Ashdown: Jamie Lawrence (Jamie)

2012-2014 (Leeds Player Details) (Player Details)

Goalkeeper

Born: Reading, Berkshire: 06-12-1987

Debut: Oxford United (h): 28-08-2012

6’3” 14st 7lb (2012)

Reading-born Ashdown started with his local club, turning professional on 3rd February 1998, and was known to be an exciting prospect, but could not displace Marcus Hahnemann as first choice. He made his debut He made his debut for the Royals when he replaced Phil Whitehead in the seventy-fourth minute of a 5-0 home win over Oldham Athletic on 12th September 2000 but to gain first team experience he was loaned out to Gravesend and Northfleet, for a month from 12th March 2001. He did get a chance with the Royals but that was restricted to Johnstone's Paint Trophy games, against Colchester United on 30th October 2001, and at Barnet on 4th December 2001 and one Division Two game at home to Chesterfield on 1st December 2001 and one F.A. Cup tie at York City on 8th December 2001. He went to Highbury with Arsenal for work experience but never played a game for the senior side. He was loaned for two League games to Division Three side Bournemouth from 23rd August 2002 and played for them in their 1-1 home draw with Oxford United on 27th August 2002 and 1-0 away win over Macclesfield Town on 31st August 2002 but he made one more appearance for the Royals that season when he played in a 3-0 win at Grimsby Town on 5th October 2002. In the 2003-04 season he was loaned to Rushden and Diamonds on 13th November 2003 and became their regular keeper, making his debut on 15th November 2003 in a 1-2 away loss to Hartlepool United and playing nineteen League games before being recalled by the Royals on 14th March 2004 after an injury to their first choice keeper Marcus Hahnemann. He played in the 3-2 away win at Cardiff City on 16th March 2004 and nine further League games until the end of the season. Surprisingly however, in the 2004 close-season, Ashdown declined Reading's offer of a new contract and instead signed for Premier League club Portsmouth on a four-year contract, on 26th June 2004, before the start of the 2004–05 season. His aim was to provide cover for Shaka Hislop, and replace him upon his retirement. While at Reading he had played thirteen League games, of which one was as a substitute, started one F.A. Cup match and two Johnstone's Paint Trophy games. Ashdown started his first season at Portsmouth as substitute goalkeeper but gained a starting place after an injury to Hislop. He had made his debut in a League Cup game in a 1-0 win at Tranmere Rovers on 21st September 2004 and followed thay by two more appearances in the League Cup in a 2-1 win over Leeds at Fratton Park on 26th October 2004 and 2-0 in an away win in the same competitition at Cardiff City on 9th November 2004, but made his League debut in a 1-3 home defeat by Manchester City in the League on 20th November 2004, after Harry Redknapp had left the club and Konstantinos Chalkias had been brought in to replace Shaka Hislop, who had made some unfortunate comments, but several inept performances by Chalkias saw Ashdown given the goalkeeping gloves. He kept his place even after Hislop had returned and it was not until the end of January 2005 that Hislop won his place back. Ashdown regained his position as first choice keeper in late March and kept it until the end of the season. Portsmouth brought in Sander Westerveld at the beginning of 2005-06 to take over the goalkeeping duties and he was the first choice in the opening fixtures before giving way to Ashdown on 10th September 2005 as Portsmouth won 1-0 against Everton at Goodison Park and Ashdown remained first choice until a 0-5 defeat by Birmingham City at St Andrew's on 21st January 2006 saw Dean Kiely bought from Charlton Athletic and it was largely his performances which kept Portsmouth from being relegated that season, as Ashdown had to be content with watching from the bench. David James was bought on 12th August 2006 and Kiely opted to leave in November 2006 leaving Ashdown as the accepted deputy to David James. Portsmouth had a surplus of goalkeepers and they loaned Ashdown to Norwich City for a month on 20th October 2006 to give competition at Carrow Road for the two keepers Paul Gallacher and Lee Camp. He made his Canaries' debut a day later in a 1-0 home win over League leaders Cardiff City his second and final game was a 0-5 defeat at Stoke City, which saw Ashdown sent off in the seventy-second minute. Due to Dean Kiely leaving the club Portsmouth would not let Norwich extend the loan. Ashdown only played on rare occasions in the next four seasons as David James was rarely injured and on the top of his form. He did, however, receive an F.A. Cup-winners' medal in 2008 and a runners-up medal in the F.A. Charity Shield in the same season even though he was only an unused substitute. After Portsmouth had been relegated from the EPL at the end of the 2009-10 season Ashdown was released by the club, but after David James left the club for Bristol City he was resigned by Portsmouth on 9th August 2010, as the club's first choice goalkeeper. He was an ever-present in the 2010-11 season as Portsmouth struggled against financial problems and finished sixteenth in the Championship. He started the 2011-12 as the club's first choice keeper, but by the end of September 2011 he had been replaced by Stephen Henderson. It was not until Henderson had been loaned to West Ham United to reduce the club's wages bill in March 2012, that Ashdown regained his first team spot. His contract ran out at the end of the season as Portsmouth were relegated to League One after they had ten points deducted for being placed in administration and Ashdown was a free agent. In his eight years at Fratton Park Ashdown had play one hundred and nine games in the League, of which one had been as a substitute and had also started two F.A. Cup ties, twelve League Cup ties and one UEFA Cup tie. On 23rd July 2012 Neil Warnock signed Ashdown for Leeds United as cover for Paddy Kenny. He was allocated the No. 12 Shirt and while spending nearly the whole of the League season on the bench due to the good form of Paddy Kenny, who was an ever-present in the League, apart from the opening round of the League Cup at home to Shrewsbury Town he played all the other F.A. Cup and League Cup Fixtures. He played four games in each Cup competition. He was released by Leeds at the end of his contract on 16th May 2014. On 29th August 2014 he was signed by League One side, Crawley Town, on a contract which expired on 31st December 2014. He made his debut for them on 2nd September 2014 in a 2-0 home win over Cambridge United in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy and his League debut followed in a 0-0 draw at Doncaster Rovers two weeks later. He held the jersey until after the 1-1 draw at Oldham Athletic on 15th November 2014 when Lewis Price was preferred. He left the club by mutual consent on 28th November 2014, he had started nine League games, one in the F.A. Cup and two in the Football League Trophy. He joined League Two side, Oxford United, on 3rd February 2015 on a short-term contract until the end of the season. He made his debut in a 0-0 away draw at AFC Wimbledon on 11th April 2015 and went on to start five League games before his contract expired.