Did You Know? Five facts about Manchester United’s Europa League opponents FC Astana

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3,463 miles is the distance between the sleepy English county of Norfolk and the Kazakh capital of Astana. The name Paul Ashworth might not mean anything to most, but the Norfolk-born, former Norwich City trainee is performing a vital role for Astana as the club’s executive director.

After failing to make the grade as a player, Ashworth set up his own football academy, PASS Soccer Academy. In 2001, he left England to manage Latvian side FK Ventspils, before moving to Russian side FC Rostov as sporting director.

In 2010, Ashworth left Eastern Europe to join Nigerian club Kwara Academy as technical director. At the start of this year, he was appointed executive director of Astana in a role which oversees the business and coaching departments of the club.