Bristol City have announced that CEO Mark Ashton is stepping down at the end of the season when it is expected he will join Town in the same role.
As reported by TWTD in February, Ashton has been the man the Blues’ new owners Gamechanger 20 have wanted as their CEO, the 49-year-old having previously worked with Town chairman Mike O’Leary at Oxford and West Brom.
Rumours that Ashton’s departure was imminent have been circulating online since last night and the Robins have now confirmed that he will leave on May 31st.
"I’ve enjoyed working closely with Mark throughout his time here,” owner Steve Lansdown told the Bristol City official website.
"It’s disappointing to see him go but I understand there comes a time in everyone’s career when they want to take on a new challenge.
"Mark has been an integral part of what we have created over the last few years and he has helped build a strong foundation for the club to move forward from. His work as an EFL Director has also been of benefit in raising the club’s profile.
"I’d like to thank Mark for all his work and everyone at Bristol City wish him the best for the future.”
Ashton said: "I want to thank the Lansdown family for their support over the last five years. It’s been an incredible role and a privilege to be the CEO of Bristol City.
"I want to give credit to the staff who have worked tirelessly here and who I will miss very much. The club is in excellent hands with such dedicated and passionate people.
"During my time here, it has been a priority to steer the club in a proper and stable way, to see the integration of the academy and women’s team into a one-club structure, and of course to see the completion of the Robins High Performance Centre.
"The club is in a great position to take the next step forward and it feels like now is the right time for myself to move on and embrace a new challenge.”
Ashton, who has been an FA board member since July 2018, became chief operating officer at Ashton Game in January 2016 then in July 2017 was named chief executive officer, having previously worked with the Robins as a consultant helping to establish their talent identification and recruitment system.
Named Championship CEO of the Year in 2019, Ashton has been credited with wily transfer dealings which have seen the Robins net significant profits in the player trading market, while Ashton Gate and the club’s training infrastructure have also been transformed during his time with the club.
However, the appointment of Dean Holden as manager last summer, this season’s transfer business and a failure to make a serious challenge for promotion to the Premier League despite Lansdown’s very significant fortune have led to fan criticism. With Ashton’s exit appearing close, a Bristol Post story reflected on his time at Ashton Gate earlier today.
A former youth goalkeeper with West Brom, Ashton was on the Baggies’ board from 1990 to 2014. In June 2004 he was appointed chief executive of Watford and he spent four and a half years with the Hornets before a fourth months spell in the same role at Wycombe Wanderers in 2009.
Five years as chairman with Worcestershire-based consumer services company Grove Life followed before he and new Blues chairman O’Leary were part of a consortium which took charge at Oxford United. Ashton subsequently spent a year and a half as CEO at the Kassam Stadium.
Since May 2010 he has been the chairman of Tactical Change, which is described as an "international sports management company specialising in football management; particularly the business of football. Providing cutting edge solutions to the football industry, from player trading and recruitment to innovative commercial models that drive revenues and profitability”.
Speaking about the appointment of a CEO and Ashton at last Wednesday’s press conference, O’Leary said: "We’ve got a process under way and we’ve got people we’re looking at, and the timing of when we can recruit really hinges on circumstances for the people that we’re examining.
"I know Mark very well, I have done for a long time and he’s a good guy. But, no I’m not going to speculate further on people at this point, it’s too early.”
As previously reported, we understand Robins head of operations/club secretary Luke Werhun has also been ear-marked for a role at Portman Road by the new set-up. However, there is as yet no confirmation that he will be leaving Ashton Gate.