Ashley Vickers
Encyclopedia
Ashley James Ward Vickers (born 14 June 1972 in Sheffield
) is an English
football manager, formerly with Dorchester Town
in the Conference South
.
with Sheffield United
, but was released at the end of his traineeship and joined non-League Worcester City
. He subsequently played for Malvern Town
and The 61 Club
before joining Heybridge Swifts
.
He was playing for Heybridge, managed by Garry Hill
in the 1997–98 season, getting sent off in the FA Cup
First Round defeat away to Bournemouth
in November that year. The following month he joined Peterborough United
for a fee of £5,000. He made his Football League
debut in the 2–1 home defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion
on 28 December 1997, but was sent off late in the game. He was an unused substitute twice later in the season, but that was as near as he got to the Peterborough first team again.
In August 1998, he moved to non-League St Albans City
for a fee of £10,000, before joining up again with Garry Hill
who was by now managing Conference
side Dagenham & Redbridge
in March 2000.
He joined Weymouth
, managed at the time by Garry Hill, on a free transfer in late May 2006. He signed a new one year contract with Weymouth on 19 July 2007. He signed for Eastleigh
on 4 March 2008 and subsequently in August 2008 he joined Newport County
on a three month loan deal.
In March 2009, Vickers joined Dorchester Town
as player-assistant manager to new player-manager Roy O'Brien
. O'Brien was sacked on 21 November 2009, following a humiliating 3–0 defeat to fierce local rivals Weymouth in the FA Trophy
with Vickers becoming caretaker manager for the rest of the season. Having turned Dorchester's season around, with the team going on to an impressive run of form, Vickers was given the role permanently in March 2010. He was suspended in March 2011 for tackling a man who had come onto the field in a mankini.
In October 2011, Vickers left Dorchester by mutual consent.
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
) is an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
football manager, formerly with Dorchester Town
Dorchester Town F.C.
Dorchester Town Football Club are a semi-professional football club, based in Dorchester, Dorset, England, and currently playing in the Blue Square Bet South...
in the Conference South
Conference South
Conference South is one of the second divisions of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National...
.
Career
Vickers began his career as a defenderDefender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
with Sheffield United
Sheffield United F.C.
Sheffield United Football Club is a professional English football club based in the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire.They were the first sporting team to use the name 'United' and are nicknamed 'The Blades', thanks to Sheffield's worldwide reputation for steel production...
, but was released at the end of his traineeship and joined non-League Worcester City
Worcester City F.C.
Worcester City Football Club is an English football club based in Worcester, Worcestershire. The club are currently members of the Conference North and play at St George's Lane.-History:...
. He subsequently played for Malvern Town
Malvern Town F.C.
Malvern Town Football Club is an English football club based in Malvern, Worcestershire. The club's first team play in the West Midlands League Premier Division and have twice reached the third qualifying round of the FA Cup.-History:...
and The 61 Club
The 61 F.C. (Luton)
The 61 F.C. is a football club based in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. The team joined the Hellenic League Division Two in 1972 switching to the South Midlands League a year later. They have reached the 2nd round of the FA Vase twice in their history. Currently they are members of the Spartan South...
before joining Heybridge Swifts
Heybridge Swifts F.C.
Heybridge Swifts are a non-league football club based in Heybridge, near Maldon, Essex. They were established in 1880 and were founding members of the Essex Senior League in 1971...
.
He was playing for Heybridge, managed by Garry Hill
Garry Hill
Garry Hill is an English football manager, who resigned as manager of Rushden & Diamonds in February 2009. He is currently the manager of Conference South club Woking.-Career:...
in the 1997–98 season, getting sent off in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
First Round defeat away to Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
in November that year. The following month he joined Peterborough United
Peterborough United F.C.
Peterborough United Football Club are a professional English football club based in Peterborough. Peterborough United formed in 1934 and played in the old Midland League, which they won six times; eventually being admitted to the Football League in 1960, replacing Gateshead. Their home ground is...
for a fee of £5,000. He made his Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
debut in the 2–1 home defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
on 28 December 1997, but was sent off late in the game. He was an unused substitute twice later in the season, but that was as near as he got to the Peterborough first team again.
In August 1998, he moved to non-League St Albans City
St Albans City F.C.
St Albans City Football Club is a football club based in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. It was founded in 1908 and plays its home matches at Clarence Park, about 800 yards from the city centre. The club is in the Premier Division of the Southern League...
for a fee of £10,000, before joining up again with Garry Hill
Garry Hill
Garry Hill is an English football manager, who resigned as manager of Rushden & Diamonds in February 2009. He is currently the manager of Conference South club Woking.-Career:...
who was by now managing Conference
Football Conference
The Football Conference is a football league in England which consists of three divisions called Conference National, Conference North, and Conference South. Some Football Conference clubs are fully professional, such as Luton Town, but most of them are semi-professional...
side Dagenham & Redbridge
Dagenham & Redbridge F.C.
Dagenham & Redbridge Football Club , informally known as Daggers, is an English association football club based in Dagenham, in the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, East London. It was formed in 1992 after a merger between Redbridge Forest and Dagenham...
in March 2000.
He joined Weymouth
Weymouth F.C.
Weymouth F.C. are an English football club based in the town of Weymouth, who currently play in the Southern League Premier Division.-History:Weymouth Football Club were founded in 1890 and played their first game on 24 September of that year...
, managed at the time by Garry Hill, on a free transfer in late May 2006. He signed a new one year contract with Weymouth on 19 July 2007. He signed for Eastleigh
Eastleigh F.C.
Eastleigh Football Club is an English semi-professional football club based in Eastleigh, Hampshire. The club are currently members of the Conference South and play at the Silverlake Stadium.-History:...
on 4 March 2008 and subsequently in August 2008 he joined Newport County
Newport County A.F.C.
Newport County Association Football Club are a professional football club based in the city of Newport, south Wales, who currently play in the Conference National, the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
on a three month loan deal.
In March 2009, Vickers joined Dorchester Town
Dorchester Town F.C.
Dorchester Town Football Club are a semi-professional football club, based in Dorchester, Dorset, England, and currently playing in the Blue Square Bet South...
as player-assistant manager to new player-manager Roy O'Brien
Roy O'Brien
Roy O'Brien is an Irish footballer is currently a first team coach for Yeovil Town LadiesHe started his career at Arsenal, before moving on to Wigan Athletic, although he made no first team appearances for either side. Having then made one appearance for AFC Bournemouth, he joined Dorchester and...
. O'Brien was sacked on 21 November 2009, following a humiliating 3–0 defeat to fierce local rivals Weymouth in the FA Trophy
FA Trophy
The Football Association Challenge Trophy, commonly known as the FA Trophy, is a knockout cup competition in English football, run by and named after The Football Association and competed for primarily by semi-professional teams...
with Vickers becoming caretaker manager for the rest of the season. Having turned Dorchester's season around, with the team going on to an impressive run of form, Vickers was given the role permanently in March 2010. He was suspended in March 2011 for tackling a man who had come onto the field in a mankini.
In October 2011, Vickers left Dorchester by mutual consent.