  14. "Kendal Town History – 2006/7 update". kendaltownfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 30 April 2007. Retrieved 1 May 2007.
  15. 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.
  16. "Northwich Victoria appoint Lee Ashcroft as manager". Cheshire Today. 27 November 2012. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2012.
  17. "Ashcroft given lengthy ban". 29 May 2013. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  18. "Northwich Victoria boss Lee Ashcroft banned for 10 games". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 May 2013.
  19. 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.
  20. "Gannon returns to management with Northwich Victoria". twentyfour7football.com. Archived from the original on 10 December 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  21. "Ex-PNE star is Longridge's new boss". Lancashire Evening Post. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  22. Browne, Gavin (8 May 2019). "Lee Ashcroft's gratitude to Longridge Town's players, staff and fans". Longridge News. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  23. "Coronavirus: All football below National League to end". BBC Sport. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
  24. Browne, Gavin (31 March 2020). "Longridge Town players can still be proud of their efforts". www.longridgenews.co.uk. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
  25. Lee Ashcroft at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  26. Lee Ashcroft at Soccerbase
  27. "Player Details". Port Online. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  28. "Player Details". Port Online. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
  29. "Player Details". Port Online. 9 November 2016. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
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