ASHTON TALKS PRE-SEASON, VERSATILITY, PL2 AND MORE!

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Hear from U21s defender at Polish training base

2025-07-18T11:00:00.000Z

ASHTON TALKS PRE-SEASON, VERSATILITY, PL2 AND MORE!

Hear from U21s defender at Polish training base

2025-07-18T11:00:00.000Z

Hear from U21s defender at Polish training base

For Joe Ashton, this week’s Academy pre-season trip to Poland has been an opportunity to reset following a successful 2024/25 and ahead of an exciting new campaign ahead.

Speaking towards the end of his third full day in Opalencia and just over 24 hours since the U21s’ friendly against Lech Poznan B, the defender reflected positively on the trip to date.

“It’s been really good so far,” he said.

“The facilities are brilliant and the weather’s been lovely as well.

“We had our first game yesterday against Poznan and there were a lot of positives to take from it.

“Obviously it was a 1-0 defeat which isn’t what we want, but at this stage of pre-season it’s not really about the result.

“It’s more about learning the new system and integrating as a team with the first-year pros coming through etcetera.

“We played Hearts the other week, so it was a step up in minutes to 60 (against Lech).

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“Speaking to a few of the lads afterwards, we all felt good. They (Lech) changed their whole team at half-time, so it was fresh legs for them.

“Everybody feels fit and it was a good test against a Polish team – it’s different styles of play in different countries, so it was good.

“With the U18s and the first-year scholars it’s about being around them and trying to merge through activities.

“Alot of people are closed off when you’re a first-year scholar – even me, I was a bit shy. It’s all about getting to know people and mingling as a group.”

Ashton established himself as a regular in Andy Farrell’s U21s side last season, making 40 appearances in all competitions.

In those matches he showed his versatility, playing at both centre-back and left-back and occasionally having to switch positions mid game.

“I’ve always had it (that flexibility), even in the U18s working with Tony (Philliskirk), and I’ve taken it into my U21s career with Faz (Andy Farrell),” he continued.

“They know that I can play there and I enjoy both sides to be honest. That’s been really important, and it can only help you really, being versatile.

“If you can play more positions you’re more available aren’t you, so it can only work as a positive for me.”

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It’s an exciting time across the men’s arm of the football club, with the first team heading into a Premier League season and the Academy earning Category One status.

That means the U21s will be competing against the country’s elite again in PL2, and the challenge is something Ashton and his Clarets team-mates are relishing.

“It’s great for the club and it’s great for the players,” he finished.

“We’ll be playing against better opposition, your likes of Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Everton – some of the biggest teams in the world in the best facilities - and getting more eyes on us as a club.

“I think we showed with the few games we played against category one teams last season that we can definitely compete at that level and do really well.

"It will be an exciting year for the club, especially with the first team going into the Premier League too.”