Newcastle United reference omitted from Dan Ashworth statement as ex-transfer chief gets new job
There was no mention of Dan Ashworth’s ill-fated spells at Newcastle United or Man United in the FA’s statement confirming his return to the England set-up
Former Newcastle United and Manchester United transfer chief Dan Ashworth has been welcomed back by the Football Association with open arms after two ill-fated stints in the Premier League.
Ashworth left Newcastle under a cloud after plans to apply for a role at Man United were exposed and the ex-Brighton technical director was placed on gardening leave. Despite big plans on Tyneside and a long wait for his services, he was allowed to join the Red Devils last summer.
But by December, he had parted ways with Man United after Sir Jim Ratcliffe described the appointment as “an error”. But after a six-month break, Ashworth has returned to the England set-up.
An FA statement read: “Dan Ashworth has been appointed as our first chief football officer to lead the high-performance strategy and new-look St. George’s Park.
“Ashworth was previously the FA’s director of elite development and then technical director between 2013 and 2019. After holding key positions at three Premier League clubs, he returns to a newly created role with the FA, with strategic oversight across England men’s and women’s teams “He will also oversee the regeneration of St. George’s Park, which will undergo a significant upgrade to its world-class performance facilities and pitches as England prepares to co-host UEFA EURO 2028.”
Reporting to FA CEO Mark Bullingham, Ashworth will work closely with men’s technical director John McDermott and Kay Cossington’s successor in the women’s technical directorate. Bullingham said: “Dan is a hugely influential and respected figure in the game who has a long-standing commitment to England football.
“We are very happy to welcome him back in this new role.”
