Town Confirm Young Signing
Wednesday, 23rd Jul 2025 19:30

Town have confirmed the signing of veteran former England international Ashley Young on a one-year deal.

The 40-year-old, released by Everton at the end of last season, underwent a medical at Town earlier today and becomes the Blues’ fourth signing of the summer.

Young is joining purely as a player with no coaching duties and is the club’s oldest ever signing.

“Ashley has had a fantastic career and his achievements speak for themselves,” manager Kieran McKenna told the club website.

“He has maintained an extremely high level of professionalism and competitiveness through his career and he is still playing at a very good level.

“We feel his leadership and experience will be valuable to the group this season and he is very hungry to contribute on and off the pitch. It’s a very strong signing for the group and the club.”

As reported last night, Young watched the U21s friendly at Needham Market with other members of his family, with his son Tyler on trial with John McGreal’s squad. It's understood Tyler has impressed and looks set to be offered terms, although as it stands he remains a trialist.

Earlier in the week, it emerged that Young was on Town’s radar but with no deal done at that stage, a move back to his first club Watford having fallen through.

Capped by England 39 times, scoring seven goals, Young senior started his career with the Hornets having joined them aged 10.

The Stevenage-born full-back or winger moved on to Aston Villa in 2007 and then Manchester United four years later and was at the club after Kieran McKenna had been promoted to the first-team staff and has praised the Blues boss.

A spell at Inter Milan, where he was in a side which won Serie A, then a return to Aston Villa followed, prior to joining Everton, for whom he made 36 appearances last season, in July 2023.

Speaking last week, Young said he is keen to keep playing in the season ahead despite hitting his forties.

Photo: ITFC

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Dug added 20:00 - Jul 23 The sad fact is he is not so young anymore..booked seven times and sent off once in just thirty games, I am sorry but I just think he is past it now, odd signing for me but hopefully I will be proved wrong.
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Bluewhiteboy added 20:02 - Jul 23

Strange how only last week one a full back also with prem experience and 5 years younger I was told he's to old and we don't need cover. Now the Ashton lovers are coming out hailing this.
He turned down Watford as they couldn't pay him enough so clearly on big wages still. Yes he played 30 games last season but that's less than 2/3s of just league games this season for us. If you look at his last 6 seasons he's averaged 20 odd games a season. Not going to be helped that season starts in a couple of weeks either so going to take time to get up to scratch.

Dozzells_Bobblehat added 20:02 - Jul 23 Stato I don't understand your post. He's played his whole career in the Prem and played 36 games last year.
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dyersdream added 20:05 - Jul 23 Fantastic signing bit of experiance
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warno added 20:07 - Jul 23 Stato - it’s a one year contract for heaven sake.
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itfc2024 added 20:12 - Jul 23 not a signing I'm excited about but hey ho least he's going to birmingham on 8th August unlike me cos this club has messed up yet again
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Ipswich1977 added 20:17 - Jul 23 Such a signing is to fill the void of Morsy leaving. Captain, leadership, experienced.
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blues1 added 20:23 - Jul 23

ArnieM. Giggs was playing in the pl at 40. Ronaldo still playingcat 40. At a time when players were nowhere near as fit as they are nowadays, Matthews played in the top flight in his 50s. Too much is made of age sometimes. Young is some1 whos really looked after himself during his career. U dont play 32 games in the pl as he did last season, if ur not fit. Plus his experience, both on and off the field could be invaluable. Especially with morsycand Tuanzebe, our most experienced players having gone. So on a 1 year deal, on a freectransfer , this really makes sense.

Cookieboy added 20:24 - Jul 23 Two for the price of one !!!
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Cookieboy added 20:26 - Jul 23 2 for the price of one. !!!
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ArnieM added 20:29 - Jul 23 Blueas1: I hope we’ve signed another rarity for sure. We shall see I guess.
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BeattiesBackPocket added 20:29 - Jul 23 For that same minority he also played more games (32) last year in the prem than Tuanzebe did playing the same role
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skankerman added 20:57 - Jul 23 Welcome to our club Ashley I hope you have a great season with us
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oioihardy added 21:00 - Jul 23 If hes on cheap wages its a good deal. If hes expensive can't help but think we could of used that money in a player who's coming into or in his prime. Rather then a player who's 6-8 years out of his prime
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Bergholtblue added 21:08 - Jul 23 At 40 you have to wonder about his pace, although we have seen that experience and reading of the game can give you a yard over the opposition. A good signing? I'll wait and see how he plays. And he has brought his son with him!
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JewellintheTown added 21:22 - Jul 23 I believe John Wark played for us at 39. No doubt not at the heights of fitness we have nowadays. Fabian Wilnis played at 37. Magilton at nearly 37.
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Carberry added 21:30 - Jul 23 I thought we are meant to be signing players who will be Premier League quality when (if) we get promoted? He won't be here then and will stop the development of a younger player if he plays this season. Makes no sense.
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ernie added 21:48 - Jul 23 Absolutely, Carberry. It makes zero sense at all, considering the ages of players we have let go or refused to offer a longer contract to. But then this is the world of Mark Ashton where sense and planning and foresight go out of the window for PR and saying the right thing.
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BeattiesBackPocket added 23:18 - Jul 23

Ernie that’s laughable lmao ‘Mark Ashton where sense and planning and foresight go out of the window for PR and saying the right thing.’ you mean the plan he had to change and improve the whole stadium, training ground to make aid a premier league team which we did way way ahead of schedule. You win the award for the most moronic comment on the forum this year so far.