Dean Ashton has been nominated for The FA's
prestigious FA Cup 'Player of the Round' award following
his Sixth Round performance against Manchester City earlier this
week.
Deano's double strike booked our place in the semi-finals in a
thrilling match at the City of Manchester Stadium. His fourth and
fifth goals for the Club, either side of half time, knocked
Manchester City out of the competition and secured his nomination
in the Player of the Round awards.
Hammers fans are now being urged to show their support by voting
for Ashton in an on-line poll at www.thefa.com before
the deadline of 9.00am on Friday, March 31.
Ashton is one of four Premiership players short-listed for The FA
Cup Player of the Round award, run in partnership with UMBRO. The
others are Liverpool Captain Steven Gerrard, Chelsea skipper John
Terry and Middlesbrough defender Ugo Ehiogu.
If Ashton receives the most votes, in addition to being crowned FA
Cup 'Player of the Round', he will win £1,000 worth of
UMBRO football kit for a local school, club or organisation of his
choice.
Ashton would be the 10th player and the third Premiership player to
join The FA's Team of The FA Cup this season, guaranteeing him
VIP attendance at the 125th FA Cup final on May 13.
Sir Trevor Brooking, The FA's Director of Football
Development, said: "Dean thoroughly deserves to be nominated
for The FA Cup Player of the Round award after his tireless display
and excellent goals. As an unashamed West Ham fan, it gave me
particular pleasure to see Dean secure a place in The FA Cup
Semi-Finals.
"Now fans, family and friends have the chance to show their
support by trying to help him win £1,000 worth of UMBRO kit,
to boost grass roots football in the community, and to try and
secure him a VIP place at the 125th FA Cup final."
The Team of The FA Cup comprises Player of the Round winners from
the First Qualifying Round to the Semi-Final. This year's team
already includes Gosport Borough's Jamie Laidlaw, Northwich
Victoria's Paul Brayson (who has won the award twice this
season), Leamington's Alex Rodman, Eastbourne Borough's
Stuart Tuck, Doncaster Rovers' Dave Mulligan and Nuneaton
Borough's Gez Murphy. The Premiership players already in the
team are Liverpool's Jamie Carragher and Bolton's Ricardo
Gardner.
Players were nominated by a team of panellists including Radio 5
Live's Mark Clemmit, The Daily Telegraph's Ricky George,
Sky Sports' Soccer Saturday anchorman Jeff Stelling and David
Watters, news editor of The Non League Paper.