But as luck has it - he is expected to be out until mid-November after suffering a broken ankle during an England training session.
It is a bitter blow for the 22-year-old, who would have made his senior international debut against Greece on Wednesday night before embarking on a first full Premiership season and a UEFA Cup campaign.
But Ashton now faces 12 weeks on the sidelines and it would just have been our luck if the deal to Newcastle had gone through.