Ashley Phillips
_(cropped).jpg) Phillips with Stoke City in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ashley Phillips | ||
| Date of birth | 26 June 2005 | ||
| Place of birth | Manchester, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.92 m) | ||
| Position | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Middlesbrough | ||
| Number | 4 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2017 | Curzon Ashton | ||
| 2017–2022 | Blackburn Rovers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2023 | Blackburn Rovers | 8 | (0) |
| 2023–2026 | Tottenham Hotspur | 0 | (0) |
| 2024 | → Plymouth Argyle (loan) | 18 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | → Stoke City (loan) | 35 | (0) |
| 2025–2026 | → Stoke City (loan) | 40 | (0) |
| 2026– | Middlesbrough | 10 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2021 | Wales U16 | 1 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | England U17 | 7 | (0) |
| 2023 | England U18 | 3 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | England U19 | 14 | (1) |
| 2024–2025 | England U20 | 5 | (0) |
| 2025– | England U21 | 5 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 17:33, 12 September 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 23:53, 31 March 2026 (UTC) | |||
Ashley Phillips (né Famuyiwa; born 26 June 2005) is an English professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for EFL Championship club Middlesbrough.
Club career
Blackburn Rovers
In September 2021, it was reported that Phillips had agreed to a three-year professional contract with Blackburn to come into effect from his seventeenth birthday the following June. However, by August 2022, Blackburn manager Jon Dahl Tomasson said the contract had not yet been signed. Phillips was named in the starting XI for his professional debut in the EFL Cup in a 4–0 victory at home at Ewood Park against Hartlepool United on 10 August 2022. Phillips made his league debut on 14 August 2022 in the game against West Bromwich Albion, playing 71 minutes in a 2–1 win. Phillips signed his first professional contract on 20 September 2022 committing his future to Blackburn Rovers until June 2025.
Tottenham Hotspur
On 5 August 2023, Phillips signed for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur after they activated his £2m release clause. On 8 January 2024, Phillips joined Championship club Plymouth Argyle on loan for the remainder of the 2023–24 season. Phillips made sixteen appearances for the club, helping them to avoid relegation, and was named their Young Player of the Season.
Loan to Stoke City
On 23 August 2024, Phillips returned to the Championship, joining Stoke City on a season-long loan deal. Phillips scored his first goal in professional football on 29 October 2024 in a 3–2 EFL Cup defeat against Southampton. Phillips made 39 appearances for Stoke scoring one goal, as they finished in 18th position, avoiding relegation on the final day of the season. Phillips returned to Stoke on loan for the 2025–26 season. Phillips received his first senior red card in a 1–1 draw against his former side Blackburn Rovers, picking up two yellow cards for fouls on Yūki Ōhashi. Phillips was a regular starter under Mark Robins in 2025–26, making 44 appearances becoming a popular player amongst the supporters.
Middlesbrough
On 15 August 2026, Phillips signed a five-year contract with EFL Championship side Middlesbrough. He made his debut for the club, coming on as a 72nd minute substitute, in a 3–1 win against Doncaster Rovers in the second round of the EFL Cup. On 5 September 2026, Phillips made his first start for Middlesbrough and played 72 minutes before being substituted, in a 1-0 win against Queens Park Rangers. In the next match, Philips scored the winning goal in the last minute of the game, in a 4–3 win against Norwich City.
International career
Phillips was born in England to a Nigerian father and Welsh mother. On 9 April 2021, he made his debut for the Wales U16s coming off the bench in a 3–2 win against England U16. On 1 October 2021, Phillips was called up to the England U17 squad. On 16 September 2022, Phillips along with Rovers teammate Adam Wharton were called up to the England U19 squad, making his debut in a 2–0 win against Montenegro U19. On 9 June 2023, Phillips made his England U18 debut during a 2–2 draw with Norway at the Lisbon International Tournament. On 6 September 2024, Phillips made his England U20 debut during a 1–1 draw away to Turkey. On 29 August 2025, Phillips was called up to the under-21s. He made his debut as a substitute during a 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification win away to Kazakhstan on 8 September 2025.
Style of play
Speaking in November 2021, then first team manager Tony Mowbray described Phillips as "phenomenal" and commented that as well as being 6 feet 4 inches tall Phillips had great ball-playing ability. Mowbray stated, "He's fast, mobile and can pass it really well. He can use both feet, he's composed...if you were to create a defender in the mould of how you would want one, this kid has got every attribute."
Career statistics
- As of match played 31 October 2026
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Blackburn Rovers | 2022–23 | Championship | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 14 | 0 | |
| Tottenham Hotspur U21 | 2023–24 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||
| Tottenham Hotspur | 2023–24 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2024–25 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2025–26 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Plymouth Argyle (loan) | 2023–24 | Championship | 18 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 20 | 0 | |
| Stoke City (loan) | 2024–25 | Championship | 35 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 39 | 1 | |
| 2025–26 | Championship | 40 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 44 | 0 | ||
| Total | 75 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 83 | 1 | |||
| Middlesbrough | 2026–27 | Championship | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 12 | 1 | |
| Career total | 110 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 130 | 2 | ||
- ↑ Appearances in EFL Trophy
Honours
References
- ↑ "A. Phillips: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
- ↑ Crooke, Jaquob (17 September 2021). "Ash Phillips agreement and Blackburn Rovers contract latest as negotiations take focus". LancsLive. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- ↑ Jackson, Elliott (5 August 2022). "Blackburn Rovers boss provides contract update on Ashley Phillips amid Tottenham Hotspur links". LancsLive. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- ↑ Jackson, Elliott (9 August 2022). "Jon Dahl Tomasson confirms Blackburn Rovers debut for Hartlepool United clash". LancsLive. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
- ↑ "Blackburn Rovers 4-0 Hartlepool United". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 August 2022.
- ↑ "Team news: Rovers v West Bromwich Albion". Blackburn Rovers F.C. 14 August 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ↑ "Blackburn Rovers 2-1 West Bromwich Albion". BBC Sport. 14 August 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
- ↑ "Phillips pens pro deal!". Blackburn Rovers F.C. 20 September 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
- ↑ "Ash Phillips: Blackburn Rovers defender signs first professional contract". BBC Sport. 20 September 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
- ↑ "Ashley Phillips: Tottenham sign England Under-19 defender from Blackburn Rovers". BBC Sport. 5 August 2023. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
- ↑ "Ashley Phillips: Plymouth Argyle sign Tottenham Hotspur centre-back on loan". BBC Sport. 8 January 2024. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
- ↑ "Plymouth Argyle FC". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 3 June 2024.
- ↑ "Spurs starlet Phillips joins Potters on season long loan". www.stokecityfc.com. 23 August 2024. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
- ↑ "Southampton 3-2 Stoke City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- 1 2 3 "Games played by Ashley Phillips in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
- ↑ "Derby County 0-0 Stoke City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
- ↑ "Potters pull off Phillips transfer coup". Stoke City. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
- ↑ "Stoke City 1-1 Blackburn: Rovers edge closer to safety after draw". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 April 2026.
- ↑ "Report: Stoke City 1-1 Rovers". www.rovers.co.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2026.
- ↑ "Ashley Phillips opens door on Stoke City return as he says 'I love being here'". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 4 May 2026.
- ↑ "Ashley Phillips Signs For Boro From Tottenham Hotspur". Middlesbrough F.C. 15 August 2026. Archived from the original on 13 September 2026.
- ↑ "Doncaster Rovers 1 Middlesbrough 3 - Will Lankshear scores again". The Northern Echo. 25 August 2026. Retrieved 13 September 2026.
- ↑ "Match Review: QPR 0 Boro 1". Middlesbrough F.C. 5 September 2026. Archived from the original on 13 September 2026. Retrieved 13 September 2026.
- ↑ "Match Review: Boro 4 Norwich City 3". Middlesbrough F.C. 12 September 2026. Archived from the original on 13 September 2026. Retrieved 13 September 2026.
- ↑ Kay, Oliver (25 December 2025). "Football through the generations, part 1: Getting spotted, sweeping terraces and playing against George Best" – via NYTimes.com.
- ↑ "ENGLAND U16 VS. WALES U16 2 - 3". Soccerway.
- ↑ "Country calls for Phillips". Blackburn Rovers F.C. 1 October 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
- ↑ "England call for Rovers pair!". Blackburn Rovers F.C. 16 September 2022. Retrieved 18 September 2022.
- ↑ Smith, Frank (21 September 2022). "Report: England MU19s 2-0 Montenegro". England Football. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
- ↑ Veevers, Nicholas (9 June 2023). "Report: Report: Norway 2-2 England MU18s". England Football. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
- ↑ Veevers, Nicholas (10 September 2024). "Report: England ELS 2-0 Romania". England Football. Retrieved 25 September 2024.
- ↑ Association, The Football. "England MU21s squad named for Kazakhstan trip". www.englandfootball.com.
- ↑ "Report: Kazakhstan 0-2 England MU21s". Englandfootball.com. 8 September 2023. Retrieved 9 October 2025.
- ↑ Crooke, Jaquob (10 November 2021). "Ash Phillips' exciting development path as Blackburn Rovers foresee first-team involvement". LancsLive. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
- ↑ "Games played by Ashley Phillips in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
- 1 2 3 "Games played by Ashley Phillips in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
- 1 2 "Games played by Ashley Phillips in 2025/2026". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
- ↑ "Middlesbrough's Chuba Akpom takes Sky Bet Championship Player of the Season". English Football League. 23 April 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.