Richard Ashcroft a limited number of appearances in 2003, Ashcroft was absent from the music business for about two years. He later explained this in 2006, stating that "[e]veryone got it into their heads over the last few years that I was in my ivory tower like Lennon, baking bread all day. The fact of the matter was that I was bringing up kids". Ashcroft began playing gigs again in mid-2005, and, on 2 July at the Live 8 concert in Hyde Park, Coldplay invited him to perform with them during their set. They performed The Verve's hit "Bitter Sweet Symphony", after
Ernie Ashcroft League (4): 1945–46, 1946–47, 1949–50, 1951–52 LancashireCounty Cup (5): 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1951–52. Ernie Ashcroft's marriage to Vera (née Dean) was registered on 23 February 1952 in Wigan district. Ernie Ashcroft Ernest J. Ashcroft (28 February 1925 – May 1985), also known by the nickname of "Ernie", was an English professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, and coach of the 1950s and 1960s. He played at representative level for Great Britain, England and British Empire XIII, and at club level for Wigan (Heritage № 465), and Huddersfield, as a , or , i.e.