Ashley Young Quick Info | |
---|---|
Height | 5 ft 9¼ in |
Weight | 68 kg |
Date of Birth | July 9, 1985 |
Zodiac Sign | Cancer |
Spouse | Nicky Pike |
Ashley Young is an English footballer who is best known for his resilience and willpower. Initially, he was turned away by Watford but he still persisted to stay and within a space of a couple of years, he had emerged as one of the most exciting young wingers. In the 2014-15 season, he managed to keep big money signing Angel Di Maria out of Manchester United line-up. Then, in the run-up to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, he managed to make the left wing-back position his own despite being a natural attacking winger.
Born Name
Ashley Simon Young
Nick Name
Ashley
Sun Sign
Cancer
Born Place
Stevenage, Hertfordshire, England
Nationality
Education
Ashley Young went to The John Henry Newman School which is located in his hometown of Stevenage.
He got his soccer journey off to a start by joining the youth setup of Watford FC.
Occupation
Professional Soccer Player
Family
- Father –Â Luther Young
- Siblings – Kyle Young (Younger Brother) (Professional Soccer Player), Lewis Young (Younger Brother) (Professional Soccer Player). Ashley also has an older brother.
Manager
Ashley Young is represented by Base Soccer Agency Ltd.
Position
Winger, Full Back, Wing Back
Shirt Number
27 – Watford FC
15 – Watford FC
7 – Aston Villa, England National Team
18 – Manchester United, England National Team
Build
Athletic
Height
5 ft 9¼ in or 176 cm
Weight
68 kg or 150 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
Ashley Young has dated –
- Nicky Pike – Ashley Young started going out with Nicky Pike while they were still studying in school. They were due to get married in 2011 and had even booked the five-star hotel The Grove in Hertfordshire for their lavish wedding. However, just 2 days before the wedding, he got cold feet and decided to call it off. Nicky was miffed and it took 4 months for them to get back together. They eventually got married in June 2015 in a secret wedding at the plush Stoke Place Hotel in Buckinghamshire. The wedding was attended by his former Aston Villa teammates, Fabrice Muamba and Stylian Petrov. During the course of their marriage, Nicky had given birth to a son, Tyler and a younger daughter, Ellearna.
Race / Ethnicity
Black
Ashley has Jamaican ancestry on his father’s side.
Hair Color
Black (Natural)
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Nearly shaved head
- Slight body frame
- High cheekbones
Brand Endorsements
Ashley Young has signed a personal endorsement deal with Nike. Because of the deal, he is required to wear their cleats for his professional matches.
Best Known For
- Having played over 150 premier league matches for the English side, Aston Villa, with which he has cemented his reputation as one of the best emerging attacking players in the English top flight
- Being a Manchester United player as he has managed to win a Premier League title, FA Cup, EFL Cup, and a UEFA Europa League with the English football giants
First Soccer Match
In September 2003, Ashley made his professional debut with Watford FC in a match against Millwall. Young, who was then 18 years old, was sent in as a second-half substitute and he managed to score a goal as well.
In January 2007, Young made his first appearance for Aston Villa in a league match against Newcastle United. Although he managed to get on the scoresheet, his side lost the match by 3-1.
In August 2011, he made his debut for Manchester United in the FA Community Shield match against Manchester City. His side won the match by 3-2 with Nani scoring a brilliant team goal in the stoppage time.
In November 2007, Ashley Young made his first international start in England‘s friendly match against Austria. He was sent in as a half-time substitute by Steve McClaren.
Strengths
- Dribbling
- Speed
- Acceleration
- Strength
- Attacking runs
- Crossing
- Set piece delivery
- Aggressive
Weaknesses
- Falls down too easily
- Consistency
- Tackling
- Defensive positioning
First TV Show
In 2015, Ashley Young made his first TV show appearance in the sports TV series, Football Freestyler 2.
Personal Trainer
Ashley Young works hard in the gym to boost his lower body strength, which is very important for his explosive runs down the left flank. He starts his workout with regular barbell squats. He performs 3 sets with each set comprising of 8 repetitions. He follows it up with lunges and Swiss ball hamstring curls. He keeps the sets and reps similar to the ones used for squats.
To keep his endurance and stamina up for high intensity runs throughout the match, Young relies on interval training. He believes that it is an excellent option to build endurance. Such training also helps replicate match scenario in which he is regularly required to switch his speed boosters on for the attacking play and to deal with counter attacks as well.
Ashley Young Favorite Things
- Role Model – Ian Wright
- Food – Jerk chicken, Peas, and Rice
Source – Wikipedia, Goal
Ashley Young Facts
- At Watford, Ashley wasn’t offered a scholarship contract and was even asked to leave. So, he asked the club’s permission to stay and train on a part-time basis. Also, his stay with the club was entirely unpaid.
- Within a year of having turned away by the club, he had managed to bag his first professional contract from the club.
- By the end of 2004-05 season, he was recognized as Watford’s Young Player of the Season. He hadn’t scored any goal throughout the season, but his performances in the final third were key as his club managed to beat relegation from the Championship.
- In 2006, Watford had accepted a transfer offer worth £10 million from West Ham United but Young vetoed the move as he didn’t want to join the club that would be involved in a Premier League relegation battle.
- In January 2007, he agreed to move to Aston Villa after Watford accepted their transfer offer of £8 million (with further £1.65 million promised in add-ons). This was the highest fee Aston Villa had paid in their history for any player.
- He delivered amazing performances as a winger in the 2007-08 season and finished the season with 17 assists. He was 2nd only to Arsenal’s Cesc FÃ bregas.
- In November 2008, he signed a four-year contract extension with Aston Villa to extend his stay with the club until 2012.
- In 2008, he became the first player to have won Player of the Month award three times within a year in the history of Premier League.
- In June 2011, Manchester United managed to overcome competition from Liverpool to sign Young from Aston Villa. Young signed a 5 year deal with the club and was handed Paul Scholes number 18 shirt.
- In August 2015, he signed a contract extension with Manchester United that extended his contract with the club to June 2018. The club also had an option to extend his contract for another year.
- Follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Featured Image by Ashley Young / Instagram
He is 1.76 m or 1.77 m.