Jamie Lawrence Ashdown (born 30 November 1980 in Reading, England) is a football goalkeeper, who is currently on the books of Portsmouth.

Ashdown began his career at Reading, where he established a reputation as an exciting prospect. Following loan spells at Gravesend & Northfleet, Bournemouth and Rushden & Diamonds, and a work experience placement at Arsenal, Ashdown broke into Reading's first team squad as a result of an injury to first choice 'keeper Marcus Hahnemann. However, in the summer of 2004, Ashdown declined Reading's offer of a new contract and instead signed for Premier League club Portsmouth before the start of the 2004-05 season to provide competition for Shaka Hislop, with a view to replacing the veteran on his retirement.

Ashdown started his first season at Portsmouth as substitute goalkeeper but gained a starting place after an injury to Hislop. After the departure of Harry Redknapp as manager and alleged comments by Hislop, a new goalkeeper, Konstantinos Chalkias was bought to the club and given the first team place. After a number of poor performances by Chalkias, Ashdown was again restored to the first team and remained there for the remainder of the season.

In August 2005, Portsmouth signed another goalkeeper, Sander Westerveld and Ashdown was in competition with him at the beginning of the 2005-06 season for a first team place. Westerveld started the season as first choice 'keeper. However, after a number of poor performances by Westerveld he was dropped and Ashdown was again called on as Portsmouth's number one goalkeeper. With the return of former manager Harry Redknapp, Ashdown was dropped to second choice again after the arrival of Dean Kiely from Charlton Athletic in January 2006. In the 2006-07 season Ashdown faced even more competition from new high-profile signing David James.

He played the first game of a loan spell with Norwich on 21 October 2006 in a 1-0 win against Cardiff City at Carrow Road, replacing Paul Gallacher in the starting XI. However, he was sent off in his next match, which Norwich went on to lose 5-0 against Stoke City and did not play again for the Canaries, returning to Pompey on 20 November 2006.

Ashdown picked up an FA Cup winners' medal with Portsmouth in 2008, despite not playing in the competition, although this was subsequently stolen.^[1]

[edit] Honours

• FA Cup winners medal 2008
• Charity shield runner up 2008

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Jamie Ashdown profile at BBC Sport
• Jamie Ashdown career stats at Soccerbase