Len Ashurst

Ashurst signed professional forms at Sunderland on 27 December 1957, and made his debut for the reserve team the following day. [ 8 ] Manager Alan Brown handed him his first team debut on 20 September 1958, in a 2–0 defeat to Ipswich Town at Roker Park ; Jim McNab and Cecil Irwin also made their senior debuts in the match. [ 9 ] Brown was in the process of dismantling the team that had been relegated the previous season, and Ashurst went on to feature in a total of 33 Second Division matches across the 1958–59 campaign. [ 10 ] He was called up to the England under-23 team on 15 March 1961, in a 4–1 victory over Germany at White Hart Lane . [ 11 ] Following the abolition of the maximum wage in January 1961, Ashurst signed a new contract at £40-per-week the following summer. [ 12 ] He went on to make 458 appearances for the club; putting him second in the all time appearances list in Sunderland's history, and one of only two outfield players to top 400 appearances. [ 13 ] He scored four Sunderland goals during his time at the club. [ 14 ] In the late sixties, alongside Jimmy Montgomery , Cecil Irwin , Martin Harvey , Charlie Hurley and Jim McNab , Ashurst formed one of the most notable and most settled back fives in Sunderland's history. [ 15 ] — Wikipedia