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Andy Ansah 1999-2005
First Appearance: 3.1 (#141) Tuesday 21st September 1999
Last Appearance: 8.21 (#345) Before A Fall Sunday 13th March 2005
Duration: EP: 141 – 345 | SE: 3.1 – 8.21
Position: #3 (as Anser) (Defender) (1999-2000) First Team Coach / Assistant Manager (2000-2005)
A playing career as a defender, Andy was bought from Brighton & Hove Albion in the pre-season of 1999-00, his seasoned experience a vital element in a mostly young squad about to embark on their first European competition. It wasn't long, the UEFA Cup First Round Second Leg in fact, that Andy experienced the first of many tragedies he'd witness during his time at Harchester United, when four of his team mates were lost in the plane crash on route home from a win against Ajax at the Amsterdam Arena. The team ploughed on, and there was light ahead including for Andy himself. The first attempted transfer of fellow team 'elder' Michael Dillon saw Andy manager Luis Amor Rodriguez's choice of new captain. Luis's injury against West Ham in the Third Round Second Leg saw him out for a lengthy spell, and the team were lumbered with the curmudgeonly Gordon Gallagher with Andy no fan of his methods. Gallagher is removed before long, and with Luis resigning, his respected assistant Ray Wyatt is ready for the top job. Harchester make it to the Quarter Final Second Leg before exiting on a Mallorca 1-goal lead.
Surviving relegation, Andy decides it is time to hang up his boots but only on the pitch, and it is here he replaces Terry Skiverton as Wyatt's assistant manager. Andy is fiercely loyal to Ray, being his first co-manager, an example being when Jamie Parker holds a board of odds on who will replace Ray when he is sacked, telling the goalkeeper to rub it out and write ‘I am the prat who let in seven goals against Leeds'. After chairman Prashant Dattani is murdered and Ray resigns, Harchester qualify for their first Champions League.
Alan Rothman brings his own assistant David Spears, so Andy switches to First Team Coach, and stays in the role when Monday becomes David's assistant. In this season, Andy is called as a witness at Prash's murder trial, and is asked about Fletch, sitting behind he and Ray in the dugout, overhearing Ray say Prash had offered him a five-year deal to stay on as manager. With Fletch on a mission to damage Lynda, he announces he is acting as Gary Peggs's agent, and Andy, acting for the PFA who originally negotiated Peggsy's contract tells Lynda she has little option but to deal to Fletch. When Monday wants to concentrate on his playing career, Andy becomes assistant to Patrick Doyle, and is caught up in Harchester's coach crash on route to the UEFA Cup Final, following which a squad made up mostly of reserves lose 1-0 to AC Milan.
Alongside his duties with the first team, Andy is the reserve team coach and often finds his first team colleagues serving a punishment stint with the reserves. After an away match with Birmingham City reserves, Andy, along with Fletch, discover Ryan after a suicide attempt. There is further bloodshed when Andy and the team are caught up (and tied up) in Jamie's siege.
Andy is proud when Stuart gets the permanent manager's job, and is his best working companion since Ray. When Fletch leaves for Saudi, Andy plays at his testimonial on a Harchester All Star XI team. However when Stuart throws a game as part of Pilar's plot to get the club liquidated and bought by Fletch's sheik, Andy is disappointed in someone he'd always looked up to.
Andy is instrumental in bringing about Fletch's return the following season, when he discovers Byron Erobobo in the academy is using Fletch's name as his son. After re-signing, Fletch spends a lot of time with his oldest friend at the club, including another punishment stint in the reserves on his birthday. When Don Barker suffers an angina attack, Andy oversees the Millwall game, and guides from the touchline when Don is sent off for Lazio. When Don needs to take time out to recover, Andy is expecting to be overlooked for Curtis, who caretook before, but when Fletch is appointed temporary replacement gaffer with only one day's previous managerial experience, Andy is insulted and ironically hands Fletch his resignation letter.
In May 2020 Andy spoke to FourFourTwo Magazine alongside Terry Kiely (Fletch) and Ian Ridley (writer S2-4) for a piece on the making of DT
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