Bangor’s own footballing sensation Ashley Hutton returns to the Province this weekend, back from Southern Mississippi University to join the Northern Ireland squad who are preparing to face the English later this month (13th), in a crucial opener in the 2010 European Championships finals.
The teenager, who has guested for her local side Bangor Ladies, is home after completing her first year Stateside, also has the English Premiership in her sights and a golden chance to make the breakthrough into the top tier in England with Leeds United Ladies.
The Yorkshire club, who are second in the table, are interested in prising the talented midfielder away from the sunshine state and back to the challenge of football at the very top flight. Hoping to strengthen their side in a bid to challenge this year’s champions and European Cup winners Arsenal Ladies.
At only nineteen years of age, arguably at her peak, the excitement of playing at this level next season is the one with may appeal most favourable for the young Northern Ireland international.
Ashley’s ‘apprenticeship’ in English football began at the Oakland’s Academy, where she was selected from 300 young candidates in 2004, and secured a two year scholarship at Saint Albans, the educational wing of the Gunners. Here, under the direct expertise of Vic Akers, Manager at Arsenal, Ashley was soon to develop into a top class footballer, this experience has proven the springboard for her career and presented her with the chance of going to America.
Although she has enjoyed both the climate and the lifestyle in the US, this latest move by Leeds United has presented the young teenager an opportunity of playing in the Premiership against the top side’s like Arsenal, Everton and Charlton Ladies.
An England line up packed with Premiership stars....Smith, Yankey..
Ashley did start for the infamous Arsenal side on a number of occasions, after a meteoric rise through the Academy side in her first year, bursting into the Reserve team and eventually making her full debut against Wimbledon Ladies in early 2005.
This achievement was then preceded by a memorable appearance for the Gunners in the London Cup Final in April last season, lining up against the Highbury based club’s biggest rivals, Charlton Ladies.
Greater success and possibly the highlight of her playing career came however in the international arena - Ashley scoring four times in the UEFA European Qualifiers in Turkey. In the process emulating Northern Ireland’s prodigal son David Healey - when netting a superb hattrick for in November against Georgia, which helped put the country through to the next stage of the competition.
The young Miss Hutton made her full debut for the senior team at the Algarve Cup in 2005 - where she was voted by her team-mates as Player Of The Tournament - but her hattrick, incidentally the first ever female to record such an achievement for the Northern Ireland Senior side in a recognised FIFA competition.
The feat was made even more remarkable, as the teenager had suffered a broken nose in a 1-0 defeat to Turkey two days prior to the fixture against Georgia.
Northern Ireland face their biggest game ever - Sunday 13th
While the Provinces women’s senior side, only recently getting acknowledgement for some very impressive performances in unfamiliar territory, their opponents, England are ranked 10th in the world having qualified as one of the sixteen finalists of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, taking place in China in September.
Northern Ireland, in contrast are ranked 78th, sandwiched between Fiji and the Faroe Islands, face the English on their own soil at Priestfield, home of Gillingham Football Club in Kent - taking on the World Cup contenders on Sunday, 13th May. The game kicking off at 1 p.m.
Miss Hutton has also attracted the attention of Icelandic side Valur FC, with their Director of Football Steinn Halldorsson, expressing an interest, during a visit with the national side to Clandeboye Park last October.
This chance liaison, has ultimately lead to an offer of the place with Icelandic side Club Fylkir in Reykjavik over the Summer.
The fast improving First Division club have just secured the signature of 25 year old American professional Cici Marrero, from West Florida, highly acclaimed company indeed for the Robinson Crescent youngster.
Whether Ashley would be willing to consider another move this year - after a tough year in the states, some massive qualifiers coming up with Northern Ireland remains to be seen. That said, the lure of playing at Leeds United and everything else will have to be put on hold - her main focus firmly on the big game in Gillingham next Sunday.
Bangor's Northern Ireland International Ashley Hutton
With so many options open for the teenager after the summer - it may be just the right time to take a move towards the Premiership - and a opportunity of a semi professional career with one of the top teams in the League - with English football's recent success in Europe and the possibility of ruling the World.
Northern Ireland line up at the Millennium Tournament in 2000
ENGLAND 4, NORTHERN IRELAND 0 - Reaction
Last Edited on 17-May-2007 8:24 AM
