As I sit down and look out the window at the rain hitting the fresh cut green grass, I think back to my footballing days and how I loved the rain when I was playing matches. I look back over my youth career with both Stoke City And Crewe, But I knew I wanted to sign for Crewe deep down in my heart it was the right move. At the age of 16 I signed my scholarship forms in 2000 for Crewe.
At a young age I was been labelled as a hot player for the future, at the age of 18 I was playing for England under 21s, after playing for the 16s 17s 18s and 19s all in the space of a year. That year Crewe got promoted back to league one, with me scoring 16 goals. My manager at the time Dario Gradi had a lot of faith in me for such a young player, and I wanted to repay that faith.
The next year we were in division 1 and I was starting a lot more games still as a young player, I managed to get 19 league goals that season. Dario said to me at the end of the season there are a lot of big clubs looking at you, but your contract has 4 years left. He asked me to stay one more season; he said to me that clubs were offering 1 million pounds for me. But he told me I am worth more than that. So I stayed with the club for one more year.
My last season with Crewe I bagged another 19 goals for the club, and again clubs were watching Norwich were a good club back then in the premiership mid table most years. I had other offers but was not offered a starting place, but Norwich did offer me that so I moved there and Norwich broke there transfer record buying me for 3.5 million.
So with my new team, we were all looking forward to the premiership. But it was not to be are year as we went down, and again I was linked with a move back to the premiership. But again I stayed to try and win back promotion to the premiership. That season we did not get back and I scored 22 goals for the club, I felt the time was right to move on West Ham for 7.5 million.
My first season there I scored 14 goals in the premiership, and the fa cup run were we lost in penalties to Liverpool really hurt. Many said I should of been going to the 2006 world cup but I never got the call up, to be honest I was really upset. Later that year I got my one and only England call up were I got a broken ankle and missed the whole of the 2007 season, and that?s when things went downhill.
In 2008-09 season I made only 5 starts scoring 3 goals, and then I did my ankle in again. I tried to get fit but every time I got back to fitness the ankle went again. And after singing a new 5 year deal a few months before On the 11th of December I announced my retirement at the age of 26. In total I made 280 apps and scored 111 goals.
I just miss all the football the challenge, I have my coaching badges and I never used them maybe I need football in my life to be happy. I will start by looking for work doing anything with any team just to recap everything, I hope this works out for me.
With the job search not going well I decided to take a drive to Crewe to talk to Dario Gradi, I wanted to see if he need help with anything, to be honest I was dying to do anything. We went for lunch had a chat to catch up, talking about my playing days been cut short, but that?s football. After lunch I asked him does he know any were looking to hire people Dario been Dario he called down the manager at the restaurant and asked if they would take me on as a chef, the manager laughed and walked away but at the same it was funny.
Dario said he was not too sure and he will ask around for me, the very next day he told me to get down to Crewe he wanted to talk to me about something. So driving to Crewe I started thing has he found me something, even in the under 19s would be great. I hope I got something it would be great. I phone Dario to tell him I am outside he tells me to go into reception he be there in 5 minutes.
As I make my way to reception I was greeted by John Bowler the chairman since 1987, he was happy to see me as was I with him, Dean its been a while how are you keeping, I am fine just looking to get back into football. Yes Dario was telling me please come up to my office. As I follow him to his office, I spot a pitcher of me when I was 18 on the wall, how young I was I just laughed.
Dean the reason Dario had you come into me today is your looking for a job, and we are looking for a new manager and Dario as said to me that he trust you to do the job he has been hear over 30 years now and I trust what he says to me. So this is what I am going to offer you a one year deal on 19,000 a week, and Dario is going be by your side for that year to help you out show you the ropes. After that year Dario will report back to me on how you are doing and we will take it from there.
Em I don?t know what to say, I was not expecting to be made a manager straight away. I was looking for something smaller, but if you trust me with that role I will give all I have to it. And I know under Dario I will learn a lot. I will accept the job offer, and I will show you that I can step up to this role.
That?s great dean we hope you do, all we want this year is to stay in the division. I am sure you can do it, I know this is sort notice but can you start next Monday we will call a press conference Monday morning announcing you the new club manager. This that sound ok to you.
Yes that?s fine with me; I will see you Monday morning. As I leave the office I have goose bumps all over I can?t believe what happened, Dario is waiting outside for me and says its going be a tough long year so get ready and then walked off. I better get ready, on the way home I think I can?t wait for this and role on Monday.
As Monday came I did not know what I was going to say at the press conference, 4 days ago I did not even know if I would have a job never mind be a manager. As I drive up to the Reception area I am greeted by Dario, he says to me am I ready for this, I smile and take a breath and say yes lets go.
As I walk into the press conference room there are a lot of people hear, and Dario says into my ear don?t worry there is more press hear cause of who you are. I take my seat and have a drink of water and get ready for the next couple of minutes.
Sky Sports. Dean welcome back to the football world, how does it feel to be back at the club that many believe, that is is where you played your best football.
Ashton Well I am absolutely delighted to be back at Crewe, and to be back as a manager is something I will never forget. I yes I played some great football hear and it was the two men sitting beside me that gave me that chance then and are giving me the chance now.
Goal.com Dean to be brought in as a manager with no experience, what can you bring to the club?.
Ashton I know a lot about football and about this club, on how we use are youth players. I will be doing the same thing nothing will change that much I will put my stamp on some things, but won?t change the way the club has been going for the last 15 years.
Goal.com Yes but dean you have never managed before some people will say the only reason you got this job is because of who you are.
Ashton Well I can?t stop people for saying what they think, I understand I have not managed before but if you look at other great managers now ask them how they got there chance, and I bet you they say that someone took a gamble on them. Just like Crewe have done with me and this Gamble will pay of I promise you that.
Sky Sports News. Dean what are you hoping for this season, in terms of the league.
Ashton Well its simple really we want to stay up, and then we want to build on that. We also want to get a few more youth players up and ready for the first team I have not had time to look at the team yet and with only 2 more games to go in pre ?season I need to get going. I want to thank you all for coming
With the pre-season under way already I make my way to meet the players, as I am just about enter the changing room a young player comes to me, Gaffer I want to leave the club I feel I need to progress at a higher level and I don?t feel I can do it here. Look I am only in the door you should be in with your team mates getting ready for training and we will talk about this after that.
But I want to leave the club, I am better than this club hear is my transfer request I won?t be signing when my contact is up at the end of the year. So you can sell me now our keep me and get nothing I don?t give a ****. Your 18 years old I feel a few more seasons here would do you good. I am leaving and that is that, I will be one to say who goes and who stays at the club.
I am not hear to take this of a new manager that is only hear a day and thinks he knows it all. Tell you what Mr Ashton **** you and the club. Right Max have it your way you?re suspended for 2 weeks with no pay. So get your stuff and go home, and when you fell you can talk like a player instead of a spoiled child come back and see me.
As I take a minute after all of that I go into the lads who are all getting ready for training, hi lads first of all I don?t want to be called Gaffer or Boss, Dean will do just fine. I don?t know all of you but over the next few days I will be calling you all into my office to have a chat about where you stand with the club. So we have a match tomorrow so use are all playing to be part of this team for the next season.
So I want to see you all give 100% today show me what use can all do, I will be joining in also not with it all but with some bits, ok lads I will see you out there. As I walk out of the changing room young Clayton is there, sorry about earlier dean do you mind if I train today please. See if you are nice we can talk yes you can now go in and get changed and we talk about everything else later.
As I make my way out to training there is a few cameras around, I don?t mind that just for today after that there will be none. We started off with the warm up and then moved to set pieces and ball control. Then we went into a match for the final 35 Minutes. As we are all playing the ball comes to me Max Clayton tackles me from behind, I knew as soon as I went down something was not right.
I stayed on the ground and the doctor came over to check on me, Its Broke he says your foot it?s broke. I was in a lot of pain but I did not think it was broke. Max Clayton was already gone back to the changing room. I will sort him out once my foot is sorted. I left to go and get an x-ray to make sure it was broke and the first team coach took over.
Sky Sports News We understand that Crewe manager Dean Ashton joined in with the teams training and has broken his foot. We understand that Clayton and Ashton had a bust up before the training began. Clayton with in hard from the back on the manger and that?s how it happened. Clayton later said he did not mean to do it. But Crewe team mates have said they herd Clayton saying he wanted to leave and Ashton would not let him.
Clayton had this to say Yes I want to leave Crewe, I love the club but I need bigger things and I can?t get them hear, and for the tackle on Ashton it was a mistake I did not mean to do it.
We have yet to hear from manager Dean Ashton about what happened, as soon as we hear anything we will let you no.