TT BLOG
Thomas Kelly
@tommyktufc
Thomas discusses our new signing from Weymouth
CAREER SUMMARY
Bradley Ash knows the National League South well. He started out his football career at his hometown club of Weston-super-Mare in 2016 where he scored fourteen goals for the Seagulls. This impressed League One Barnsley enough to sign him over the summer, although he was unable to break through into their first team and was subsequently loaned back to the NLS club for the 16/17 season, where he scored nineteen goals.
Bradley was then loaned out to Boreham Wood in the National League for 17/18 and then signed permanently for Wood at the start of the 18/19 season, where he was sent on loan back to his boyhood club Weston-super-Mare and saw bins go flying as he scored the equaliser in the Gulls 2-2 away draw with the Seagulls. He also scored five goals in the National League that season.
Leaving the Wood, he moved to Hereford United and Chippenham Town before joining Weymouth in July 2021. He scored four goals in the 21/22 season and despite a torrid season in 22/23 where Weymouth completed the great escape on the final day, he scored a very respectable eighteen goals in the league and twenty-four in all competitions.
A proven goal-scorer at this level and a player with heightened interest (so I’m led to believe), this seems like a great signing for Torquay United, time will tell of course but clearly a dangerous player in the NLS.
ASH STATS
Position: Striker
Date of Birth: 5th April 1996 (27)
Birthplace: Weston-super-Mare
Height: 1.74m
Previous Clubs: Weston-super-Mare, Barnsley FC, Boreham Wood, Hereford United, Chippenham Town, Weymouth
NLS Stats 22-23: Appearances: 46, Goals 18, Yellow/Red Cards 6/0
HIGHLIGHTS
Two sets of highlights for your perusal! The 2018-19 compilation starts with that strike I mentioned against the Gulls in 2018.
MOST LIKELY/LEAST LIKELY TO
Most Likely to:
· Score more goals than Corie Andrews
· Bag the winner at Weymouth
Least likely to:
· Give up on an overhit long ball
TALKING ABOUT BRADLEY
GARY JOHNSON – “I’m very pleased that Bradley will be with us next season, He’s someone that we know well. He gives us the character, enthusiasm, hard work, and goal-scoring prowess that we were looking for”
OTHER INFO
– Played for English Colleges and England C select XI.
– Voted Weymouth Manager Player of the Year 22/23.
– Played over 3,600 minutes for Weymouth in the NLS last season.
– Scored in five of the Terras’ last six league games.
CONCLUSION
On paper, this looks to be another bit of excellent business from Gary Johnson. To score over twenty goals in a very poor Weymouth side last season speaks volumes on his goal-scoring ability at NLS level and the level of disappointment from Terras fans on his departure on social media suggests we have a very good player on our hands.
We have to accept the level we are at and should Jarvis not be sold in the summer, the partnership of him and Bradley upfront looks a very good one. Competition for goals is always healthy and with the right support, I’m sure Bradley will quickly become a fans favourite.
I did think that he might end up at Yeovil and I’m glad that we’ve managed to acquire his services for next season. It looks like the club have realised the importance of getting business done early and are finally abandoning the “Manic Monday Transfer Special”.
I have been a critic of Gary Johnson for a while now but I am happy with the signings we have made so far and it’s clear the Gulls are targeting a quick return to the National League next season, as quite frankly we should be.
Welcome to TQ1 Bradley!
COYY – THOMAS
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