The 34-year-old midfielder left Burnley to play for the North Carolina side in January 2023 and despite being clueless about US geography, he’s never regretted making the move.

He told Match magazine: “I didn’t even know where Charlotte was but I jumped at it and it has been the best decision of my life, I’m not afraid to say it.

“When I came out for the medical, they put me in the front row of the basketball, which was unbelievable.

“The first impressions I had were amazing.

“I’ve been to a lot of cities now and Charlotte is one of the best. It’s a big city but not too big.

“We’ve got a big lake, Lake Norman, up the road where you can hire boats for the day.

“You have the mountains two hours away and the coast three hours away.

“The weather is incredible and the people are so friendly and welcoming. I could be a travel agent.”

One of Ashley’s highlights about his time in the MLS so far is playing against Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi.

He recalled: “We played against Inter Miami in the last game of the 2023 season and we needed to win to secure play-offs and we beat them.

“Lionel Messi turned up and filled the stadium, all the fans wanted to see him.

“I was captain and he was captain so I was face-to-face with the best player in the world – and probably the best player to ever play the game.”

The sportsman wants to stay with the club for as long as possible.

He said: “I’m here for the long run. I’ll even help the kitman if it keeps me at the club, that’s how special it is!

“I’ve got an option after this year, which hopefully they take on, that will keep me for another year playing.

“But I want to play until I’m 40 years old. This move has given me a new lease of life.

“I feel fit so hopefully I can keep performing well and they’ll keep me here for many years to come.”