leonard ashurst was born on 10 march 1939 in fazakerley, liverpool to parents elsie and joseph. initially a centre-half, he was moved to left-back by liverpool schoolboys as the team were short on naturally left-footed players, and helped the side to win the english schools trophy with an 8–1 aggregate win over southampton schoolboys. he was signed to the ground staff at liverpool in 1954. he also worked as an apprentice compositor in the printing trade. he won seven caps for the england youth team in the 1956–57 season. despite this international recognition he was not offered a professional contract by liverpool manager phil taylor, and instead joined wolverhampton wanderers on amateur terms. whilst playing third team football for wolves, ashurst was approached by sunderland coach george curtis, who promised him a professional contract at the club. in order to gain release from wolves, ashurst told manager stan cullis he wanted to leave professional football to continue his printing apprenticeship and to play for local lancashire combination team prescot cables; cullis agreed, and ashurst subsequently moved from prescot cables to sunderland.