Dan Ashworth

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Dan Ashworth

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name = Daniel Ashworth

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|3|6|df=y}}

| office1 = Sporting Director of Newcastle United

| occupation = Sporting Director
Footballer (1989–2000)

| predecessor1 = Joe Kinnear (Director of Football)

| termstart1 = 7 February 2022

| 1namedata2 =

| office = Sporting Director of Manchester United

| 1blankname1 = Chairman

| 1namedata1 = Yasir Al-Rumayyan

| termstart = 1 July 2024

| termend = 8 December 2024

| successor1 = Paul Mitchell

| termend1 = 19 February 2024

| leader1 = Yasir Al-Rumayyan
Amanda Staveley
Jamie Reuben

| leader = Dave Brailsford
Jean-Claude Blanc
David Gill
Michael Edelson
Alex Ferguson

}}

Daniel Ashworth (born 6 March 1971) is an English football director. He was the sporting director for Premier League clubs Manchester United and Newcastle United. Previously, he worked as technical director for West Bromwich Albion and Brighton & Hove Albion, and was FA director of elite development.

Early life and career

Daniel Ashworth{{cite web |url=https://www.zerozero.pt/director_photos.php?id=4290 |title=Dan Ashworth |website=zerozero.pt |publisher=ZOS |access-date=8 December 2024 |language=pt}} was born on 6 March 1971.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news/west-brom-s-dan-ashworth-appointed-director-of-elite-development-by-fa-8144627.html |title=West Brom's Dan Ashworth appointed director of elite development by FA |first=Martyn |last=Ziegler |newspaper=The Independent |location=London |date=17 September 2012 |access-date=8 December 2024}} He was raised in Norfolk{{cite news |url=https://www.edp24.co.uk/sport/20802273.man-norfolk-helped-england-verge-world-cup-glory/ |title=The man from Norfolk who helped England to the verge of World Cup glory |newspaper=Eastern Daily Press |location=Norwich |date=10 July 2018 |access-date=8 December 2024}} and studied at the College of West Anglia from 1987 to 1989.{{cite web|title=Hall of Fame|url=http://www.cwa.ac.uk/sport-hall-of-fame.html|publisher=College of West Anglia|access-date=25 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202235913/http://www.cwa.ac.uk/sport-hall-of-fame.html|archive-date=2 December 2013|url-status=dead}} After time in the academy at Norwich City, Ashworth joined non-league club Eastbourne Town playing 21 games and scoring four goals{{cite web|url=https://eastbournetownfc.clabautdfc.co.uk/player/dan-ashworth/|title=ETFC Player Profile: Dan Ashworth|date=12 January 2023 |access-date=11 February 2023|publisher=[eastbournetown.com]}} before moving across to St. Leonards. Ashworth later spent time in the United States, coaching West Florida Fury, before returning to England to play for Wisbech Town. Ashworth left Wisbech in the autumn of 2000, following financial problems at the club.{{cite web|url=http://www.ex-canaries.co.uk/players/ashworth-dan.htm|title=Dan Ashworth|publisher=Flown From The Nest|access-date=14 March 2022}}

Ashworth continued to be involved with football after retiring as a player, and was appointed academy director at Peterborough United in 2000.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19678859|title=Roy Hodgson's England: Trevor Brooking on Dan Ashworth|access-date=15 August 2014|first=Simon |last=Austin|publisher=BBC Sport|date=25 September 2012}} In 2001, he went on to become centre of excellence director at Cambridge United until March 2004 when he moved to West Bromwich Albion assisting youth team manager Aidy Boothroyd. After Boothroyd's departure in the July of that year he took over as youth team manager until he was promoted to the club's sporting and technical director in December 2007.{{cite news| title = Mowbray praises chairman's decision| url = http://www.wba.co.uk/page/News/0,,10366~1342495,00.html| publisher = West Bromwich Albion F.C.| date = 15 July 2008|access-date = 13 April 2009| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20120229164159/http://www.wba.co.uk/page/News/0%2C%2C10366~1342495%2C00.html| archivedate = 29 February 2012| url-status = dead| df = dmy-all}}

On 17 September 2012, Ashworth was appointed as the FA director of elite development.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19623309|title=Dan Ashworth named FA director of elite development|date=17 September 2012|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=15 August 2014}} He is one of the creators of the "England DNA", an elite player development plan which aims "to help create winning senior teams, in the men's and the women's game."{{Cite web|url=https://community.thefa.com/england_dna/|title=England DNA - The playing and coaching philosophy of the England teams|website=community.thefa.com|access-date=2018-08-16|archive-date=3 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180803170157/https://community.thefa.com/england_dna/|url-status=dead}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/international/england-dna-plan-dan-ashworth-believes-his-manifesto-will-breed-a-new-era-of-success-for-the-9904650.html|title=England DNA plan: Dan Ashworth believes his manifesto will breed a new|work=The Independent|access-date=2018-08-16}} In August 2018, it was reported that Ashworth has been shortlisted by Manchester United as a candidate for the technical director.{{Cite news|url=http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11667/11473469/manchester-united-identify-dan-ashworth-and-paul-mitchell-for-technical-director-role|title=Manchester United identify Dan Ashworth and Paul Mitchell for technical director role|work=Sky Sports|access-date=2018-08-16}}

In September 2018, it was announced that Ashworth had resigned his role with the FA, and would take up the post of technical director at Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion in spring 2019.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45649768|title=Football Association technical director Dan Ashworth to join Brighton|work=BBC Sport|access-date=2018-09-26}} In February 2022, it was confirmed that Ashworth had agreed to join Premier League club Newcastle United, taking up the post of sporting director.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60281161|title=Newcastle to appoint ex-Brighton technical director as director of football|publisher=BBC Sport|date=7 February 2022}}

On 19 February 2024, Newcastle confirmed that they had agreed a compensation package to enable his departure, he had begun a period of gardening leave before {{Cite news|url=https://www.nufc.co.uk/news/latest-news/dan-ashworth-commences-gardening-leave/|title=Dan Ashworth commences gardening leave|publisher=Newcastle United F.C.|date=19 February 2024}} He officially joined Manchester United on 1 July 2024.{{cite web |url=https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/dan-ashworth-joins-man-utd-as-sporting-director-from-newcastle |title=Ashworth joins Manchester United as sporting director |publisher=Manchester United F.C. |date=1 July 2024}}{{cite web |title=Dan Ashworth leaves Manchester United after five months as sporting director |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5972334/2024/12/08/manchester-united-dan-ashworth-leaves/ |website=TheAthletic.com |access-date=8 December 2024}} However, just 5 months into the role, Ashworth left the club. His departure, confirmed by mutual agreement, came amid a period of transition and restructuring at the club.{{Cite web |date=2024-12-08 |title=Dan Ashworth: Man Utd sporting director leaves after just five months |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c1elzp6xeq7o#:~:text=Manchester%20United%20sporting%20director%20Dan,on%20gardening%20leave%20at%20Newcastle.&text=A%20United%20statement%20said%20the%20decision%20was%20made%20by%20mutual%20agreement. |access-date=2024-12-08 |website=BBC Sport}} After publishing their quarterly accounts from October to December 2024 it was revealed that it cost the club £4.1 million to terminate Ashworth's contract. {{Cite web |date=2024-12-08 |title=Dan Ashworth: Man Utd sporting director leaves after just five months |url= https://www.skysports.com/football/live-blog/11667/13025492/man-utd-transfer-news-rumours-and-gossip-live-updates-and-latest-on-deals-signings-loans-and-contracts |access-date=2025-02-19 |website=Sky Sports}}

Personal life

His sons Finn and Zac are professional footballers.{{Cite web |last=FC |first=Blackpool |title=Zac Ashworth |url=https://www.blackpoolfc.co.uk/players/zacharyashworth/ |access-date=2024-12-27 |website=Blackpool FC}}{{cite news |title=Dan Ashworth's son Finn signs first professional contract at Wolves |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/live-blogs/transfer-news-latest-updates-live/TsI5KsmFqssP/WFvWH1pnmbqK/ |access-date=4 February 2025 |work=The Athletic |date=5 July 2024}}