 Vincent playing for Shrewsbury Town in 2014 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ashley Derek Vincent[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1985-05-26)26 May 1985 (age 40)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Oldbury, England[2] | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Striker,winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2001–2003 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2003–2004 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 0 | (0) |
| 2004–2009 | Cheltenham Town | 113 | (8) |
| 2005 | →Aldershot Town (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2009 | →Colchester United (loan) | 6 | (1) |
| 2009–2012 | Colchester United | 65 | (9) |
| 2012–2013 | Port Vale | 34 | (7) |
| 2013–2014 | Cheltenham Town | 18 | (2) |
| 2014–2015 | Shrewsbury Town | 8 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | Worcester City | 12 | (0) |
| 2016 | Stourbridge | ||
| 2016–2017 | Sutton Coldfield Town | ||
| Total | 259 | (27) | |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2019–2020 | Worcester City | ||
| 2025 | Cheltenham Town (joint-caretaker) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Ashley Derek Vincent (born 26 May 1985) is an English formerfootball player andmanager who is a first-teamcoach atEFL League Two clubCheltenham Town.
Vincent played on thewing or as astriker and was renowned for his pace. He graduated through theWolverhampton Wanderersyouth system to win acontract withCheltenham Town in May 2004. He spent the next five years at the club, playing in the2006League Twoplay-off final victory. He wasloaned out toAldershot Town in November 2005 and toColchester United in March 2009, before he joined Colchester permanently in May 2009. He spent three years with the club before moving toPort Vale in July 2012. He helped the "Valiants" to securepromotion out of League Two in 2012–13 before he re-joined Cheltenham Town in July 2013. He signed withShrewsbury Town in May 2014 and played a minor role as the club won promotion out of League Two in 2014–15. He later playednon-League football forWorcester City,Stourbridge andSutton Coldfield Town.
He was appointedWorcester City manager in May 2019 and stayed in the post until resigning in December 2020. He went on to coach at Cheltenham Town.
Oldbury, West Midlands-born Vincent started his career atWolverhampton Wanderers, spending three years atMolineux and playing in theyouth andreserve teams.
In May 2004, Vincent joinedLeague Two sideCheltenham Town on a two-year deal;managerJohn Ward had previously worked on thecoaching staff at Wolves.[3] He made his first-team debut on 7 August 2004, replacingJohn Melligan 68 minutes into a 2–0 win overSouthend United atRoots Hall.[4] He won his first start three days later, in a 2–0 home defeat toScunthorpe United.[5] He scored his first goals on 28 September, bagging a brace in a 5–1 victory overDagenham & Redbridge in theFootball League Trophy.[6] He finished the2004–05 season with three goals in 30 games.
On 18 November 2005, he joinedConference sideAldershot Town on a one-monthloan.[7] He played three games forTerry Brown's "Shots" in an uneventful stay at theRecreation Ground. With Cheltenham, he scored two goals late into the2005–06 season to put himself back into first-team contention. He played 77 minutes of theplay-off final at theMillennium Stadium, before he was taken off forDamian Spencer; Cheltenham held on to their 1–0 lead overGrimsby Town to winpromotion intoLeague One.[8] Days before the game he signed a new two-yearcontract with the club.[9]
Vincent picked up a serious knee injury during a reserve team match in August 2006.[10] After missing the rest of the2006–07 season due to the injury, he marked his return to full fitness on 15 August 2007 with a "stunning" equalizing goal againstSwindon Town.[11] He played a total of 40 games in2007–08, finding the net twice. In July 2008, he signed a new contract with the club; managerKeith Downing stated, "The boy's had a cruciate injury and he's a young one as well. He's still growing, getting bigger, better and stronger."[12] Vincent had explained to Downing that he wanted to play as a striker, rather than his previous position on the right side of midfield.[13] On 26 August 2008, Vincent scored againstPremier League sideStoke City in aLeague Cup encounter.[14] Two months later he was sidelined for six weeks afterfracturing his wrist in two places.[15] In February 2009, he rejected managerMartin Allen's offer of a new contract and was linked with a loan move toBradford City.[16] However, he suffered amedial knee ligament injury the following month, which prevented the deal from going ahead.[16] Despite this setback, he remained insistent on a move away fromWhaddon Road.[17]
In March 2009, Vincent joinedColchester United on loan until the end of the2008–09 season.[18] ManagerPaul Lambert said that "He's got the enthusiasm and hunger and he'll be a big player for us next season. He's got pace, and when you've got that you've always got a chance."[19] In May 2009, Lambert signed Vincent to a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[20] However, Lambert left the club after the first game of the season – a 7–1 win overNorwich City – and was replaced by new bossAidy Boothroyd. Vincent featured just 21 times in2009–10, scoring three goals. He featured 42 times in2010–11, scoring five goals.
Vincent missed six weeks with a knee ligament injury at the start of the2011–12 season.[21] In an interview given after his recovery, he admitted that he had feared the injury could have ended his career. Also, he hinted at a move to a Midlands club in the summer to be closer to his family.[22] In December, he was struck down by a hamstring injury, which kept him out of action for several weeks.[23] His injuries limited him to just 12 appearances in the campaign, as well as an appearance in the final of theEssex Senior Cup (which ended in a shock defeat toCanvey Island[24]). At the end of the season, managerJohn Ward confirmed that he had played his last game for the club.[25]
In July 2012, Vincent signed a one-year deal with League Two sidePort Vale.[26] He started the2012–13 season on the wing, oppositeJennison Myrie-Williams, and scored twice in the opening six league games to fire the "Valiants" into second place.[27] After claiming goals againstOxford United andWycombe Wanderers, he was named asLeague Two Player of the Month in October 2012, but credited his teammates, saying "this award is as much for them as it is for me".[28]
"There's been a lot of deserved praise forTom Pope's goal scoring record, but Port Vale are no 'one man team' and Ashley's contribution this month was clearly worthy of recognition. So often the architect of goal scoring chances, we're sure Ashley will have enjoyed his goals this month and will want more as the season progresses."
— Emma Collins (npower Sponsorship Manager) explained why the Player of the Month panel picked Vincent as the star of League Two in October 2012.[29]
He went 12 weeks without a goal before he netted twice in a 3–0 victory overAFC Wimbledon atVale Park on 5 February 2013.[30] On 12 March, he picked up an ankle injury that kept him out of action until the last day of the season.[31] Vale secured promotion with a third-place finish at the end of the season, with Vincent scoring eight goals in 40 appearances. He was offered a new two-year contract but chose to reject the offer and to search for a new club.[32]
Vincent was linked with a move toNotts County, and also had a trial withScottish Premier League sideMotherwell.[33] He re-signed withCheltenham Town – now in League Two and managed byMark Yates – on a one-year deal in July 2013.[34] He said the move was a 'homecoming' for him.[35] He was not in the first-team for the first half of the2013–14 season, and had to wait until February before winning his first start in the league.[36] He was soon frozen out of the first-team picture once again and was released in May 2014.[37]
Vincent joinedShrewsbury Town in May 2014, becoming the new managerMicky Mellon's first signing.[38] In mid-September he stated that theNew Meadow was "the best dressing room I have been in" in terms of team spirit, however, he played only a fringe role at the club and failed to make a first-team appearance after a 1−0 defeat atPlymouth Argyle in October 2014.[39] Shrewsbury won promotion at the end of the2014–15 season as runners-up in League Two, with Vincent leaving the club by mutual consent on 2 June 2015.[40]
Vincent signed forNational League North sideWorcester City in August 2015 following a successful trial spell.[41] However, he left the club after five months when Tristian Dunkley took his place in the first-team whilst Vincent was sidelined with illness.[42] Vincent signed forNorthern Premier League clubStourbridge in January 2016.[42]Gary Hackett's "Glassboys" went on to finish the2015–16 season in sixth place, two points outside of the play-offs. He signed for Northern Premier League Premier Division rivalsSutton Coldfield Town on 6 July 2016.[43] He helped the "Royals" to a 20th-place finish at the end of the2016–17 season, one point above therelegation zone. He extended his contract with the club in June 2017.[44] However, they were relegated in last place at the end of the2017–18 campaign.
Vincent returned to former clubCheltenham Town as an academy coach in November 2017, combining the role with his job as a football coach atHalesowen College.[45]
Vincent was appointed as assistant manager to John Snape at former club,Midland League side Worcester City, in May 2018.[46] He had previously agreed to take up the management post atCradley Town, but backed away from the offer after feeling he would be "fighting against a tide" at the club.[47] On 16 May 2019, he was appointed manager of Worcester City.[48] He was given a vote of confidence by chairman Steve Goode in November.[49] As a result of theCOVID-19 pandemic in England, the2019–20 season was formally abandoned on 26 March, with all results from the season being expunged.[50] He resigned on 6 December 2020, the day after the club'sFA Vase defeat atShepshed Dynamo.[51]
Vincent returned to Cheltenham Town as the club's new lead professional development phase coach in November 2022 after Pete Haynes left to join theSouthampton Academy.[52] He was appointed as a first-team coach at Cheltenham byhead coachWade Elliott in July 2023.[53] After managerMichael Flynn was sacked on 20 September 2025, Vincent was placed in joint interim charge alongsideAaron Downes.[54]Steve Cotterill was appointed as the new manager ten days later, and he retained Vincent as part of his coaching staff.[55]
Vincent could play as awinger but preferred a more centralattacking role.[56] In either position, he liked to exploit his pace to run at defenders.[56] As a striker, he was often used alongside a target man.[57]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 2003–04[58] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cheltenham Town | 2004–05[59] | League Two | 26 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[a] | 2[a] | 30 | 3 |
| 2005–06[60] | League Two | 16 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 2 | |
| 2006–07[61] | League One | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2007–08[62] | League One | 37 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 40 | 2 | |
| 2008–09[63] | League One | 29 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1[a] | 0 | 35 | 6 | |
| Total | 113 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 131 | 13 | ||
| Aldershot Town (loan) | 2005–06[64] | Conference National | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 1[b] | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Colchester United (loan) | 2008–09[63] | League One | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| Colchester United | 2009–10[65] | League One | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 21 | 3 |
| 2010–11[66] | League One | 37 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 42 | 5 | |
| 2011–12[67] | League One | 9 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | |
| Total | 71 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 81 | 10 | ||
| Port Vale | 2012–13[68] | League Two | 34 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 40 | 8 |
| Cheltenham Town | 2013–14[69] | League Two | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | 21 | 2 |
| Shrewsbury Town | 2014–15[70] | League Two | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| Worcester City | 2015–16[71] | National League North | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Career total[c] | 259 | 27 | 15 | 3 | 16 | 1 | 12 | 2 | 302 | 33 | ||
Cheltenham Town
Colchester United
Port Vale
Individual