The Gold Coast’s most successful AFL player, Marcus Ashcroft, has been appointed football manager for the Gold Coast Football Club.Ashcroft, a three time premiership player for the Brisbane Lions and Queensland’s AFL games record holder, will head up the football department for the club as it moves toward the AFL competition in 2011. He spent four years in a football administration role with the Lions before joining GCFC last year. GCFC CEO Travis Auld said the Club launched a search for a football manager earlier this year and the process uncovered the best person for the role was already working within the club.
“We are delighted with Marcus’ appointment. He is a quality person and had a stellar career with the Brisbane Lions which continues our goal of creating a culture of success for GCFC,” he said. “He had an impeccable record at AFL level and importantly for the Gold Coast is a product of our local football community and has a passionate connection with the Gold Coast. “His commitment to the journey we are on along with his experience with the Lions on and off the field, made him an outstanding candidate and absolutely deserving of the opportunity. He backed himself by joining the bid team so it is a great reward for him to be able to lead our football department into our first season in 2011.”  

Ashcroft said he joined as an assistant coach last year but always had the football manager’s role in his sights. “I really enjoyed the coaching part but all along my ambition was to be football manager’” he said. “My role will be to provide leadership in a rapidly expanding football department in preparation for the club’s first season in 2011. We have a small team now that will more than double by the end of next year so there are many challenges.” “Having grown up on the Coast, gone to school and university and having played here it is great to be involved in a local AFL team.”

A former player for the Southport Sharks, Ashcroft played 318 games for the Brisbane Lions including three premierships in 2001, 2002 and 2003. He is the games record holder for the Brisbane Lions and is the first non-Victorian to have played 300 games in the AFL.