Alan Ashman R.I.P.

03 December 2002

Former Albion Manager Alan Ashman died yesterday at the age of 74 after suffering a stroke and a heart attack over the weekend. Here Bryn Jones pays tribute to Ashman ? the last Albion Manager to lead us to FA Cup victory:

Alan Ashman - The Neglected Architect of Albion?s Halcyon Cup Victories

Alan Ashman in his Albion days

Thousands of older Albion fans will mourn the passing yesterday of Alan Ashman - the last manager to bring a major trophy back to the Hawthorns. In 1968 Ashman rode in an open-top coach with Jeff Astle and the other stars of Albion?s historic fifth Final victory. Yet, after holding up the Cup to the hundreds of thousands who lined West Bromwich High Street, Ashman had further trophies dashed from his team?s grasp in the 1969 Cup semi-final against Leicester and the 1970 League Cup final against a powerful Manchester City side. In the close season of 1971 Ashman was sacked by a Board disappointed at the failure of his sides to match their excellent cup runs with success in the League.

Ashman was the victim of an ambitious board of directors who perhaps misjudged both the calibre of the players at his disposal and the rival managerial abilities of his successor Don Howe - the ex-Albion full back and then Arsenal coach. Though Howe went on to become one of the most respected coaches in the English game he lacked the extra qualities needed to be team manager ? a far more wide ranging job thirty years ago than it is today.

Alan Ashman?s teams emphasised cavalier ? some times too cavalier - attacking play using a variety of attacking forwards and midfield players. By contrast, Howe emphasised tactical awareness, defensive solidity and work rate in an attempt to reproduce the style that had won Arsenal the double for him and manager Bertie Mee. Yet within four years Howe was also picking up his P45 from the Albion directors as the team languished in the old Second division whence his tactics had led them following relegation in 1973. Howe?s failure showed, in retrospect, that Ashman was a gifted manager despite his sides? defensive limitations.

Alan Ashman was born in Rotherham in 1928 and after a largely undistinguished playing career at Sheffield United, Nottingham Forest and Carlisle United he became a coach with non-league Penrith, before taking up the managers job at Carlisle. His success at Carlisle, whom he guided from the Fourth Division to the top positions in the Second, alerted the Albion Board who named Alan as successor to Jimmy Hagan. This was in May 1967; ironically following defeat in a League Cup final against Third Division QPR, in which a young Rodney Marsh turned the game for QPR after Albion had taken a 2-0 half-time lead.

Like Gary Megson?s teams it took Alan?s new side four games to record its first win of the 1967/68 season. But many Albion fans could forgive the slow start, as that win was a 4-1 crushing of an outfit called Wolverhampton Wanderers. That sequence set the tone for the rest of the campaign as the new manager?s team established a pattern of some spectacular wins (4-1 Sheffield United, 8-1 vs. Burnley) and some equally chaotic defeats (1-4 at Liverpool and 2-4 at Coventry). But the Cup run gradually strengthened the team and there was only one significant reverse in the last quarter of the campaign, when Everton ? the eventual Wembley opponents - ran rings around the Baggies at the Hawthorns on March 16th to win 6-2 with England midfielder Alan Ball scoring four goals.

When Albion eventually travelled down Wembley Way, two months later, many fans feared a repeat of that drubbing as Everton had some of the most skilled players of the decade, including several England internationals. But Alan Ashman sprang a tactical surprise on that May afternoon with Albion defending in depth and eschewing their normal attacking game for a strategy that would not be unfamiliar to watchers of Gary Megson?s team.

In fact Ashman and Albion learned well from their earlier defeat by Everton. The subsequent three-match quarter-final struggle against Liverpool helped forge Albion into a much more combative and tenacious team. After drawing 0-0 at the Hawthorns many observers would have written off their chances at Fortress Anfield. But Jeff Astle equalised an early Liverpool goal to set up the titanic 2nd replay at Manchester City?s ground, where Astle and then ?Chippy? Clark overcame Liverpool?s single goal in a rain soaked Maine Road pitch to send Albion through to the semi-finals.

Ashman seemed to have found the magic touch to convert the mix of skilful and combative players assembled by Jimmy Hagan into one of the most enterprising teams seen at the Hawthorns since the glory days of the mid-fifties. In that halcyon spring of 1968 Ashman coaxed some scintillating displays from the soon-to-be Wembley heroes. With Jeff Astle seemingly scoring at will, the high point was surely the 6-3 hammering of Manchester United, the European Champions elect, courtesy of another Astle hat trick.

Unfortunately, that first season proved to be the highlight of Alan?s four-year reign at the Hawthorns. Though his teams had a most impressive overall record in domestic and European cup competitions, of 36 cup games only 8 were lost, Alan could not find the consistency needed for League success. In his last two seasons they finished 16th and 17th; though the latter campaign did include the sensational away win at Elland Road, where the still controversial ?off-side? goal by Astle, courtesy of Tony Brown, was crucial in denying Leeds the championship.

Mild mannered Ashman must have been shocked at the manner of his sacking - the club, apparently, leaving him to learn of it through the newspapers during his close season holiday in Greece. But Alan was soon back in management at Greek club Olympiakos. Then once more at Carlisle ? where he showed his managerial mettle by getting the small Cumbrian club into the top flight ? followed by stints at Workington and Walsall. Alan Ashman should also be remembered for introducing a range of Albion stalwarts in to the first team during his managership. The future club captain and latterly chief executive John Wile was bought from Peterborough and stars Ally Robertson, Len Cantello and Asa Hartford were promoted from the youth ranks.

Some of Alan?s other signings were less successful. The extra-ordinarily talented, and popular, Sunderland forward Colin Suggett never really realised his full potential at the Hawthorns. A trajectory followed in more calamitous fashion by one-season wonder Danny Hegan. Indeed Alan seemed to be better at bringing on home-grown talent than buying in new blood as the less than successful replacement for Clive Clark, Alan Glover, also demonstrated.

Whatever his shortcomings in these respects Alan will probably be remembered for his friendly and unassuming demeanour towards supporters. But also, of course, as the man who put Albion?s name once more on that legendary FA Cup in keeping with the club?s traditions. Despite the unhappy manner of his departure from the Hawthorns Alan Ashman deserves to be held in high esteem by both Baggies and Carlisle fans. The tribute on a Carlisle United web site could equally be endorsed by Albion fans: ?Alan Ashman will always be remembered with fond memories ? and no praise is sufficient reward for what he achieved for the club and its supporters.?

But, above all, Albion supporters of the time would probably want to thank him for giving them that annus mirabilis to look back on in the dismal, recent years of heartache. Alan Ashman may have been neglected but for many of us supporters his achievements will never be forgotten.

The exuberant mood, that Alan?s style of football helped to create in those halcyon years, is best captured in a popular terrace song of the late ?60s (to the tune of ?The Blaydon Races?):

"Oh my lads, you should have seen the faces,
Running along the Brummie Road to see the Ashman aces.
All the lads and lasses there, all the smiling faces,
Running along the Brummie Road to see the Ashman aces."

Previous Stories:

  30 November 2002:  Bob Taylor Quiz Night

  28 November 2002:  Revenge at last!

  11 November 2002:  Football killed the King

Back to the News Index