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 60 in Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. Ashcroft joined his hometown club Wigan during the Second World War. He made his début for Wigan in December 1942 against Oldham, and signed professional terms with the club a month later. Ashcroft won caps for England while at Wigan in 1946 against Wales, in 1947 against France, and Wales, in 1948 against France, in 1949 against France, and Other Nationalities, in 1950 against Wales, and France, in 1951 against Other Nationalities, Wales, and France, and won caps for Great Britain in 1947 against New Zealand (2 matches), in 1950 against Australia (2 matches),