Ashley Sestanovich

Infobox Football biography
playername = Ashley Sestanovich


fullname = Ashley Shane Sestanovich
height = height|ft=6|in=3
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1981|9|18|df=y
cityofbirth = Lambeth
countryofbirth = England
currentclub =
position = Midfield
youthyears =
youthclubs = Millwall
years = 1999-2000
200?-200?
200?-200?
200?-2002
2002-2003
2003-2005
2003-2004
2004-2005
2005
2005-2006
2006
2006
clubs = Manchester City
Mullingar Town
Royal Antwerp
Metz
Hampton & Richmond Borough
Sheffield United
Scarborough (loan)
Grimsby Town (loan)
Chester City
Farnborough Town
Gravesend & Northfleet
Grays Athletic
caps(goals) = 0 (0)
? (?)
? (?)
? (0)
16 (4)
2 (0)
7 (2)
22 (2)
7 (0)
31 (8)
? (?)
0 (0)
pcupdate = 23 January 2007

Ashley Sestanovich (born 18 September 1981 in Lambeth) is an English footballer of Croatian and Grenadian descent. [http://grimsbytown.rivals.net/default.asp?sid=909&stid=8385483&p=2] In 2006 he was arrested and charged with conspiracy to rob, and in April 2007 was found guilty and sentenced to eight years in prison. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/grays_athletic/5223736.stm BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Grays Athletic | Sestanovich leaves Grays Athletic ] ] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6191217.stm BBC NEWS | England | London | Footballer convicted over robbery ] ]

Previous Clubs

Sestanovich has played for many teams in his career and had short spells with Manchester City and Millwall before moving to Belgium where he had a short spell with Royal Antwerp. He then ended up in France where he had trials with Metz. After this, Ireland called and Sestanovich found himself as part of a bizarre 'Dream Team' attempt to get Eircom League status for Mullingar Town F.C., a small team who operated from the County Westmeath capital town Mullingar but Mullingar Town failed in their Eircom League bid despite Moore's millions .Sestanovich dipped his toes in non-league football, when he signed for Isthmian League outfit Hampton & Richmond in the Summer of 2002. From there, he was scouted and sold to Sheffield United, (despite considerable interest from other teams such as Stockport County).

Sheffield United considered that it was in his and their best interests to loan Ashley out to other clubs to gain some experience. He went on a successful loan spell to non-League Scarborough, helping them reach the 4th Round of the FA Cup where they narrowly lost to Chelsea 0-1 in a televised game. In all he played 12 games (League and Cup) and scored 3 goals. He returned to Sheffield United and played two games in April 2004, before his second loan spell at the then cash-strapped Grimsby Town (for 2004/2005 season). This was ended prematurely due to, amongst other things, Ashley refusing to act as a substitute and leaving the ground before a match had started, verbally abusing a referee (for which he was given a 4 game ban) [http://www.bbc.co.uk/humber/content/articles/2005/01/14/grimsby_town_sestanovich_doubt_feature.shtml/] and getting sent off 4 minutes after coming on as a substitute in a later match. [ [http://grimsbytown.rivals.net/default.asp?sid=909&stid=8385483&p=2 electronicfishcake.com player profile] ] After a successful spell at Farnborough Town FC, he was sold to Grays Athletic in June 2006, but his contract was terminated after he was arrested. Grays were ordered by The F.A. to pay Sestanovich five months outstanding wages for while he was on remand. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/g/grays_athletic/6242168.stm BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Grays Athletic | Grays forced to pay Sestanovich ] ]

Thierry Henry Body Double

Perhaps his most famous moment prior to the armed robbery charge came when he stood in for Thierry Henry during filming for a Nike advert in Rome. The boyhood Arsenal fan told the BBC at the time: "I met Thierry Henry when I was filming an advert for a Nike commercial in Rome and I played the part of his body double. I met all the players - the likes of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Luis Enrique were all there. Sylvain Wiltord, Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry were there from Arsenal and it was great to see them face-to-face - but I would like to meet them on the pitch at some point."

Ashley Sestanovich also acted as Thierry Henry's body double for a series of TV adverts for Renault cars.

Trivia

Sestanovich was voted "Player Of The Round" for his display against Port Vale (where he scored the winner for Scarborough) in the 2nd Round Proper of the FA Cup. As a result, he was included in the first ever "Team Of The FA Cup" for the 2003/2004 Season, with, amongst other players, Lee Trundle, formerly of Swansea City fame. [ [http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=117035 Stars to Join Non-Leaguers in the FA's "Team of the FA Cup" ] ]

References