Eddie Howe has revealed that Dan Ashworth has brought a 'real depth of knowledge' to Newcastle United as the sporting director prepares to return to Brighton on Saturday.
Ashworth started working with Newcastle back in June after the Magpies reached an agreement with Brighton to release the 51-year-old from his notice period following his resignation as the Seagulls' technical director earlier this year. Ashworth was settled at Brighton, and did not apply for the job, but the former FA chief could not resist the opportunity to join what he called a 'monster of a football club' after he was headhunted.
It will fall to Ashworth to connect the various departments of the club - the men's team, the women's team, recruitment, the academy, medical and sports science, and player loans - and help establish an overarching strategy in the months and years to come. In the short-term, Ashworth has used his first couple of months in the post to get to know the staff and understand how the club functions while also assisting Howe and head of recruitment Steve Nickson when it comes to navigating the summer transfer window.
