Ashes Winner Steve Harmison Becomes Football Manager
Steve Harmison has been a big admirer of football and back in his teens featured for Ashington in central defence until he decided to concentrate on cricket.
© AFP
Ex-England pacer, Steve Harmison has been appointed as manager of his home-town football club Ashington FC, reports The Guardian. The former England fast bowler, who retired from all forms of cricket in 2013, has been handed a contract after Ashington suffered a 4-0 thrashing in the hands of Marske over the weekend.
Ashington are struggling in division one of the Ebac Northern League -- the ninth tier of English football -- and is looking for a revival under the former two-time Ashes winning cricketer alongside the head coach, Lee Skinner, and Lee Anderson. (World Cup Warm-up: Chris Woakes Grabs Five as England Sink West Indies)
Ian Lavery, the club's chairman and the local MP, said: "All three have a wealth of experience in the sporting world and together can build on the success that Ashington Football Club have had since moving to Woodhorn Lane."
Harmison has been a big admirer of football and back in his teens, featured for Ashington in central defence until he decided to concentrate on cricket. (England Face Tough Start to End ICC World Cup Jinx)
Interestingly, Harmison isn't the only English cricketer who has decided to concentrate on a different sport after his retirement. Before him, the English all-rounder, Andrew Flintoff took up boxing and won a four-round decision over a heavyweight boxer Richard Dawson in his only professional bout back in November 2012. Flintoff however, made a return to cricket with the T20 leagues for Lancashire and Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League.
Harmison takes over with the club currently languishing at 17th out of 22 teams. His first game will take him to Bishop Auckland on Tuesday.