# Ashley Hay (footballer)

Ashley Stephen Thomas Hay (born 10 July 2003) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for EFL League Two club Cheltenham Town, on loan from Premier League club Brentford.
Hay is a product of the Luton Town academy and began his senior career in non-League football in 2020. He began his professional career with Brentford in 2023.

## Career
### Non-League football

A forward, Hay began his career with spells in the Luton Town academy, the Hitchin Town youth system and with Letchworth Garden City Eagles. He began his senior career with Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division club Baldock Town in August 2020. Hay scored 35 goals in 64 appearances, prior to moving up a step to transfer to Southern League Premier Division Central club Biggleswade Town in July 2022. Following a short spell in which he scored one goal in seven appearances, Hay transferred across the division to return to Hitchin Town in September 2022. He scored 11 goals in 39 appearances during a 2022–23 season in which he was voted the club's Supporters' Player of the Year. Shortly after re-signing for the 2023–24 season, Hay departed the club.

### Brentford

On 31 August 2023, following a successful trial, Hay transferred to the B team at Premier League club Brentford. He signed a contract running until January 2024 and later signed an extension until the end of the 2023–24 season. Hay finished the 2023–24 season tied with Iwan Morgan as the B team's leading goalscorer, with 9 goals. He also captained the team on occasion during the season. Hay signed a new two-year contract, with the option of a further year, in June 2024.
Following a first team friendly appearance and 14 goals in 15 appearances for the B team during the first half of the 2024–25 season, Hay joined League Two club Cheltenham Town on loan for the remainder of the season on 1 January 2025.

## Personal life

While a non-League footballer, Hay worked in McDonald's and undertook an apprenticeship as a plumber. While a Brentford player, he shared accommodation with teammate Benjamin Arthur.

## Career statistics

    As of match played 15 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Baldock Town | 2020–21 | Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division | 10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | ― | ― | 7 | 5 | 17 | 10 |
| Baldock Town | 2021–22 | Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division | 35 | 19 | 4 | 1 | ― | ― | 8 | 5 | 47 | 25 |
| Baldock Town | Total | Total | 45 | 24 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 10 | 64 | 35 |
| Biggleswade Town | 2022–23 | Southern League Premier Division Central | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ― | ― | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| Baldock Town | 2022–23 | Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division | 1 | 0 | ― | ― | ― | ― | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Hitchin Town | 2022–23 | Southern League Premier Division Central | 34 | 8 | ― | ― | ― | ― | 5 | 3 | 39 | 11 |
| Hitchin Town | 2023–24 | Southern League Premier Division Central | 0 | 0 | ― | ― | ― | ― | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hitchin Town | Total | Total | 34 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 39 | 11 |
| Brentford | 2023–24 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ― | ― | 0 | 0 |
| Brentford | 2024–25 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ― | ― | 0 | 0 |
| Brentford | Total | Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cheltenham Town (loan) | 2024–25 | League Two | 13 | 2 | ― | ― | ― | ― | 2 | 0 | 15 | 2 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 96 | 35 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 13 | 124 | 49 |
* ↑ Five appearances and four goals in Spartan South Midlands League Spring Cup, two appearances and one goal in FA Vase
* ↑ Three appearances in FA Vase, two appearances and three goals in Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division Cup, two appearances and two goals in Spartan South Midlands League Challenge Trophy, one appearance in Herts Charity Cup
* ↑ Apperance in FA Trophy
* ↑ Appearances in Herts Senior Cup
* ↑ Appearances in EFL Trophy

## Honours

Individual
* Hitchin Town Supporters' Player of the Year: 2022–23