Brian Ashton (soccer)
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{short description|Canadian former soccer player|bot=PearBOT 5}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Brian Ashton
| image =
| caption =
| fullname = Brian Ashton
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=9}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1974|09|05}}
| birth_place = Sudbury, Ontario
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| position = Defensive Midfielder
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
|years1=1992|clubs1=London Lasers|caps1=3|goals1=0
| years2 = 1998–2004
| years3 = 2002
| clubs2 = Toronto Lynx
| clubs3 = → Mississauga Olympians (loan)
| caps2 = 159
| caps3 = 3
| goals2 = 13
| goals3 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 1991
| nationalteam1 = Canada U17
| nationalcaps1 = 2
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 1992
| nationalteam2 = Canada U20
| nationalcaps2 = 5
| nationalgoals2 = 1
| nationalyears3 = 1994
| nationalteam3 = Canada U23
| nationalcaps3 = 4
| nationalgoals3 = 0
| pcupdate = January 2, 2015
| ntupdate = n/a
}}
Brian Ashton (born September 5, 1974) is a Canadian former soccer player who played notably with the Toronto Lynx, and is currently the Ontario Soccer Association Region 6 Head Coach.
Professional career
Ashton attended St. Charles College, where he played soccer. Ashton was a key part of the 1990 and 1993 NOSSA title for St. Charles.{{Cite news |last=Hutchison |first=Jim |date=May 28, 1990 |title=St. Charles wins NOSSA |pages=16 |work=North Bay Nugget |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/north-bay-nugget/135662728/ |access-date=November 23, 2023}} {{Open access}}{{Cite news |last=Macfarlane |first=Bruce |date=May 31, 1993 |title=St. Charles gains revenge in NOSSA soccer finals |pages=11 |work=North Bay Nugget |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/north-bay-nugget/135662579/ |access-date=November 23, 2023}} {{Open access}}
Ashton began playing professional soccer with the London Lasers in 1992.{{cite web| url = https://www.statscrew.com/minorsoccer/stats/p-ashtobri001| title = Brian Ashton soccer statistics on StatsCrew.com}} Although receiving a tryout offer from Premier League club Sheffield United in 1993, he never officially made the squad.{{Cite web |last=Pascal |first=Randy |date=September 12, 2023 |title=Laurentian soccer celebrates and Ashton heads overseas - in Sept of 1993 |url=https://www.sudburysports.com/article.php?articleId=11613 |access-date=November 23, 2023 |website=Sudbury Sports}}
He later played with the Toronto Lynx of the USL A-League in 1998 the second year of the franchise's inception.{{Cite web|url=http://www.lynxsoccer.com:80/players/ashton.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000819051340/http://www.lynxsoccer.com/players/ashton.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 19, 2000|title=The Team|date=August 19, 2000|access-date=October 28, 2017}} He made his debut for the club on April 9, 1998, in an exhibition match against the Rochester Rhinos.{{Cite web|url = http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/lynx9802.htm|title = A-League pre season game of Thursday April 9, 1998|date = April 9, 1998|accessdate = |website = Rocket Robin`s Home Page|publisher = |last = Glover|first = Robin}} During his tenure with the Lynx he was awarded the Toronto Lynx Fan Favorite award a record five times including a Public Relations award.{{Cite web|url = http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/reports03/03lynx04.htm|title = LYNX SIGN FORMER ALL-STAR|date = April 10, 2003|accessdate = |website = Rocket Robin`s Home Page|publisher = TORONTO LYNX MEDIA RELEASE|last = Nutt|first = Dave}} He held the record for most club appearances for the Lynx, until he was surpassed by David Diplacido in 2006.{{Cite web|url=http://soccerstats.us/bios/brian-ashton/|title=Brian Ashton {{!}} SoccerStats.us|website=soccerstats.us|access-date=April 16, 2018}} In the 2000 USL A-League season he assisted Toronto by reaching the post season for the second time in the franchise's history. In the playoffs Ashton scored a goal in the conference quarterfinals against the Long Island Rough Riders, which resulted in a 2–1 victory.{{Cite web|url = http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/00lynx66.htm|title = CP article: Lynx Advance to Semi's|date = September 9, 2000|accessdate = |website = Rocket Robin`s Home Page|publisher = |last =Winnipeg Fury }} The Lynx playoff run came to an end in the Eastern Conference Final against the Rochester Rhinos in a 2–1 loss on aggregate.
Once the 2002 A-League season came to a conclusion he was loaned to the Mississauga Olympians of the Canadian Professional Soccer League.{{Cite web|url=http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/reports02/02cpsl4b.htm|title=CPSL playoff picture still unclear|last=RUMLESKI|first=Kathy|website=www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com|publisher=London Free Press|access-date=April 16, 2018}} He made his debut on September 11, 2002, in an Open Canada Cup match against the Toronto Croatia.{{Cite web|url = http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/reports02/02cpsl81.htm|title = Result of the Wednesday September 11th, 2002 CPSL game between Toronto Croatia and Mississauga Olympians played at Memorial Park in Streetsville at 8:00pm. This was the first game of the two leg quarterfinal of the League Cup|date = September 11, 2002|accessdate = |website = Rocket Robin's Home Page|publisher = |last = Glover|first = Robin}} He helped the Olympians secure a playoff berth by finishing second in the Western Conference, but unfortunately were defeated by the North York Astros in a wild card match.{{Cite web|url = http://www.rocketrobinsoccerintoronto.com/reports02/02cpsl1j.htm|title = Result of the Friday October 18th, 2002 CPSL Wild Card game to determine semi-finalists for the Rogers Cup between North York Astros and Mississauga Olympians|date = October 18, 2002|accessdate = |website = Rocket Robin's Home Page|publisher = |last = Glover|first = Robin}} On February 12, 2004, Ashton announced his retirement from professional soccer after he was offered a regional coach of youth development position with the Ontario Soccer Association.{{Cite web|url = http://www.uslfans.com/features/2004/fea,2004,0004.shtml|archive-url = https://archive.today/20150103045215/http://www.uslfans.com/features/2004/fea,2004,0004.shtml|url-status = dead|archive-date = January 3, 2015|title = There's Only One Number 8|date = February 12, 2004|website = USLFans.com|last = Lynch|first = Rob}}
International career
Ashton made his national team debut on March 25, 1991, with the Canada men's national under-17 soccer team at the 1991 CONCACAF U-17 Tournament. He later featured with the Canada men's national under-20 soccer team in the 1992 CONCACAF U-20 Tournament. He also played with the Canada men's national under-23 soccer team at the 1994 Jeux de la Francophonie.{{Cite web|url=http://www.canadasoccer.com/?t=profile&pid=250|title=Canada Soccer|website=www.canadasoccer.com|access-date=April 14, 2017}}
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashton, Brian}}
Category:Canadian soccer coaches
Category:Canadian Soccer League (1998–present) players
Category:Canadian men's soccer players
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Soccer people from Ontario
Category:Sportspeople from Greater Sudbury