ashurst signed professional forms at sunderland on 27 december 1957, and made his debut for the reserve team the following day. manager alan brown handed him his first team debut on 20 september 1958, in a 2–0 defeat to ipswich town at roker park; jim mcnab and cecil irwin also made their senior debuts in the match. brown was in the process of dismantling the team that had been relegated the previous season, and ashurst went on to feature in a total of 33 second division matches across the 1958–59 campaign. he was called up to the england under-23 team on 15 march 1961, in a 4–1 victory over germany at white hart lane.