Young Announces Retirement
Thursday, 30th Apr 2026 09:27

Town full-back Ashley Young has announced he will retire at the end of the season.

The 40-year-old joined the Blues last summer after leaving Everton and has made five starts and 10 sub appearances. A hip injury has limited his involvement in the second half of the season.

Young began a hugely successful career with local side Watford, helping the Hornets into the Premier League via the play-offs in 2006.

Spells with Aston Villa twice, Manchester United, Inter Milan and the Toffees followed during which time he won Premier League, FA Cup and Europa League while with the Red Devils as well as Serie A during his spell in Italy. In addition, Young won 39 England caps, scoring seven times.

“I am incredibly proud and fortunate to have achieved everything I have during my career,” he told the club site.

“It’s not too often you sit and think about this while you are still in the game, but I have lived my dream during the last 23 years.

“It’s now time for some reflection on what I’ve been able to achieve and the next few weeks and months will be when I decide what I am going to do next.

“But that is all to come. My full focus is on Saturday and helping this club achieve our goal, which is promotion back to the Premier League.”

Town manager Kieran McKenna added: “Ashley's career in the game speaks for itself and it has been an honour to have worked with him, firstly at Manchester United and then here at Ipswich this season.

“The professionalism, competitiveness and quality he displays every day has had a massive impact on the group this season and I know he wants nothing more than to end his career by helping us achieve our goal.”

Town CEO and chairman Mark Ashton, who previously was CEO at Vicarage Road, said: “Having known Ashley for more than 20 years, from the days of his first professional contract at Watford to this season with us here, it’s been a privilege to have seen the stellar career he has had.

“Ashley has been an exceptional character within the squad this season and has been influential in so many ways, and it’s testament to his professionalism that his full focus remains on helping the team reach its goal at the end of the season.”

Media punditry is an obvious immediate next step with Young already a regular on Sky Sports.

Young’s 19-year-old son Tyler also joined the Blues last summer following a trial and has played for the U21s, while also spending time out on loan.

Photo: Matchday Images

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oioihardy added 09:34 - Apr 30 Wish him well happy retirement. But you have to question our recruitment again . Id imagine hes on a good wage that could of been used else where in team........ "striker"
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Monkey_Blue added 09:45 - Apr 30 I’m sure McKenna thought he’d be more available. He’s not had a poor injury record and so the hip injury means we’ve only seen brief glimpses of his quality. I doubt his envisaged contribution was limited to what he offered on the pitch. It’s just a real shame he’s not been fit for a large chunk of the season.
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Linkboy13 added 09:46 - Apr 30 Yes couldn't agree more oioihardy Phillips, Godfrey, Cajuste and now Young all expensive mistakes. If we get promoted we have to recruit from abroad and not from the championship with these so called players of the future. Hope im wrong but i fear we are going to be another Burnley.
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Lukeybluey added 10:07 - Apr 30

I just hope if we do go up that we spend money wisely on at least a couple of somewhat experienced premier league quality players. Sunderland had somewhat of a coup in signing Xhaka, someone in that mould... the difference physically between the champ and prem is staggering from what i saw last season, physically bigger and athletic players in the prem compared to the champ. But im sure we've been scouting all season to be fair, and ptobably have multiple plans in place.

cooper4england added 10:07 - Apr 30 Impressed that anyone can find a negative in this story! Great career and best wishes for the future. I'm relieved that despite injury we have a team strong enough to keep Ashley out of the side. But what a wealth of experience he would have brought to our squad.
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Broadbent23 added 10:22 - Apr 30

Ashley was always going to be our Senior Pro giving his help to our squad with his extensive background. Maybe not the first name on the team sheet but a good substitute to have. At 40 you are not spring chicken in football and every injury will put you on the back foot. Not sure whether Young junior will stay with Town, but with the new academy we will improve his game and then he can go on to achieve some of what his Dad had achieved. I hope you can stay as a coach with Town.

Radlett_blue added 10:29 - Apr 30 Even if Young had been fit (always a risk with a player of his age) he would have been behind Furlong, Johnson, Davis & Greaves for a full back spot.
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RetroBlue added 10:39 - Apr 30 All the best Ashley and no doubt his experience has been invaluable behind the scenes. But why oh why was he named in the squad after Jan when we could have brought in another fit/ younger player. Our recruitment strategy beggers belief. Weve literally only been using a 22 man squad for mist of the season, why?
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Stato added 10:43 - Apr 30 2nd highest earner behind OShea and only just ahead of Johnson. If McKenna signed Donald Duck most on hrre would be clapping wildly with no thought to the budget discipline required to keep the club sustainable.
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VanDusen added 11:13 - Apr 30

Exactly Broadbent - he wasn't there solely to play but to add guidance and experience along with cover: just as we've signed plenty in the past for the same role, such as Scales, Campo, Keogh, Aluko. Hell - I remember even the great John Wark was basically signed on that basis on a pay as you play in the 90s and it was a freak of fate that Youds' injury led to him being a mainstay for the next 3-4 years!...

StowTractor added 11:23 - Apr 30

Congrats on a great career Ashley and wishing you a happy retirement / new career as a pundit or coach.

Such a shame that one of Jack's injury time strikes didn't evade the post or keeper & go in on Tuesday night. Then it would have been safe to have Ashley on the bench and bring him on with a few minutes left to play for one final time and get a well deserved standing ovation.

But with us still needing the W the head has to rule the heart. Not sure I would have him on the bench when we might need Johnson or Kipre to come on & shore things up if we have a narrow lead. And with 10 fit forwards I would want as many of the 6 who don't start on the bench as possible, in case we need a goal. The championships record signing hasn't even made the bench in the last 2 matches. Sorry Ashley but cant see you getting a game.

blues1 added 11:43 - Apr 30 Stato. Shame you cant get ur facts straight. Yes, hes on good .money, but its a 1,gear contract with no transfer fee attached. So well within the discipline for the budget. Would have thought some1 calling himself Stato, would have been able to work that out for themself.
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ThaiBlue added 11:50 - Apr 30 Heard he's on 30k a week which if true is a total waste of money
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Karlosfandangal added 11:54 - Apr 30

Cajuste a mistake now recruitment rubbish.

Cajuste was arguably one of Towns best players in the Prem and all the “must sign him at any cost”
“He will rip up the Championship “

Well Town did and now “rubbish sign on big wages”

Make your mind up

Prem better suited to him than the Championship maybe

Davis got a lot of stick last year but now we love him again

Feckle fans

Cakeman added 12:00 - Apr 30 All the very best Ashley. It’s a pity we didn’t have you with us a few years earlier.
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BerksBlue15 added 12:08 - Apr 30 Signed as Aluko 2.0 rather than to play a whole lot of minutes. No doubt his experience and wisdom has been instrumental behind the scenes, even when injured. Good luck in retirement.
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Marinersnose added 12:38 - Apr 30

Young has done well when fit but he is a costly addition but who can judge what influence he’s had around the training ground.
Yes we’ve not been great on recruitment and Cajuste who was excellent in the PL (when fit) wasn’t fit when we got him back which is why other clubs backed down. He’s shown a lack of desire imo so despite his obvious talent we need desire as well. Akpom probably falls into that category. Anyway promotion Saturday and Mass overhaul required but everyone knows that.

tractorboykent added 12:49 - Apr 30

When he's been on the pitch, by and large he's been quality. Early in the season most of us on here recognised that. Of course his appearances have been cameos since then but that's because our defence has been so consistent and players like Greaves and Johnson have really stepped up - so a real positive for the club. I've no doubt at all that his experience has been valuable behind the scenes, maybe for those two players too. It would be a great way for him to sign off on a stellar career if we can do it on Saturday.

Ebantiass added 12:51 - Apr 30 My little brothers golfing buddy, all the best Ashley for the future.
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johnwarksshorts added 13:10 - Apr 30 Good luck for wherever your future takes you. Hope your son turns out to be as good as you.
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Linkboy13 added 13:55 - Apr 30 Don't know how anybody can make a positive out of wasting millions of pounds oh and i forgot to mention Muric who's wages we are partly paying.
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OldFart71 added 14:29 - Apr 30 I wish him well. Whilst I don't particularly like Jamie Vardy I am surprised nobody considered hin for their Championship team. Maybe the cost. But would we now have been concerned with Saturday if we had a regular goalscorer in the team ?
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Edmundo added 15:57 - Apr 30

Thank you AY for giving your experience to a side that needed direction, leadership and support at the start of the season. We're now 90 minutes from achieving the goal everyone who supports the club wants (a few on here are desperate for us to fail it seems, but they don't know what life is about clearly)
Good luck in the future, and hopefully see you at PR in future, Ashley

TripSwitch added 15:59 - Apr 30 Waste of money and a squad place IMO. Maybe harsh as we don't see his contribution behind the scenes but he was getting paid a lot to be a 'good influence' I'm sure Matt Holland could have done the same job for a lot less money.
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