Ashworth is real talent, says owner

DAN Ashworth is an ‘exceptionally good’ sporting director who Brighton did not expect to lose to Newcastle United.

That is the view of Brighton owner Tony Bloom after Ashworth resigned from his post with the club back in February to take up a new role with Newcastle.

Brighton had a succession plan in place, with assistant technical director David Weir stepping up, but the Seagulls did not necessarily envisage Ashworth leaving when he did.

Ashworth, after all, was settled at Brighton and genuinely had no plans to leave the club before he was headhunted by recruitment firm Nolan Partners on Newcastle’s behalf.

However, although Ashworth tends to work in five-year cycles, the 51-year-old could not resist the chance to work for what he referred to as a ‘monster of a football club’ so he left Brighton ahead of schedule.

Ashworth was immediately placed on gardening leave by Brighton, but it showed how wellregarded the club’s former technical director was that even after resigning to take up a new position at an effective rival, he got the chance to say goodbye to staff and personally address the players during a two-day handover period.

Newcastle eventually struck a seven-figure agreement with Brighton to end Ashworth’s notice period early and the sporting director started his new role last month.

Weir may now be Brighton’s technical director but, clearly, Ashworth has left a void at the AMEX.

“It was certainly disappointing that he left,” Bloom told the Athletic. “You’re not surprised by anything in football. I’m certainly not surprised that another club wanted his services. Dan is exceptionally good at what he does.

“I wasn’t expecting it just then because we had such a good relationship and he was such a good fit for the club, but things move on.”