MOUSEHOLE AFC | REWARD FOR ASH

First contract for manager, Jake Ash

Mousehole AFC have rewarded manager, Jake Ash, with a contract for the campaign ahead.

It will be his first contract with the club after guiding them to the play-offs at the end of their first-ever season at Step 4 in the Pitching In Southern League Division One South last term.

“I am lost for words,” Ash admitted to us. “I feel honoured, humbled, proud and excited. We’ve talked in the past about a contact, but it’s not something we’ve pushed to sort out.

“It’s a big gesture from the club and tells me how much they value what we do and where we want to go.

“Last season was a great success for us. We had our best-ever FA Cup run, a good FA Trophy run and to reach the play-offs on top of that, can only be seen as a success given the constraints we have in terms of travel and resource.

“The players deserve huge credit; to absorb the travel we do and compete so well in a new League says an awful lot about their commitment and ability.

“Obviously, we were disappointed not to have done better in the play-offs, but Frome Town were better than us over the course of the season and on the day.

“We will get our heads down and work hard at being better again.”

Ash is expecting another tough season ahead, with the added spice of two more Cornish outfits, Falmouth Town and Helston Athletic, joining the fray.

“The strength of the division is evident in the League table,” Ash continued. “Even teams who were in the play-offs lost a lot of games.

“I think that in truth there isn’t much at all between a huge chunk of the division, and that is where we tried to find little margins to pick up extra points where we could.

“Obviously in Wimborne Town we’ve lost the outstanding team and Frome Town were a team everyone knew would eventually get up – but I’m sure every team will want to invest and improve on last season.

“Having two more Cornish clubs involved is great for us. The games against them will catch people’s eyes and will attract more spectators through the gates.

“It’s also two away games where we don’t have to spend huge sums on transport, so financially it’s a great boost for us. Obviously, there is a limited pool of players down here and given where we are situated, recruitment always has its challenges, but you have to find a way to provide a USP and I am sure we can still do that.”

One of those USP’s is Ash himself whose reputation as a manager and coach is growing all of the time.

“I want the team to play with smiles on their faces, enjoy having the ball and using it well.,” he went on. “I like players who are inquisitive, who want to learn and be better.

“We know that with where we are based, we need a certain type of player who is really committed to their craft and being better. They excite me and I love working with players like that.

“It’s about progression. Our hopes and targets next year are to be better in everything we do. I think every year it has to be that, to learn and grow and find new ways of being great.

“As long as we provide an environment that the players enjoy and can develop in, I know we will be successful.

“I absolutely love coaching and managing, arguably more than I enjoyed playing. I’m fortunate that I’ve been in a job at Penryn College that has afforded me the opportunity to coach and lead every day for the past 15 years.

“I’ve learnt so much in that time and had so many opportunities to make mistakes and learn. I knew I would step into management one day but that it would need to be with quite a specific club, who were open to doing things slightly differently and developing players.

“I love doing that and all the coaching team take such pride in seeing the likes of Morgan Lewis step up to National League level this summer, and Brandon Pursall earn an opportunity to go and play for a club playing in a top European League.

“We know that developing and helping players improve is our USP and it’s something I think we do really well.”

IMAGE: Mousehole AFC

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