Ashington manager reveals what was said to players at half-time in the play-off

The Colliers bossed the game from start to finish and were worthy 3-0 winners, with skipper Ben Harmison scoring a brace plus one from Craig Spooner.

The Wansbeck side led 1-0 at the interval and Skinner said afterwards: “We said to the lads at half-time ‘you have got an opportunity here to make life-long memories which you can talk about for the rest of your life.

“‘You will go down in history in getting the football club out of the Northern League for the first time in 55 years so if you get the job done, embrace it and enjoy it’, but I think the only person who hasn’t done that so far is myself!”

Ashington only found out on Wednesday (April 27) that Saturday’s opponents would be Glossop North End and Skinner said: “It wasn’t about being able to watch them, or tactics or about how they played – it was about our group of players going out there on the pitch and achieving what we set out to achieve on the first day of the season.

“They take the biggest credit and they should be lauded for what they have achieved.”

Since Brian Shotton took over the reins as chairman four years ago there has been an amazing transformation at the club and Skinner said: “Where this club were four years ago when the chairman took over and where the club is now, the turnaround has been nothing short of remarkable.”

Skinner also had a word to say to the club’s supporters: “If I had a little message for them it would be – we’ll need equally as many and more of them next season because it’ll be tough.

“Obviously we are stepping up a league and I’m not wanting to dampen spirits so soon after the final whistle, but we’ll need the fans to stick with us and keep coming in their numbers to help the club move forward, and I’m sure they will do that.”