Ashington FC add to their managerial team and appoint specialist goalkeeping coach

Karl Dryden has been named goalkeeping coach as Ashington FC. Picture: Ian Brodie

The Colliers will have a unique three-pronged team as manager Ian Skinner, his assistant Andy Coyles and newcomer Ritchie Hill are all ‘A’ licensed coaches.

The other appointment sees keeper Karl Dryden taking on the additional role of goalkeeping coach.

Skinner said: “I was looking to bring another member of staff into the coaching team and I spoke to a number of people, including Ritchie, and I felt he was the best fit.

“He’s experienced; his knowledge is excellent and he’s been involved in the professional game in and around the academy system with Middlesbrough; he’s been at Spennymoor in the National League and with Consett in the Northern Premier League. He has a good working relationship with Andy Coyles so integrating him into the team was probably easy.”

He continued: “Ritchie has been with us now for a number of weeks but wanted to come in and have a ‘soft and gentle’ introduction.

“I’m not sure there’ll be many management teams at our level – and far further up – that are as qualified as ours in terms of Andy, Ritchie and myself – all of us being ‘A’ licensed coaches, and I think that speaks volumes for what we are trying to do.”

Of Dryden, Skinner said: “Being a senior goalkeeper, we asked Karl to take on the responsibility of also being goalkeeping coach, which is a specialist position.

“It will certainly not mean this role will impact on his playing career – he’ll still be seen as a player first and foremost.”

Hill said: “I’m delighted to be part of such a big club with so much history and I didn’t need any persuading to join. Initially the approach came from Andy Coyles, whom I worked with at Consett last year, and then after a brief conversation with manager Ian Skinner it was an absolute no-brainer.”

Dryden said: “For me, the role of being a goalkeeping coach is an extension of playing. I’m 35 now and not getting any younger! Now that Ross (Coombe) has come in, it’s being able to go to training and having the ability to go to one side, predominantly just to work on something technically ourselves, before coming back into the session.”