WHILE Dan Ashworth looks set to plot Manchester United’s return to glory, his son Zac is at the start of his own football journey.
The Bolton left-back – on loan from West Brom – is lucky to have always been able to tap into one of English football’s brightest minds for help and advice.
Dan Ashworth with his son, Bolton defender Zac, watching Manchester United v Newcastle at Old Trafford in October 2018
Zac Ashworth has been on loan at Bolton Wanderers in League One this season
United owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to poach Dan Ashworth, 52, from Newcastle to become sporting director.
And Zac knows exactly the attributes that have made his dad a success while also inspiring him and his two siblings – younger brother Finn and older sister Tegan – in their own careers.
The 21-year-old ace told SunSport: “My dad has been massive for me. He was never one of those who forced me to play football if I didn’t enjoy it.
“I’ve a little brother, who is at Wolves, and we used to play football together but he didn’t push us to do anything we didn’t want to.
“My sister for example is a psychologist so she chose her career and he’s made sure whatever we decided to do he’d be there for us.
“As I got older and football became more serious when I turned pro at West Brom, having my dad to talk to has become even more important.
“I speak to him every day and he’ll always ask, ‘How was training, what happened?’ He can’t come to as many games for obvious reasons but we speak a lot.
“He’s a big part of my career. Any problems or questions, I can just pick up the phone to him. Dad is always there to help. He has the experience and knowledge.”
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It’s in the bad times when you’re injured or not in the team that his advice and help is important. He always finds a way to keep me level.
Zac Ashworth, Bolton left-back
But while Dan Ashworth is a huge figure in his career, Zac says his mum Sian has been equally as influential and important.
He said: “My mum did all the hard yards. She’d always be the one taking me and my brother to and from training and games, having to stand on the touchline in the freezing cold.
“She played a huge part when dad was working and not at home.”
While Dan Ashworth oversaw the creation of the ‘England DNA’ model during his time as the FA’s technical director, his own genes are clearly evident among his three children.
England boss Gareth Southgate with Dan Ashworth while he was FA technical director
Dan Ashworth has been praised for his work at Newcastle United
One of the biggest qualities Zac and his siblings learned growing up in the Ashworth household was the value of hard work.
And that has helped the defender enormously – as he knows in football you cannot take anything for granted.
It requires sacrifice and dedication to become a pro – but to stay there and achieve higher goals takes even more.
And Zac said: “They taught us you must work for everything you want. Nothing comes easy, nothing gets given to you on a plate. They’ve never given us handouts or what we wanted without working for it.
“They’re always there to help and support us. But everything I’ve got I’ve worked for myself and that’s the most important thing – staying grounded and not losing that edge to work hard.
“My mum was a teacher so even when I was a full-time scholar at West Brom, she was keen on me to do my A Levels as a back-up because no-one knows what’s going to happen.
Dan Ashworth in conversation with the late Manchester United and England legend Sir Bobby Charlton at Wembley
“It’s such a tough sport to crack and stay at the top. She was keen on me having those second options if things didn’t work out so I did an A level in history and business.”
After playing local youth football, Zac joined the West Brom set-up aged about seven where his dad was technical director.
And he gradually progressed through the age groups until signing pro forms – and his dad was with him every step of the way.
Zac said: “When I was younger, it wasn’t quite as serious. He was very much, ‘You play football because you enjoy it.’
“Even though you’re fairly good at it as a kid, there’s never a thought of what you must do at 12, 13, 14 to become a pro.
“You just enjoy playing with your mates. There’s none of that pressure and expectation that comes with it.
“But when you start playing first-team football, it’s new and different.
“It’s in the bad times when you’re injured or not in the team that his advice and help is really important – but he always finds a way to keep me level.
Zac Ashworth is loving his time at Bolton as they bid for promotion
Zac Ashworth has been taught the value of staying grounded by his parents
“If I do well, he keeps me grounded. He always says to me it’s never as good or bad as you think it is.
“He has ingrained into me the need to keep that neutral head space and take one game at a time.”
Zac became a Baggies fan through being taken to games by his dad and idolised Chris Brunt and James Morrison.
So he fulfilled a boyhood dream by breaking into the first-team two years ago.
And, in an extraordinary twist of fate, he made his debut in the FA Cup at The Hawthorns against Brighton, where his dad then was technical director.
So Dan Ashworth was in the stands to proudly watch his boy come on as a 68th-minute sub – ironically replacing his ex-youth team-mate Taylor Gardner-Hickman.
Zac Ashworth scored a stunning volley against Carlisle in January
His Bergkamp-style volley won him the SkyBet League One goal of the month
Zac said: “It was a dream come true – not only to play for West Brom but to look up and see my dad sitting in the stands because he was working at Brighton.
“And my mum, who is a nervous watcher of games anyway, looked like she was about to cry!
“Sometimes these things are meant to be.”
Ashworth has made three starts and three sub appearances for the Baggies before going on loan to Burton for the second half of last season.
This campaign at Bolton has taken a bit of time for him to get going due to back-to-back injuries plaguing him at the start.
But he has been playing more games recently and won the SkyBet League One goal-of-the-month award this week for his audacious Bergkamp-style volley against Carlisle.
He laughed “I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched it back!”
You can bet his dad has too!