Newcastle United fans do not look back favourably at Dan Ashworth’s time on Tyneside.
His reign as Newcastle United sporting director ended much sooner than anticipated, with Dan Ashworth officially leaving St James’ Park to join Manchester United in July.
His exit from the club was rather controversial, while it can be argued that Ashworth did not achieve everything he set out to at Newcastle United.
However, he does deserve some praise. After all, he was the one who brought Yankuba Minteh to the club. And it was his transfer to Brighton that allowed Newcastle to comply with PSR. If we had not had someone like Minteh to sell, a bigger name like Anthony Gordon would have had to leave.
Ashworth clearly does have an eye for talent. Minteh was brought in as one for the future, and he already looks really exciting. Elsewhere, Ashworth has now been proven right about another young player.
Elliot Anderson impresses after Newcastle United exit
The former FA chief wanted players to rise through the ranks at Newcastle, which is why he was so fond of Elliot Anderson.
Ashworth often spoke highly of Anderson, who left St James’ Park over the summer to sign for Nottingham Forest for £35million. That was another enforced transfer due to PSR.
He has started brightly at the City Ground, and Newcastle fans were impressed with Anderson when they watched him in Forest’s 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Monday night.
The 21-year-old played as an attacking midfielder for Nottingham Forest, and was the star of the show in the number 10 position as Nuno Espirito Santo’s side moved up to ninth in the Premier League. That was a role Anderson never got to play for Newcastle United.
However, it was reported that Ashworth actually talked Newcastle out of signing an attacking midfielder, as he believed that Anderson would be suitable for that position.
The Geordie Maradona has now proven Ashworth right. Sadly, it is in the red of Nottingham Forest rather than the black and white of Newcastle.
Anderson would have been perfect for Newcastle formation change
And it comes at a time when Newcastle could do with freshening their attack up.
The Magpies are struggling for goals, while the midfield three is not functioning as it should.
One solution would be to change the system, with an alternative being a 4-2-3-1 formation. That would see the Magpies utilise an attacking midfielder, although there is no outstanding candidate in the Newcastle United squad for that role.
It would be perfect for Anderson, but he had to be sold over the summer, much to the frustration of everyone associated with Newcastle United.
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