Academy Quickfire Questions: Harrison Ashby

15th June 2021

Each week, we'll be firing some of football's true 'need-to-know' questions towards promising products of the Academy of Football.

This week, it's the turn of 19-year-old full-back Harrison Ashby...

Quick Fact: An adventurous full-back who normally plays on the right, but is equally adept on the left, Ashby’s U23s debut arrived only as recently as 2019/20… as a centre-back!

The Scotland youth international was originally named amongst the substitutes for the Premier League International Cup game against Valencia ‘B’ in September 2019, but following an injury in the warm-up, partnered fellow U23s debutant Jamal Baptiste – then 15-years-old – and 17-year-old Keenan Forson in the Hammers’ backline. The young trio kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win!

Ashby's subsequent impressive form for the U18s and U23s led to his first professional contract last summer, and a first-team debut in the Carabao Cup second round win over Charlton Athletic in September 2020.

On the Field

Who got you into football?
My Dad [Barry Ashby] - he was a player himself, so football was a no-brainer

Favourite player growing up?
David Beckham - I copied every single haircut he got!

Strongest attribute?
My range of passing ability

Want to get better at?
My decision-making

Best moment of your career so far?
Making my senior first-team debut in September 2020 against Charlton. The feeling is unreal - it's what you've worked for since you were seven

Biggest lesson you’ve learned so far?
The career you want doesn't come easy; you have to go and grab every opportunity