Ashley Simon Young (born 9 July 1985) is an English
footballer who plays as a
winger for
Manchester United and the
English national team. Born and raised in
Hertfordshire, Young started his career at
Watford, making his first senior appearances in 2003 under the management of
Ray Lewington. He became a first-team regular in 2004–05, and was one of Watford's key players in their promotion winning 2005–06 season. Young continued to play well for Watford in the
Premier League, and in January 2007 he transferred to
Aston Villa for a fee of
£8 million, rising to £9.65 million with add-ons. He established himself in the first team at
Villa Park, and has since earned 15
caps for England, scoring twice. On 23 June 2011, Young signed for Manchester United for an undisclosed fee.
Club career
Watford
Despite having been turned away by Watford's Academy after an unsuccessful spell, Young endeavoured to improve himself as a player and was eventually offered a professional deal by the club. The 18-year-old was handed his first team début under
Ray Lewington in September 2003, scoring as a
substitute against
Millwall. He achieved five substitute appearances that season, scoring three goals, and made his first start for the club in the
League Cup. Young came to prominence in the 2004–05 season, playing a part in 34 of Watford's league matches as they struggled to survive...
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