Last updated at 12:16, Tuesday, 03 July 2012

Former Whitehaven No2 Les Ashe has returned to the Recre dugout for the rest of the season and warned: We’re not promoted, yet.

Les Ashe

Don Gailer’s side dealt a potentially fatal blow on Sunday to Oldham’s hopes of going up, as the Cumbrians tightened their grip on the fourth promotion slot. But Ashe cautioned that Haven still had plenty of work to do before they could guarantee a Championship future.

“We have to work really hard over our last six games,” he said. “I saw a massive improvement against Workington last week, and we need a continuation of that form.

“We have hard away games at Barrow, Rochdale and London and there are still areas to work on. I’m pretty happy with our squad and promotion is a real possibility, but we have to earn the right to go up.”

Ashe stepped down at the end of last season with boss David Seeds, and he returns in the same role as an assistant coach.

“My reason for leaving was well-documented, it was out of loyalty to David. It was the right thing to do at the time, and I wasn’t being disloyal to the club,” he added. “I needed time out and have enjoyed watching Whitehaven and Workington from the terraces. When approached by the club to get involved again I didn’t jump right in.

“I spoke to Don, Dave Smith, a couple of directors and my family. I thought I could help in some capacity until the end of the season and we will then take stock. I’m delighted to be involved again at this level and really flattered they want me back. It’s vitally important that Workington and Whitehaven are in the same division. The 2,000 crowd at the last derby match tells you that.”

Ashe was in joint caretaker charge of Workington Town, with Craig Barker, for most of the 2007 season, helping steer the club to the play-offs. The following year he joined former boss Ged Stokes at the Recre.

“I have enjoyed immensely the last 10 years, coaching-wise,” Ashe said. “Coaching at Workington was a massive honour for me, being a Workington lad. I left there of my own accord and Whitehaven have been absolutely fantastic with me since I walked through the door.

"Ged gave me the chance to coach at a higher level, and two of those three years were highly enjoyable. In the third year we were relegated and the club ended up in administration, so there were a lot of reasons for the way we played. I learned a lot from the negatives. You tend to respect the good times more because you are only a game away from it turning.”

First published at 11:28, Tuesday, 03 July 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk