Ashington turn to Gray to end manager search

By Mark Carruthers

Northern Premier League East Division club Ashington have confirmed the appointment of former Morpeth Town and Whitley Bay manager Nicky Gray.

The Colliers parted company with former management team Andy Coyles and Richie Hill last month and experienced trio Gary Ormston, Andrew Cartwright and Paul Robinson were placed in interim charge as the search for a successor got underway.

Their temporary reign concluded on Saturday as their side suffered a 3-2 defeat at Consett that left them sat just one point and two places above the East Division relegation zone.

However, the appointment of Gray will be viewed as a positive move from the Colliers board as they look to benefit from the services of a manager who enjoyed remarkable success during a nine-year spell in charge of Morpeth earlier in his career.

Gray guided the Highwaymen from the Northern League’s second tier into the Northern Premier League Premier Division and lifted the FA Vase and Northumberland Senior Cup during his time at Craik Park.

After leaving Morpeth during the summer of 2020, Gray was named as manager of Northern League Division One club Whitley Bay in 2022 but has been out of management since leaving the Hillheads side earlier this year.

He will now get to work with Ashington as he looks to kickstart their season and the new Colliers boss has already set an ambitious target for his new side.

He told the club website: “It would be easy to aim for consolidating our league position this season, but given the kind of person I am, our target as a club should be to reach the playoffs.”

Gray’s first game in charge will come next Saturday when Stocksbridge Park Steels are the visitors to Woodhorn Lane.