Manager Danny Johnson has spoken of his disappointment of the departure of Assistant Manager Danny Jones. ‘Jonah’ has left the club with immediate affect and it is believed he has linked up with UniBond Division One North side Salford City.

The gaffer explains ‘Firstly, I would just like to congratulate the players on a fine performance against AFC Fylde last night. It was a magnificent team effort and a thoroughly enjoyable one at that. I thought Matty O’Neill was back to his brilliant best and Callum Flanagan led the line excellently, it was very pleasing to see both Callum and Danny Byrne get good minutes under their belts and perform so well. It was also really nice to see us keep a clean sheet for the first time since October! The back four and Terry Smith certainly deserved that, it was very pleasing’.

‘I thought we thoroughly deserved the victory but full credit must go to Fylde as they never once took their foot off the gas and continued to play the game in the right way. They have some excellent players and I am sure they will do very well this season’.

‘It is true that Danny Jones has parted company with the football club which is bitterly disappointing as he has been a good friend and excellent Assistant Manager to me. Unfortunately we had a disagreement following our 2-0 defeat at the hands of Marine on Saturday. A few things were communicated between ourselves and I would have expected it to stay between Danny and I but unfortunately that didn’t happen. Danny has been a real asset to this football club and has been a pleasure to work with. He is an excellent coach and he is certainly great to have around the dressing room with his personality and his knowledge of the game. I sincerely wish him all the very best in his new role at Salford City.’

‘We now need to move on and focus our attentions on winning a few more football matches. I have one or two irons in the fire regarding a replacement for Danny but I won’t be rushing in to making a decision. I will role my sleeves up and get stuck into taking a few training sessions but hopefully an appointment will be made in the near future. It’s a real pity we don’t have a game on Saturday as we would have liked to have taken last nights victory in to a league game as soon as possible. That’s not to be so we will have to wait patiently for the visit of FC United on Boxing Day.’

Manager Danny Johnson gave an honest evaluation to his teams 5-0 defeat at the hands of Matlock Town yesterday. The manager told of his disappointment at the number of individual errors his players are continuing to make that are costing his team precious points on a regular basis.

Danny explains ‘I don’t believe that was our worst performance of the season, we were much worse at Chorley, Boston and North Ferriby. Until they scored there first goal I was more than happy with how the game was shaping up. I am feeling for Terry Smith at the minute as he is a top young goal keeper going through a real difficult spell. Terry will tell you himself that he should have collected the cross that resulted in their first goal and he should have done better for their second. The standards Terry has set so far since he joined the club have been nothing short of exceptional and I think he will be disappointed at not keeping out their fourth, although it was a wonderful strike and also at his decision making for their fifth. That sounds like I am putting the blame on Terry for the defeat, far from it but he will be bitterly disappointed’.

‘As manager of Ashton United I set my team up to play nice, attractive football and I thought yesterday we did just that. We struggled desperately in the final third and I don’t think we would have scored if we had played until next Saturday. But we can’t concede five goals and expect to get anything out of games. Players at the top of their game, no matter what level make the best decisions possible in the different situations they find themselves in. At this moment in time we have five or six players making really poor decisions on a regular basis and those individual errors are costing us. I can accept defeat when the opposition has outplayed us but we weren’t outplayed yesterday, Matlock didn’t pin us in our own half and have us by the throat at any stage in the game. They took their chances, which is what it is all about but we certainly made life easy for them with our poor decision making and inability to defend. Take nothing away from Matlock, they have some outstanding players and looked a real solid outfit who I think will gradually move up the table. They are in a bit of a false position at the minute and in Mark Atkins they certainly have someone who can take them to the higher reaches of this division’.

‘If you had given me third place after 19 games at the start of the season I would have said you were having a laugh so I will take our present standing. However, I won’t take getting beat by 3, 4 or 5 goals, having said that it is a different kettle of fish when you are at the top of the league. Since I have been manager at Ashton United we have done exceptionally well against all the top teams in the league. Why? I believe the reason to be mentality. It takes a certain quality and calibre of individual and team to win leagues and cups. When you are top of the pile your opponents get themselves up for the game, as we have done over the past couple of years. That’s what has happened to us, teams get motivated and managers challenge their teams to beat the top team. We have shown that we are not capable of dealing with that situation and if I am honest it is a relief. Yes, of course it is nice to be top of the league but you have that added pressure as both player and management team to stay there whilst the other teams are raising their performance. We have held top spot for a while now so let’s see how the others get on’.

‘The same thing happened to Hednesford Town last season, they were top for months and didn’t even manage to make the play offs. I will be quite happy for us to be in the top eight with an opportunity to pounce in the final 5 or so games. This group of players has bounced back on a number of occasions and I expect them to do just that when we play Hucknall Town at our place next Saturday. It will be another challenge that we need to overcome but I have the belief in the players we have at the club and I am sure they will be chomping at the bit to put a few things right’.

Manager Danny Johnson told the AUFC website that he was proud of his young team as they managed to get there season back on track with away wins at Frickley and Burscough last week. The manager also stated that it was important fans and players alike kept their feet on the ground and not get carried away with the fact that his team are 5 points clear at the top of the Unibond Premier Division table.

The gaffer explains ‘It’s great to see and it fills me with pride when the table comes up on Sky Sports News but we mustn’t get carried away as there are five or six teams who can overtake us if they win their games in hand. If we can finish 8th I will be a very happy man indeed as that will mean we have improved season on season since I took over at the football club’.

‘The lads have done remarkably well to get to the summit and generally stay there or there about throughout October even though it was a terrible month for us. Even to finish eighth will take some doing as there are lots of quality teams in this league that haven’t started great but believe me they will kick on throughout the second half of the season. Most teams look to get involved in a good cup run which sometimes means falling behind with their league fixtures. However, once the FA competitions are out of the way the top teams will get busy and start to focus their attentions on getting promotion’.

‘The lads should be proud of what they have done so far but if we are to kick on we need to learn how to keep clean sheets and hang on to one goal advantages. I would love us to win a couple of games one nil! We just don’t seem to be able to do that and it’s really frustrating for all the players and staff. No matter how much we talk about keeping clean sheets and staying solid nothing seems to change. We have some excellent defenders and my hope is that the more they play together the better they will become as a unit. That has got to happen for us to secure a top eight finish’.

‘We tend to panic and give away possession really cheaply, especially when we are in front. We work on possession all the time in training, in fact we play more two touch possession football than anything else. In training we are magnificent and at times it is wonderful to watch but we throw it all away and panic in pressure situations’.

‘I am really looking forward to Saturday and playing against one of the top teams in our division. Stocksbridge have taken the division by storm and know where the back of the net is so I will be expecting a very open game with loads of entertainment and goals. Now I have said that it will be a boring nil nil draw! It will be nice to play a home league game again and hopefully if we play well put another three points on the board. Stocksbridge will certainly have something to say about that so it is important we get pour heads down, work as hard as we can and be at our very best if we are to get anything from the game’.

‘It appears that both Craig Robinson and Danny Jones have recovered from their bout of Swine flu, which is a relief after some of the stories we have heard about over the past week or so. Hopefully, both of them will be at training on Thursday and I am sure it will be a real boost to the squad’.

‘Over the past week or so I have parted company with a few players. Astley Mullholland, Robbie Talbot and Ryan Broadhead have all departed and Chris Middleton has joined Abbey Hey to get a few games in. I am sure everyone connected with the club will join me in wishing all these players all the very best for the future. As most are aware I have recently signed Daryl Weston and I also have one or two other irons in the fire’.

Manager Danny Johnson was delighted with the way his team conducted themselves in the difficult surrounding of Frickley Athletic on Tuesday evening. The Westfield Lane Ground is never an easy place to take 3 points but Johnson’s men managed to secure a well deserved victory and go three points clear at the top of the table.

Danny explains ‘Billy Heath’s teams are always strong, aggressive and make life extremely difficult for their opponents and Tuesday night’s game was no different. Frickley were unbeaten for 8 or 9 games so to take anything from the game, in our current run was a great achievement. I don’t like to single out players for special praise but I felt Gareth Richards’ performance for the entire 90 minutes was magnificent. He never stopped running and gave everything he had for the cause. He is a pleasure to work with and it was fitting that he managed to get the winner’.

‘Gareth Johnson and Daryl Weston (on his debut) were also outstanding and gave the side a much more solid look. Gareth’s height and presence is always a big asset to the team and with a little more belief I am convinced he could get 5 or 6 goals a season. Gareth missed the whole of last season due to a knee operation but he is certainly beginning to look a complete centre half and his performances are certainly putting pressure on Ian Kearney and Craig Robinson’.

‘It was great for Daryl to get himself on the score sheet in his first game for us but his all round contribution helped the likes of Ian Bennett and Iain Howard express themselves in the opposition's half. Daryl hasn’t played much football this season and it showed towards the end of the game but his commitment to the cause got him through and he will be better for the minutes under his belt’.

‘It was a great team performance and just what the doctor ordered after what has been a real difficult couple of weeks for us all. All the lads deserve great credit for bouncing back and giving such a positive response to the horror show at Ferriby last Saturday but now we must take that kind of determination with us to Burscough this weekend. The lads aren’t getting carried away with the start we have had to the season and I am sure the past two weeks will go some way to helping them develop individually and as a team. You learn so much about yourself in defeat and Danny Jones and I certainly learnt a few more lessons’.

‘Talking about Doctors orders it has been confirmed that both Craig Robinson and Danny Jones have been hit with ‘Swine Flu’. Both seem to be dealing with it quite well but neither of them will be available for selection this weekend. I am sure everyone at the club will join me in wishing them both a speedy recovery’.

Manager Danny Johnson pulled no punches in his assessment of his teams 4-0 loss at North Ferriby yesterday. The manager told the AUFC website that his team’s performance was possibly his worst as Ashton United manager but said his team will certainly bounce back quickly.

The gaffer explains ‘I will be looking for a reaction on Tuesday at Frickley. That certainly wasn’t good enough and we fell well below the standard we have set so far this season. Without going into too much detail and naming names I felt I got the team selection wrong. A couple of players are suffering with lack of form and fitness so maybe I should have utilised the squad a little better. Even so we should have been much better than that’.

‘In fact I would say that was possibly the worst display since I took over in April 2007. I can’t accept what we produced yesterday and neither should the players. We had no zest, no zip or enthusiasm for the game and we looked more like a relegation threatened team rather than a team competing at the top end of the table. It’s a funny old league though as I wouldn’t have expected Nantwich to lose 4-0 at home to Boston! We need to get our own house in order quite quickly now and bounce back with a decent performance on Tuesday. I’ve got big belief in the lads and I am sure they will battle their way through this difficult time’.

‘However, I don’t think we have been that great for a few weeks now and if things don’t change then unfortunately I will have to do something about it. I am certainly on the look out for a couple of players in certain areas due a number of reasons. The first reason is that we need someone to stick the ball in the back of the net for us on a regular basis but we can’t hide from the fact that we have also conceded 15 goals in our last 5 games. When I signed the likes of Craig Robinson, Ian Kearney, Alex Frost, Danny Caldecott, Terry Smith etc I expected us to be as solid as any team in this league. I am sure most would agree with that but they need help from the lads in front of them. Were not defending well enough as a team which is something I need to address and the sooner I do that the better’.

We now lose Leon Henry for a few weeks due to suspension which is a bit of a blow as I felt Leon was becoming a big player for us. We will look to keep him as fit as we can and hopefully when his suspension is over he will be like a new signing. I have recently placed 7 days notice of approach on a midfield player and hopefully he will agree to sign for us sometime next week. I am really looking forward to the challenge that we face and hopefully the players are too. It’s a case of sticking together and pulling each other through. If that doesn’t happen then I will need to make changes, I sincerely hope it doesn’t come to that but I have a job to at Ashton United Football Club and I will do that to the best of my ability’.

Manager Danny Johnson was delighted with his team’s second consecutive victory in the space of 48 hours. The gaffer told the website that his team showed great mental strength to overcome an excellent Worksop team. Danny also told the website that he felt his comments regarding the quality of Chorley were in the heat of the moment and it was more criticism of his team rather than disrespect to Chorley football club.

The gaffer explains ‘we started the game last night really brightly but the inevitable happened due to the fact that we didn’t take our chances in the opening 15 minutes. Worksop got on top of us a little but we had a good chat at half time and I can’t fault the way the lads responded. They came out all guns blazing and played some excellent football, possibly the best we’ve played this season. However, we need to be consistent for 90 minutes and the lads know that’.

‘I don’t think we have played that well for the last 3 or 4 games and hopefully now we have turned a bit of a corner. I am led to believe I annoyed a couple of Chorley supporters following my piece on the blog after they knocked us out of the FA Cup. It wasn’t meant to be disrespectful to them more an opportunity to let my team know that they need to improve their own levels of performance. Sometimes we all say things that don’t come out as intended. I have nothing but respect for the way Chorley knocked us out of the FA Cup. Steve Waywell is one of the best non league managers around and contrary to reports I did shake his hand and wished both him and Lol McMahon all the very best for the next round. Good luck to them, they deserved their victory and I sincerely hope they continue in the competition’.

‘We now have to remain focused and maintain the required levels of performance to compete at the top end of this league. Every week we face a difficult challenge and as I said to the lads before, at half time and at the end of the game last night, when you are top of the league teams want to shoot you down. This will now be a bigger test than a relegation battle; we need to treat every game like a cup final. We will be doing everything we can to stay where we are but we need a little bit of luck and we are under no illusions that we are punching way above our weight at this moment in time’.

When I asked the gaffer if we can win the league his reply was:

‘No chance, were not equipped well enough as a football club. There are too many things going on behind the scenes and with the financial restraints on my playing budget we will do well to secure a place in the top eight. At the minute we have the likes of Matty O’Neill, Ryan Moore, Marlin Piana and Callum Flanagan all sidelined with injuries. If we can get them all fit and playing again it will only enhance our chances. My target is to get to 45 points as quickly as we possibly can and then we can relax and enjoy the remainder of the season. I would really like a nice run in the FA Trophy but I am sure Karl Marginson and FC United will have a big say in that’.

‘I would just like to take this opportunity to thank all the members of my backroom staff. Danny Jones, Dave Haworth, Anthony Jackson, our physio Russell Batchelor and our new assistant physio Danny Fishwick all work exceptionally hard behind the scenes and I can’t praise or thank each and everyone of them enough. It’s a real team effort and I am sure the players will agree that they wouldn’t perform as well as they do if it wasn’t for the dedication of the backroom staff’.

Following our exit from the FA Cup at Chorley yesterday manager Danny Johnson told the clubs website of his disappointment of yet again failing in an FA Competition. The manager was far from happy with the majority of his team and told of his dissatisfaction of what he said was a ‘disgusting’ performance that lacked desire, commitment and mental attitude.

Danny explains ‘I am embarrassed at the way my team conducted themselves yesterday and embarrassed to say I was manager of that team. It was disgusting, Chorley were there for the taking and how we contrived to lose the game is beyond me. I feel for the club as it was a fantastic opportunity for the players to put some money in to the bank but from a football point of view it was a great opportunity to get through to the next round. I’m afraid I have got too many players who think football is all about when we have the ball, too many ‘nicey, nice’ players, too many players who can’t think for themselves and unfortunately the balance of the team is all wrong’.

‘I can’t tell you how annoyed I am at the care free attitude some of my players adopted yesterday and mark my words I will be dealing with that in my own way. I won’t accept players hiding from taking responsibility or ignoring my instructions. What is the point of me highlighting to them the threat both Terry Fearns and Chris Amadi will cause us, if when they go out on to the pitch it is totally ignored? Totally and utterly not acceptable and some players might not like what will unfold but if they don’t then they are free to leave the football club’.

‘I want my players to play with freedom, pass the ball to feet and play with energy. At times yesterday some players were quite happy to just knock long balls in to no man’s land and be happy with that. Too many of them were relying on their teammates to do something which was apparent in the build up to their second goal when neither Ben Smith nor Iain Howard took responsibility to get on the ball in the middle of the park. Instead they allowed the Chorley midfield in and from the resulting corner Chorley got their second. Alex Frost was given the responsibility to pick up Terry Fearns from set pieces yet he some how managed to get a free header at goal. I won’t accept that and although we have done exceptionally well so far this season I think I will be making four or five changes to the team when we play Ossett Town next Saturday’.

‘It’s all very well lapping up the praise and the rewards for winning football matches but now we are in a position where the next four or five games will well and truly shape our season. It is time for my players to stand up and be counted, not run and hide from the fact that we have been beaten two games on the bounce. I can take losing, not a problem whatsoever but I can’t take losing in the manner we did yesterday. Chorley were to be quite frank a very poor side and reliant on two or three players to win them the game, if we can’t deal with that then I have to seriously consider the personnel I have at this football club. I will find out so much about certain players over the next few weeks and I for one hope I find out lots of positives’.

Manager Danny Johnson has this evening warned his players that Chorley will be ready and waiting for his side on Saturday. The manager said that his lads need to bounce back and not feel sorry for themselves following the defeat at Nantwich on Tuesday evening.

The gaffer explains ‘Steve Waywell and Lol McMahon will have their lads ready for us on Saturday. Steve is one of the most successful managers in non league football and I have nothing but utmost respect for him. His record is second to none and you can see that in the short space of time he has been at Chorley he has taken the club forward. Lol McMahon worked with me a couple of years back and he is one of the most passionate people you will ever meet. His enthusiasm for the game is infectious and he is as determined as anyone to win football matches and be successful. I have no doubt that under the leadership of Steve and Lol, Chorley will be very organised, disciplined and prepared for the game. Mark my words this is going to be tough and I would go as far as saying it will be our most difficult game so far this season’.

‘We need to stay focused, pick ourselves up and bounce back following our defeat at Nantwich on Tuesday night. Nantwich were excellent and well worth the three points but yet again we proved we can be a match for the top teams in our division, so from that point of view it was very pleasing. The lads are fully aware of the threats Chorley will pose us, they have excellent forwards in Terry Fearns, Chris Mason and Chris Amadi and in Tom Spearitt and Wayne Maden two excellent defenders. They will be very difficult to break down so we need to be patient and not force things. We need to work harder when we are out of possession and make it difficult for Chorley to hurt us’.

‘We need to be bright, lively and get on the front foot straight from the kick off. It is vital we don’t let Chorley get into their stride and let their players impose themselves on the game. We need to be positive and perhaps I need to have a good look at what shape we need to play for that to happen. I am really looking forward to the game. The FA Cup is a competition any player or manager wants to be involved in and the obvious target for any club at our level is to get to the first round proper. That would be a dream come true for me and something I target every season as a manager, as I am sure all managers at this level do’.