Ashworth recognised with Premier League award

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Graham Potter leads tributes as club's technical director receives Eamonn Dolan award.

Bruce Talbot

2021-06-02T18:30:00Z

Albion's technical director Dan Ashworth.

Albion’s technical director Dan Ashworth and Fulham’s academy director Huw Jennings have been recognised for their outstanding work in youth development with the Eamonn Dolan award.

The award is in honour of former Reading academy manager Dolan, a pioneer for academy football and a mentor for hundreds of young players who passed away after losing a battle with cancer in 2016.

The award was presented in a virtual ceremony on Wednesday evening at the Premier League’s academy awards.

Ashworth has been at the club since 2019, following seven successful years at the Football Association as technical director. Prior to that he had spent eight years at West Bromwich Albion’s Academy.

Head coach Graham Potter praised the impact Ashworth has made in a video message, saying: “I’m sure it's a huge honour for you. It’s fully deserved, and I’m so pleased for you.”

The club’s academy manager John Morling added: “I know you knew Eamonn really well, and I know this award will mean a lot to you.

“You've had a really positive effect on a lot of players’ lives and a lot of staff’s lives, so it’s well deserved.”

Graham Potter led the tributes after Dan Ashworth won the Premier League's Eamonn Dolan award

John McDermott, who has stepped into Ashworth’s role as technical director at the FA, added: “I’ve always admired your energy, your capacity to be seemingly everywhere at once and to always be incredibly engaging. You’ve been top class in all the roles that you’ve done.

“I know even more now how you made the job I’m in now so easy. My admiration has gone up even more for you, and I’m not surprised at all by your ongoing success at Brighton.”

Jennings has been at Craven Cottage since 2006 after moving from Southampton, where he helped nurture Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott.