[4] After time in the academy at Norwich City, Ashworth joined non-league club Eastbourne Town playing 21 games and scoring four goals[5] before moving across to St. Leonards.
[7] In 2001, he went on to become centre of excellence director at Cambridge United until March 2004 when he moved to West Bromwich Albion assisting youth team manager Aidy Boothroyd.
[9] He is one of the creators of the "England DNA", an elite player development plan which aims "to help create winning senior teams, in the men's and the women's game.
[12] In September 2018, it was announced that Ashworth had resigned his role with the FA, and would take up the post of technical director at Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion in spring 2019.
[14] On 19 February 2024, Newcastle confirmed that they had agreed a compensation package to enable his departure, he had begun a period of gardening leave before [15] He officially joined Manchester United on 1 July 2024.