EX-PLAYER IS NEW C.E.O
Posted on: Thu 12 Feb 2009
By Alan Parry
Wycombe Wanderers are delighted to announce that Mark Ashton has joined the club as the new chief executive officer.
Mr. Ashton (37) takes up the post following a four-year spell as chief executive at Watford where he was a key figure in the club's promotion to the Barclays Premier League.
Wanderers managing director Steve Hayes said: 'Mark will be a huge asset. We've got a great manager in Peter Taylor, an excellent playing squad and a dedicated team behind-the-scenes. Now we have the right man to lead the club forward off-the-field.'
Ashton was a teenage goalkeeper who was snapped up by West Bromwich Albion when he was only 16 years old. Two years later, he was given his first team debut by former Albion manager Brian Talbot in a friendly against Real Madrid. But his promising career was cut short by injuries and he was forced to retire from playing at the age of 20.
Mark then began a new career in business, starting his own engineering company in the Midlands. But he was keen to stay involved in football and accepted West Brom's offer to become a coach at their centre of excellence.
He went on to serve Albion for another ten years; gaining valuable experience in a variety of roles including youth team manager, goalkeeper coach, community officer, commercial manager, marketing director and finally director of new projects.
When Graham Simpson became chairman of Watford in 2004, he recruited Ashton as his C.E.O. and asked him to take over the running of the club on a day-to-day basis. Mark was the driving force behind a host of ambitious schemes at the club, which helped to propel them into the Premier League.
Ashton - who will also become a non-executive director of Wycombe's tenants, reigning Guinness Premiership champions Wasps - said today: 'I'm delighted to be taking up this new post with what is a very progressive club.
'I'm really looking forward to working with Steve Hayes, the board and all the staff at Adams Park. It's a big challenge but we know the ingredients are in place to take this club forward.'
SMS Exclusive: Subscribers to Wanderers' SMS service were the first to hear this news. If you want to join them and be the first to hear all the breaking news at your club check out our SMS offers by clicking here.
Wycombe Wanderers are delighted to announce that Mark Ashton has joined the club as the new chief executive officer.
Mr. Ashton (37) takes up the post following a four-year spell as chief executive at Watford where he was a key figure in the club's promotion to the Barclays Premier League.
Wanderers managing director Steve Hayes said: 'Mark will be a huge asset. We've got a great manager in Peter Taylor, an excellent playing squad and a dedicated team behind-the-scenes. Now we have the right man to lead the club forward off-the-field.'
Ashton was a teenage goalkeeper who was snapped up by West Bromwich Albion when he was only 16 years old. Two years later, he was given his first team debut by former Albion manager Brian Talbot in a friendly against Real Madrid. But his promising career was cut short by injuries and he was forced to retire from playing at the age of 20.
Mark then began a new career in business, starting his own engineering company in the Midlands. But he was keen to stay involved in football and accepted West Brom's offer to become a coach at their centre of excellence.
He went on to serve Albion for another ten years; gaining valuable experience in a variety of roles including youth team manager, goalkeeper coach, community officer, commercial manager, marketing director and finally director of new projects.
When Graham Simpson became chairman of Watford in 2004, he recruited Ashton as his C.E.O. and asked him to take over the running of the club on a day-to-day basis. Mark was the driving force behind a host of ambitious schemes at the club, which helped to propel them into the Premier League.
Ashton - who will also become a non-executive director of Wycombe's tenants, reigning Guinness Premiership champions Wasps - said today: 'I'm delighted to be taking up this new post with what is a very progressive club.
'I'm really looking forward to working with Steve Hayes, the board and all the staff at Adams Park. It's a big challenge but we know the ingredients are in place to take this club forward.'
SMS Exclusive: Subscribers to Wanderers' SMS service were the first to hear this news. If you want to join them and be the first to hear all the breaking news at your club check out our SMS offers by clicking here.
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