Ian Ashbee
{{Short description|English footballer (born 1976)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Ian Ashbee
| image = Ian Ashbee.jpg
| image_size = 180
| caption = Ashbee playing for Hull City in 2010
| fullname = Ian Ashbee{{Cite book
| editor-first = Barry J.
| editor-last = Hugman
| title = The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2003/2004
| year = 2003
| publisher = Queen Anne Press
| isbn = 1-85291-651-6
| page = 28 }}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1976|9|6|df=y}}
| birth_place = Birmingham, England
| height = {{height|ft=6|in=1}}
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = Bridlington Town (assistant manager)
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 = {{0|000}}?–1994
| youthclubs1 = Derby County
| years1 = 1994–1996 |clubs1 = Derby County |caps1 = 1 |goals1 = 0
| years2 = 1996 |clubs2 = → ÍR (loan) |caps2 = 8 |goals2 = 3
| years3 = 1996–2002 |clubs3 = Cambridge United |caps3 = 204 |goals3 = 11
| years4 = 2002–2011 |clubs4 = Hull City |caps4 = 243 |goals4 = 10
| years5 = 2011–2012 |clubs5 = Preston North End |caps5 = 26 |goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2015 |clubs6 = Hull United |caps6 = ? |goals6 = ?
| totalcaps = 482 | totalgoals = 24
| nationalyears1 = 1995
| nationalteam1 = England U18
| nationalcaps1 = 1
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| club-update = 04:10, 27 December 2011 (UTC)
}}
Ian Ashbee (born 6 September 1976) is an English former footballer who retired in 2012 having previously played for Preston North End, Derby County, Cambridge United and Hull City, and in Iceland, on loan to ÍR.{{Cite web|url=http://www.hullcityafc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10338~9026,00.html|title=Player Profiles|publisher=Hull City A.F.C|access-date=4 December 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081220171646/http://www.hullcityafc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10338~9026,00.html|archive-date=20 December 2008|url-status=dead}} He is currently Assistant Manager at Bridlington Town.
Career
=Derby County=
Ashbee began his career at Derby County in 1994. He stayed at the Rams for two seasons, but struggled to make an impact and after a loan spell, he was eventually sold to Cambridge United in 1996.
=Cambridge United=
Ashbee was one of Cambridge United's longest-serving players at the time. He made his debut in a 1–0 win at Torquay. It was here that Ashbee made his name as he scored 11 goals in over 200 games for The U's.
=Hull City=
Purchased by manager Jan Mølby in June 2002 in the Third Division he suffered a nightmare start to his Hull career as he was sent off on his debut. This was, however, due to his no-nonsense approach on the pitch and he soon became a firm favourite with Tigers fans and management alike, with both Mølby and Peter Taylor making him captain.
The goal he scored against Yeovil Town was the goal that promoted Hull to League One and he was also instrumental in Hull's successful promotion campaign to the Football League Championship in the following season.
Ashbee was, however, cursed by an old injury in the subsequent Championship campaign, being diagnosed with an osteochondral defect, a degenerative bone condition in his femur. He underwent surgery that involved drilling fourteen holes in the bone to stimulate re-growth. He was warned by his doctor that this injury threatened not just his career, but his ability to even walk.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}} Ashbee was on crutches for four months and was ruled out for the majority of the 2005–06 season, nevertheless he remained a favourite amongst many Tigers fans, receiving a standing ovation at the last game of the season against Watford despite being sidelined.
He was also retained as captain by Hull's next manager, Phil Parkinson, and his replacement, Phil Brown. But with a poor team performance in their second season in the Championship, finishing just one place outside the relegation zone, Ashbee as captain received a large share of fans' criticisms that were aimed at the team, despite the outgoing chairman Adam Pearson suggesting him as a potential Player of the Season.{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}}
The 2007–08 season saw vastly improved performances from the team as a whole, culminating in the club reaching its first ever Wembley Stadium final, taking on Bristol City for a place in the Premier League, a game which they won 1–0. This meant that Ashbee captained Hull to promotion from the bottom division of the Football League to the top. Andy Dawson, Boaz Myhill and Ryan France are the other players to have helped take Hull up through the four divisions.[http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=95180 tribalfootball.com – Hull's Dawson happy joining brother Michael in Premiership] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080530000713/http://www.tribalfootball.com/article.php?id=95180 |date=30 May 2008 }} On 16 August 2008 Ashbee was captain of the Hull side that won its first ever top-flight game 2–1 against Fulham, completing an achievement thought to be unique in English football: captaining the same team in all four divisions of the Football League, bottom to top.{{Cite news|url=http://www.sporthull.co.uk/football/hull_city/tigers_news/displayarticle.php?ID=7820|title=Ash to lead from the front|date=17 August 2008|newspaper=Hull Daily Mail}}
Towards the end of the 2008–09 season, in a fixture against Aston Villa on 4 May 2009, Ashbee suffered another career-threatening injury, rupturing a posterior cruciate ligament in his knee. It was initially thought that he would return to action in the Autumn, however on 18 August it was reported that Ashbee required further surgery on the knee and would likely miss the entire 2009–10 season.{{Cite news|url=http://www.sporthull.co.uk/hullcity/news/HULL-CITY-Ashbee-ruled-season/article-1262778-detail/article.html|title=Hull City: Ashbee ruled out for season|date=18 August 2009|newspaper=Hull Daily Mail|access-date=19 August 2009}}{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hull_city/8207617.stm|title=Hull rocked by injury to Ashbee|date=18 August 2009|work=BBC Sport|access-date=19 August 2009}}
Upon his return in the first game of the 2010–11 season, Ashbee scored the second goal in Hull's 2–0 victory over Swansea City.{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/8881517.stm|title=Hull City 2–0 Swansea City|date=7 August 2010|work=BBC Sport|access-date=10 August 2010}}
=Preston North End=
In January 2011, Ashbee signed for Preston North End, managed by former Hull manager Phil Brown, after handing in a transfer request to then Hull City manager Nigel Pearson. Ashbee was offered a 1-year contract extension at Hull, but wanted to sign a 2-year contract, which Preston offered him.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/preston/9381147.stm|title=Hull's Ian Ashbee joins ex-boss Phil Brown at Preston|date=31 January 2011|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC|access-date=13 January 2012}} He went on to make 19 appearances for Preston during the season, but could not prevent his club from being relegated. Ashbee was named club captain of Preston in June 2011.
On 2 February 2012, Preston and Ashbee agreed to end his contract. During that season, at the age of 35, he had struggled through a knee injury that restricted him to only seven starts and four substitute appearances.{{cite news|title=Ashbee departs North End|url=https://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11697/7475408/ashbee-departs-north-end|access-date=31 March 2014|newspaper=Sky Sports News|date=2 February 2012}}
=Retirement=
Ashbee stated on his Twitter page later in 2012 that he had retired from professional football at the age of 36.{{citation needed|date=March 2014}}
On 13 January 2015, he came out of retirement by signing for a short time with Humber Premier League side Hull United.{{cite news|title=Hull City legend Ian Ashbee comes out of retirement to sign for Hull United|url=http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Hull-City-legend-Ian-Ashbee-comes-retirement-sign/story-25848485-detail/story.html|date=13 January 2015|newspaper=Hull Daily Mail|access-date=14 January 2015|archive-date=20 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150120052154/http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/Hull-City-legend-Ian-Ashbee-comes-retirement-sign/story-25848485-detail/story.html|url-status=dead}} He subsequently became chairman in June 2015, combining the role with his assistant manager duties. He left the club along with Curtis Woodhouse in 2016
=Management=
On 20 September 2016 Ian Ashbee was announced as the assistant manager to Curtis Woodhouse at Bridlington Town.
=Jewellery=
In 2013 Ian Ashbee began working for Blowers Jewellers as Director of Sports Clients.{{citation needed|date=January 2020}}
Personal life
Ashbee has a son, Stan, who is also a professional footballer. He currently plays for Ashbee's ex-side, Hull City.{{cite web|url=https://www.wearehullcity.co.uk/players/u18-team/stan-ashbee/|title=Stan Ashbee|publisher=Hull City A.F.C.|access-date=30 July 2024}}
Honours
Cambridge United
- Football League Third Division runner-up: 1998–99
- Football League Trophy runner-up: 2001–02{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/1885124.stm |title=Blackpool lift LDV Vans Trophy |first=Paul |last=Fletcher |website=BBC Sport |date=24 March 2002 |access-date=18 March 2024}}
Hull City
- Football League Championship play-offs: 2008
- Football League One runner-up: 2004–05
- Football League Third Division runner-up: 2003–04
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.pnefc.net/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10362~9026,00.html Ian Ashbee profile] at Preston North End F.C.
- {{Soccerbase}}
- [http://www.thefa.com/england/all-teams/players?p=20586 England profile] at TheFA
{{Hull City A.F.C. Hall of Fame}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashbee, Ian}}
Category:Footballers from Birmingham, West Midlands
Category:English men's footballers
Category:English expatriate men's footballers
Category:England men's youth international footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Derby County F.C. players
Category:ÍR men's football players
Category:Cambridge United F.C. players
Category:Hull City A.F.C. players
Category:Preston North End F.C. players
Category:Hull United A.F.C. players
Category:Premier League players
Category:English Football League players