Please log in or register. Registered visitors get fewer ads.
Town Confirm Costin Appointment as Fitness Coach Ashton Joins and Bowman Departs
Monday, 24th May 2021 14:49

Town have confirmed the appointment of Andy Costin as head of sports science, as revealed by TWTD a fortnight ago, while former Leicester City and Stevenage defender Jon Ashton (pictured) has joined the club as first-team fitness coach and director of football Dave Bowman has left Portman Road.

Costin departed Bristol City last month having joined the Robins as head of sports science and analysis in March last year. Prior to that he spent seven months at Stevenage as head of sports science.

Born in Gawler, South Australia, Costin was teaching PE before taking his career in its current direction in his late 20s.

Ashton no relation to incoming CEO Mark, started his career with Leicester but played most of his football for Stevenage, where he made 225 appearances and wore the captain's armband.

The 38-year-old, who also featured for Notts County (loan), Oxford United, Rushden & Diamonds, Grays Athletic, Crawley, Braintree and hometown club Nuneaton during his time as a player, returned to Broadhall Way as fitness coach in the summer of 2018.

“Both Jon and Andy are great additions to the support staff we are establishing,” Town’s recently-appointed director of performance Andy Rolls told the club website.

Town's previous fitness coach Jim Henry, whose official job title was head of athletic performance/sports science, left the club in November following friction with the club's football management team but was retained as a consultant with his contract up this summer. The Scottish former judo athlete, 69, has now formally departed Portman Road.

Bowman, 60, had been Town’s chief scout, although working under the job title director of football, since Mick McCarthy’s appointment in 2012 having also worked with the former Blues boss at his other clubs and also during his more recent spell in charge of the Republic of Ireland.

It would be little surprise if Bowman were to join McCarthy at Cardiff City this summer.

Elsewhere, former Blues defender John McGreal is the bookies' favourite for the vacant manager's role at Swindon Town, who were relegated to League Two during 2020/21.

McGreal, a close friend of Town boss Paul Cook from their days at Tranmere together, had appeared to be in the running for a role on the Blues' backroom team but, as previously reported, has been on the lookout for a club of his own.


Photo: Action Images



Please report offensive, libellous or inappropriate posts by using the links provided.



90z added 15:00 - May 24
The backroom foundations coming along nicely!
8

ArnieM added 15:02 - May 24
Can't be many more of the back room staff to come in now ?!
5

OwainG1992 added 15:04 - May 24
Good to hear.
It's great that Cook is being allowed to build the backroom staff he wants to put in place.
4

multiplescoregasms added 15:14 - May 24
Like to see PC getting the staff he feels will improve the whole club. Let's hope he starts being able to bring in the players aswell. Actually looking forward to the season already :-)
5

Bazza8564 added 15:22 - May 24
Another piece of the jigsaw done. When Mark Ashton arrives in June we can then expect to start meaningful progress with player recruitment.
6

bluesteal74 added 15:25 - May 24
The season can't come soon enough for me, now that nearly all the back room staff are sorted I can't wait to see some new signings.
5

ArnieM added 15:35 - May 24
Judging by the eadt article today I'd say Ashton is already working in some limited capacity on behalf of ITFC , although not fully yet.
2

GlenPennyfather added 15:39 - May 24
Feeling sorry for Paul Lambert for the first time. Town are now building exactly the kind of infrastructure he was crying out for --- however, it seems that a change of ownership was required, and his results/attitude meant that he never made it from one owner to the other
12

mib added 15:59 - May 24
Glenpennyfather, Totally agree, I always thought that Lambert drew the short straw. Still not sure of Cook.
12

tractorboybig added 16:03 - May 24
may be too many chiefs and not enough indians?
1

itfcserbia added 16:13 - May 24
Without any malice but one has to wonder if anyone had an easier paycheck in Town than Dave Bowman these last few years.
4

RegencyBlue added 16:28 - May 24
Out with the old, in with the new!

3

BotesdaleBlue added 16:33 - May 24
A few more pieces in the staffing jigsaw. Welcome both.

We are now well on the way to building a formally structured and wide ranging, professional coaching and player support network - just like other similar sized clubs have no doubt had for years but we have not, all of which has contributed massively to our demise.

With a new highly experienced executive management team shortly to be insitu and and ultra progressive and seemingly well funded ownership structure sitting above them, demanding the highest standards and aiming ultimately for a return to the prem, all is looking very good in my book.

This is literally a million miles away from where we were only a few months back.
1

shenfieldblue added 16:35 - May 24
Just need a team, that won't be so easy.
6

norfolkbluey added 16:43 - May 24
How many more backroom staff can there be? Hope there's money left for some decent replacement players! LOL
0

cornishblu added 17:00 - May 24
echo any of the thoughts ......just now need some players who want to play for the shirt and we will all be happy dazs
COYB
3

Radlett_blue added 17:08 - May 24
A 69 years old fitness coach FFS - no wonder we were behind the times!
Bowman must have been on a juicy contract which we had to honour. No doubt he was trusted by & worked well with Mick, but I doubt he's been contributing much to Town over the last 3 years.
2

blues1 added 17:16 - May 24
Why are there people constantly talking about how many backroom staff are being brought in as if it's some ridiculous number? At the end of the day, once the keeper coach comes in, we'll have exactly the same number of backroom staff as we had before. 6out, 6 in.
4

Saxonblue74 added 17:20 - May 24
Wonder what our boys from the glory days think of the modern backroom staff situation? How does any manager gain credit for success when he's carried by so many? What does a manager actually do?!
-2

tractorboybig added 17:31 - May 24
saxonblue74.... is he just the mouth piece ?
-1

Skip73 added 17:31 - May 24
Blues1, because they just have to moan about something.
1

therein61 added 17:38 - May 24
Quite right Radlett-blue Bowman has done eff all and sat on his rear end like some of MM's proper blokes on fat contracts i think that's the end of that era now fingers crossed, all big gob did was take the p1ss out of this club.
3

BlueArrow added 18:52 - May 24
We haven't got a throw-in coach yet
6

dirtydingusmagee added 18:55 - May 24
i wont be on the edge iof my seat until i see players coming in, they need to be better than the outgoing or it will be down to these new backroom boys trying to make silk purses from pigs ears again and we know how thats panned out in the past .I personally feel a bit jittery about names mentioned so far, but its just the usual pre transfer goss i hope .
2

Monkey_Blue added 19:55 - May 24
Not sure these are cook appointments as they have some experience in the roles they've been hired for. Clearly an Ashton appointment.
1


You need to login in order to post your comments

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls

About Us Contact Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Cookies Advertising
© TWTD 1995-2024