Football Supplies for
Players, Coaches & Teams

Home Team Strips Team Wear Training Equipment Footballs Goals Accessories Treatment Room
For Coaches For Players For Goalkeepers For Referees Printing Contact Us Coaching Drills Club Shop
01670 862999
Updated 26/4/13

Other Sports
Free Sessions

Pennants
Coaches Blog
Who am I ?
50 years old, coach of under 7’s and 8’s teams, supporter of Northern League Club Ashington FC, Newcastle United supporter
Tuesday 19th March
If you’re interested in coaching check out www.coachingfamily.com
Thursday 28th February
If you’re on the look out for some end of season trophies have a look at these www.mytrophy.co.uk
Tuesday 15th January
Friday sees Ashington FC making the 450 mile journey to Bodmin Town in the last 32 of the FA Vase. With money no object in the higher reaches of football, it’s worth remembering how difficult it is for other teams with Ashington likely to make a sizeable loss on the game. Due to set off at 9am on Friday morning for the 10 hour journey, the team will be staying overnight in Cornwall, playing the game at 3pm on Saturday and then returning to the north east straight after the game.
Friday 11th January
Bedlington Terriers from the Northern League (step 5) beat Newcastle United U21 (what
used to be known as the reserves) 3-
Monday 7th January
The juniors get underway again with our Under 8’s drawing 5-
On Saturday Ashington drew 1-
Wednesday 12th December
FA Vase Ashington 2 AFC Rushden & Diamonds 1 ...Watch the Goals here ..... Better than watching the Premier League
Tuesday 30th October
If you’re looking for new coaching ideas, check out coachingfamily.com
Tuesday 9th October
Reverting back to St James Park -
I’d be interested to hear other coaches/parents/kids views on the new 5v5 at under 7’s
Wednesday 3rd October
Not enjoying the new 5 a side for the under 7’s. Pitches are too small and we’re getting some ridiculous scores
Attended a fantastic “Coach the Coach” evening with the FA’s Dick Bate. So enthusiastic and meticulous.
Wednesday 19th September
We had our first taste of the FA’s new 5v5 for under 7’s on Sunday. A bit like “fight football”. Everyone swarming around on a little pitch till the ball broke free and someone scored. Coaches telling goalkeepers to boot it up the pitch ! Not really what we hoped for.
A simple game to help with team shape for under 8’s here
Tuesday 11th September
It will be interesting to see how the FA’s new structure for junior football shapes up this season. Our under 7’s are playing 5 a side on a 40x30m pitch with 12x6 goals. The league has decided not to introduce a retreat line so I can see a lot of goalies going for the big kick upfield which is the exact opposite of what we want.
Sunday 2nd September
Ashington 3 West Auckland 3 Northern League Div 1. Great game against last seasons FA Vase finalists.
Saturday 1st September
Attended a great “coach the coach” event presented by England U21 Coach Brian Eastick. Really inspires you to see such good coaches without any sort of egos.
Monday 13th August
Good blog on junior football here
Ashington 1 Sunderland RCA 1 FA Cup Extra Prelim Round
The road to Wembley starts early if you’re a non-
The behaviour of the winners and losers at the Olympics has certainly given our footballers a lesson in how to behave. In the new season why don’t we really show up those players trying to cheat to win free kicks and those feigning injury. Let us not accept players moaning because they have to play 2 games in a week.
Friday 3rd August
For senior teams in particular, pre-
Tuesday 26th June
So the usual post mortem into England’s lack of success at the Euros can now get underway. Why is it that technically we look so average? Why can’t we keep hold of the ball under pressure? Why is our movement so one dimensional? It seems to me that nothing changes. We were having these conversations 15 years ago when I first got into coaching. Clubs have spent and are spending a fortune on their academies but technically we still lag behind. Am I being too impatient?
Thursday 21st June
I hope you’re all surviving the close season. If you’re the coach of a junior team maybe you’ll be in the middle of your trials, if you’re lucky enough to be able to attract players. The rest of us will be scratching around for enough players to have a team! Semi Pro squads will probably be back in training next week. Sunday league teams still have a bit of time off !
Thursday 7th June
Tomorrow’s session with the Under 7’s and 8’s here
Wednesday 30th May
This weeks training session with under 7’s/8’s here
Saturday 5th May
Good session last night with the Under 8’s. Download here
Thursday 3rd May
Brilliant win on Saturday at home to West Auckland. The visitors needed to win the game to claim the championship. See the highlights here
What a win for Newcastle against Chelsea! Don’t think you’ll see better goals.
Don’t mind Roy Hodgson getting the England job. Think it’s only the Southern based press who wanted Redknapp.
Saturday 28th April 2012
Great session at training last night. 21 kids turned up for our under 7’s and 8’s. Session here
Saturday 21st April
Good training session with our Under 8’s last night. Session here Taken from the FA’s new book The Future Game
Watching the Chelsea v Barcelona game on Wednesday was so infuriating. Players rolling around in “pain” and others falling over after minimal contact. Let’s hope something is done about it before it filters down the leagues.
Friday 13th April
Northern League: Benfield 2 Ashington 1 .. A wonder goal overhead kick from Paul Antony gave Benfield a slightly fortunate 3 points. Great display from the home keeper Andy Grainger.
Saturday 7th April
The way forward for youth football
U7 U8 -
I hope they bring out a rule stopping goalies from kicking out of their hands in the 5 a side game otherwise the temptation for some coaches/teams will be to get the ball forward as quickly as possible.
Friday 6th April
If you’re interested in Junior / Mini Soccer have a look at this website www.youthfootballdevelopment.blogspot.co.uk
Written by Nick Levett who is the FA National development Manager for Youth and Mini Soccer.
We rightly complain in this country about how technically we seem to be miles behind the likes of Spain, Portugal etc. But watching Swansea against Newcastle should be a reminder that possession of the ball is not an end in itself. You keep the ball in order to go forward and create chances. If your final ball is poor or you don’t have the flair to play a killer ball or to get past an opponent, you achieve nothing.
Tuesday 3rd April
Congratulations to Dunston UTS and West Auckland on reaching the FA Vase Final at Wembley. With Whitley Bay winning the competition for the previous 3 years, it’s further confirmation that the Northern League is the strongest Step 5 league in the country.
Friday 30th March
Big games for 2 Northern League teams tomorrow in the semi finals of the FA Vase.
West Auckland are at home to Herne Bay (2-
Wednesday 28th March
Northern League: Ashington 0 Sunderland RCA 4 .. Hammered by top of the table Sunderland RCA who must now be slight favourites to win the league unless Dunston, Spennymoor or West Auckland can stop them. No complaints about the result as RCA were much stronger and quicker than us. Just disappointed that we couldn’t put up more of a fight.
Tuesday 27th March
Sunday: Under 8’s Cramlington Juniors 2 Ellington 1 A really close game played in glorious sunshine!
Saturday: Northern League Consett 1 Ashington 2. We carried a bit of luck in this game, scoring from a free kick given for a back pass which seemed rather harsh, then Consett had a player sent off.
We did an interesting session with our Under 8’s last Friday. Closing down and defending
Probably a bit too advanced but it may stick in their minds for when we re-
Wednesday 21st March
Good win last Saturday. Northern League: Ashington 2 Shildon 0. The Colliers move up to 5th place.
1-
Wednesday 14th March
Good win last night for Ashington. Northern league: Ashington 3 Billingham Town 0
Tuesday 13th March
Good weekend. Northern league : South Shields 0 Ashington 1 Brief highlights available here
Then a good 3-
Monday night was a bit disappointing with a schoolboy error from Danny Simpson handing Arsenal a 92nd minute winner against Newcastle.
Thursday 8th March
Saturday saw a disappointing 1-
Saturday 3rd March
Took in the Morpeth Town v North Shields game last Wednesday. Check out the last minute goal from Goalkeeper Michael Robinson here
Monday 27th February
Good weekend of football! Northern League: Ashington 3 Stokesley 0 Two goals from Marc Walton and one from Andrew Johnson.
And on the Sunday: Ellington U8 2 North Shields 0 ... One of our best performances of the season.
Quite rightly winning isn’t important at this age but even so the kids and the parents go home happier after a victory!!
Wednesday 22nd February
West Auckland 2 Ashington 1 .. A much improved performance against top of the table West Auckland. Had we taken half our chances we would have won the game comfortably. For those unfamiliar with West Auckland’s story have a look at this
Monday 20th February
FA Vase Last 16 Shortwood United 3 Ashington 0
A disappointing result and performance plus a 600 mile round trip for good measure!
2 down after 12 minutes. I don’t think Shortwood could quite believe how bad we were but that’s football.
Good luck to them in the next round. On a positive note Nailsworth in Gloucestershire is a lovely part of the country.
Our under 8’s lost 3-
Tuesday 14th February
Good training session on Friday with the Under 8’s. Repeated last week’s drill and it went even better second time round.
Saturday’s trip down to Shortwood United was called off and re-
On Sunday the Under 8’s lost 3-
Then watched Newcastle get absolutely thrashed by Spurs on Sky. Never been so un-
Thursday 9th February
Long trip down to Gloucester looming for Sunday’s FA Vase home against Shortwood United .. Weather permitting
Friday 3rd February
Tried a nice drill with our under 8’s which went quite well
Wednesday 1st February
Played Sun: Under 8’s Newcastle City 5 Ellington 2 ..... 5-
Played Sat: Newton Aycliffe 1 Ashington 1 .... A deflected Mark O’Dea goal was cancelled out before half time. Got back just in time to see the second half of the Brighton v Newcastle FA Cup game. Dreadful.
Wednesday 25th Jan
Ashington 4 Spennymoor 1 ....... Great win against probably the best team in the league. Very impressed again with Dan Taylor, on loan from Newcastle United. Two goals from him, another one from Mark O’Dea and a penalty from Phil Bell.
Tuesday 24th Jan
Ashington drawn away to Shortwood United in the FA Vase. Another long journey!
Sunday 22nd Jan
Back home to the North East at 10pm on Saturday night, then back on the road to Gosforth
at 10am Sunday for Ellington’s under 8’s game against Cramlington Juniors. Lost 4-
Saturday 21st Jan
Newport Pagnell 2 Ashington 3
A crowd of well over 600 saw Ashington deservedly move into the last 16 of the FA
Vase. Goals from Mark O’Dea and Gareth Rees put the Colliers 2 up before Newport
pegged it back to 2-
Thurs 19th Jan
Saturday sees Ashington FC travel down to Newport Pagnell FC for the 4th round of the FA Vase ... That’s the last 32 with the final being held at Wembley. This equals the furthest the club have ever reached in the competition so over 100 fans are expected to make the 4½ hour journey.