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
Lee Ashcroft Jewell's stewardship, though Ashcroft did not feature in any league games at the JJB Stadium. He instead joined Port Vale on loan in October 2002. After four appearances for Brian Horton's "Valiants", he moved on to Huddersfield Town in December of the same year, again on loan. Huddersfield were so short of funds at the time that the loan could only go through when a wealthy supporter agreed to pay Ashcroft's wages. He appeared four times in the Second Division under Mick Wadsworth, before returning to Wigan, where he was released in February 2003. Later in the month he moved