MANCHESTER UNITED LEGEND ASHLEY YOUNG ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM FOOTBALL, WHO IS HIS WIFE, DO THEY HAVE KIDS?

Footballer Ashley Young has played for the likes of  United, Watford, Aston Villa, Inter Milan and Everton.

Manchester United legend Ashley Young has announced he is retiring from football at the age of 40, the footballer joined Ipswich Town in the summer of 2025 and previously played for the likes of Watford, Aston Villa, Inter Milan and Everton.

Ashley Young said: “I am incredibly proud and fortunate to have achieved everything I have during my career.”

He also said: “It’s not too often you sit and think about this while you are still in the game, but I have lived my dream during the last 23 years. It’s now time for some reflection on what I’ve been able to achieve and the next few weeks and months will be when I decide what I am going to do next.

“But that is all to come. My full focus is on Saturday and helping this club achieve our goal, which is promotion back to the Premier League.”

Kieran McKenna, the manager of Ipswich Town said: : "Ashley's career in the game speaks for itself and it has been an honour to have worked with him, firstly at Manchester United and then here at Ipswich this season.

"The professionalism, competitiveness and quality he displays every day has had a massive impact on the group this season and I know he wants nothing more than to end his career by helping us achieve our goal."

Manchester United legend Ashley Young announces retirement from football, who is his wife, do they have kids? Ashley Young of Ipswich Town warms up before the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Ipswich Town and Blackpool on January 10, 2026 in Ipswich, England. (Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Ashley Young took to Instagram and wrote: “From Sefton Road to Vicarage Road to Villa Park to Wembley to Old Trafford to San Siro back to Villa Park to Goodison Park and finally to Portman Road. It’s been some journey that I only dreamt of as a boy! But with this dream there has to be an ending and Saturday might be the Last Game Of My Professional Career🤘🏾💛💜🤍❤️💙 23 years and OUT!

“To be continued….”

“I couldn’t tell you the stats about how many games I’ll play, but what my focus is on is getting this club back into the Premier League, that’s all I’ve got to focus on now.”

Who is Ashley Young’s wife, do they have kids?

Ashley Young is married to his childhood sweetheart Nicky Pike, they have two children, Tyler and Ellearna. In 2024, footballer Tyler Young signed for Peterborough United. He then joined Ipswich Town and in October 2025 joined Isthmian League Premier Division side Chatham Town on loan.

- Marina Licht

'ODDEST INTERVIEW I'VE EVER SEEN' - UNAI EMERY'S SCATHING ASTON VILLA TITLE VERDICT

Behind-the-scenes issues may have bled into Emery’s post-match reaction.

Unai Emery aired out his frustrations in public. | Visionhaus/Getty Images

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery insisted his side are not among the favourites to even finish in the Premier League’s top five in a surprising interview which was branded “one of the oddest” ever seen by pundit Jamie Redknapp.

The Villans had the chance to close the gap to Premier League leaders Arsenal on Sunday but slumped to a bitterly disappointing 1–0 defeat to Everton, leaving them seven points behind in the title race but still comfortably in third.

Clearly frustrated at the result, Emery used his post-match press conference to follow Enzo Maresca, Ruben Amorim and Oliver Glasner in becoming the latest Premier League manager to leave eyebrows raised.

“We are not contender to be in the top five,” Emery told Sky Sports with emphasis on the final word. “We are [in the top five now] but we are still not being contenders.

“There are other teams with more potential than us.”

Asked why he felt that way, Emery fell silent, staring blankly with a subtle smile on his face before the interviewer promptly ended the conversation. “Thank you,” Emery responded immediately.

Ashley Young: ‘It’s Just Weird’

Aston Villa’s injury issues may have been part of the inspiration. | Neville Williams/Aston Villa FC/Getty Images

Considering Villa still sit seven points above Liverpool in fourth, with fifth-placed Manchester United a further point back, many were quick to question how Emery could believe his side, still level on points with Manchester City above them, are facing an uphill battle to qualify for the Champions League.

“He looked really angry,” former Villa winger Ashley Young reflected. “It could be ... maybe the injuries? Maybe another one added to the list with John McGinn, missing Boubacar Kamara. Massive players—[Amadou] Onana as well.

“Is it the sale of Donyell Malen? Is it him speaking out to say to the owners, ‘Look at my squad, I need more players?’

“It was a weird interview, to be honest. We thought he’d speak more about the game and a missed opportunity of closing the gap on Arsenal. To then say there’s five other teams with more potential ... it’s just weird.”

Jamie Redknapp: ‘Up There With Benítez, Keegan’

Emery was visibly frustrated. | James Gill/Danehouse/Getty Images

Fellow pundit Redknapp was equally as puzzled by the interview, both in terms of its contents and Emery’s behaviour.

Drawing comparisons to Rafa Benítez’s famous rant at Sir Alex Ferguson from 2009 or Kevin Keegan’s 1996 outburst which was also triggered by the Man Utd legend, Redknapp insisted he could not understand Emery’s intentions.

“It wasn’t quite Rafa ‘Facts’ or Kevin Keegan’s ‘I’d love it if we beat them,’ but it was certainly one of the oddest interviews I’ve ever seen,” he said.

“The bit at the end where he’s saying ... he just goes quiet ... It was a very sensible question, she wasn’t asking anything difficult for him. I don’t know really what he’s trying to allude to. I guess he’s just genuinely devastated with the performance and the result.

“They do need players. We looked at what they have on the bench, they were short. They haven’t got the options. Harvey Elliott hasn’t worked out and wasn’t on the bench, Jadon Sancho was ill.

“It looks like Boubacar Kamara is going to be out for a long time and John McGinn has a problem with his knee. They will need to strengthen in that midfield area.”

- Tom Gott

INVINCIBLES | STARTING LINEUP

 

EX- PGMOL KEITH HACKETT DELIVERS SHOCKING VERDICT FOLLOWING ASHLEY YOUNG CONTROVERSIAL PENALTY

“It will lead to a sanction for Manchester United” - Ex-PGMOL chief Keith Hackett delivers SHOCKING verdict following the Ashley Young penalty controversy in Everton - Man Utd clash.

FOREST SHOULD HAVE HAD ONE PENALTY AT EVERTON - PANEL

Anthony Taylor waved away three Nottingham Forest penalty appeals at Everton

 

 Nottingham Forest should have been awarded one penalty from their three unsuccessful appeals against Everton, an independent panel has said.

Claims for penalties after Ashley Young's challenge on Gio Reyna, his handball and then an attempted tackle on Callum Hudson-Odoi were all turned down by Anthony Taylor on the pitch, with video assistant referee Stuart Attwell not intervening.

Forest lost the Premier League game 2-0 at Goodison Park on 21 April.

Minutes after full-time the club posted on social media, alleging Attwell was a fan of relegation rivals Luton - a statement which has been seen more than 45 million times.

Forest's post said: "Three extremely poor decisions - three penalties not given - which we simply cannot accept.

"We warned the PGMOL that the VAR is a Luton fan... NFFC will now consider its options."

What did the panel say?

The Key Match Incident Panel is independent and made up of three former players or coaches, one Premier League representative and one from the Professional Game Match Officials Board, the referees' body.

It reviews the big refereeing decisions from each Premier League round of fixtures and unanimously agreed Forest should have been given a penalty when Young brought down Hudson-Odoi in the 55th minute.

"Young inherits the risk by going to ground from the wrong side and Hudson-Odoi beats him to the ball. It is a foul," the panel wrote in their decisions, seen by BBC Sport.

"It was felt unanimously that a penalty should have been awarded and VAR should have intervened on the basis that Young doesn't make any contact on the ball and that there is evidence that his contact with Hudson-Odoi has the consequence of tripping the attacker."

They also voted 5-0 that VAR should have intervened.

The panel was split 3-2 over the on-pitch decision over whether Forest should have been awarded a spot-kick when the ball hit Young's arm in the 44th minute, but all agreed VAR was correct not to intervene.

They argued it was a subjective call but "the majority considered this a dynamic situation where the arm was in a justifiable position, and with no clear action to deliberately handle the ball. In addition the close proximity from which the ball was played by the attacker was taken into account."

They also agreed, in a 5-0 decision, that Young's 24th-minute challenge on Reyna did not warrant a penalty and that VAR was correct not to step in.

The panel wrote: "The ball isn't played, there is contact by the defender on the attacker but any contact is minimal and is exaggerated by the attacker, and falls below the high threshold for a penalty."

 What is the background?

Forest are expected to face charges from the Premier League and Football Association following their social media post.

Last week the FA formally asked for observations from Forest, boss Nuno Espirito Santo, defender Neco Williams and Mark Clattenburg, the club's referee analysist, following their comments.

The Premier League is also investigating, saying it was "never appropriate to improperly question the integrity of match officials".

Forest have been allowed to listen to the audio recording of the officials' discussions after the incidents.

It follows Liverpool’s similar request when Luis Diaz’s goal was incorrectly disallowed in their 2-1 defeat at Tottenham in September.

Forest are one point above the Premier League's bottom three after Sunday's 2-0 defeat by Manchester City and travel to relegated Sheffield United on Saturday.

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ASHLEY YOUNG ON SIR ALEX FERGUSON

 

POST MATCH | ASHLEY YOUNG REACTS TO LIVERPOOL DEFEAT

 

YOUNGEST ENGLAND PLAYERS TO MISS PENALTIES SINCE 1990 WORLD CUP IN ITALY