Life after lockdown – United prepare for a fresh start

WESTBURY United is preparing for a return to the pitch after months in lockdown.

Club chairman and secretary, Greg Coulson said, “We were obviously disappointed that the league came to an abrupt end but I thought it was good leadership from the FA and the league to make the decision so quickly at our level. At the end of the day, the health and safety of our players and supporters is more important than any football match. 

“With the extra time off football, we’ve managed to invest time and money (thanks to the crowdfunding) in our pitch. We didn’t want to have the crowdfunding and have received some criticism, however we had to be decisive and raise the funds to make sure the pitch was ready for when the new season starts. 

“Realistically, we have had no income since March and the only way we earn money is to play football matches. With the thought of no money coming in and a potential of at least six months with no income, we had to get some cash flow to make sure we have a good playing surface and that the club isn’t in debt by the time we start again. 

“I’d like to personally thank everyone who has donated, for their generous support, especially the first team players who have donated and raised nearly £1,000. We are planning a little get together when we’re allowed to have social gatherings again and we’ll invite everyone who has helped over this difficult period so we can thank them in person. 

“The new managers are settling in well, we received lots of interest and applications for the job, however when we spoke to Lewis Porter and Ricky Hulbert, their love for the club shone through. They instantly got to work speaking to last season’s squad and have managed to keep the core of the team together. We’re confident that Lewis and Ricky will bring success to the club. 

“Lewis has represented Westbury at every level, so has been ingrained in the club for years He was a key member of our title-winning squad a few years ago and was part of the first team coaching staff last season, so it was the logical step to have a man who has experienced the highs and lows of Westbury United throughout the years in charge of the first team. He has a wealth of experience at this level and is well respected throughout the league. 

“Ricky Hulbert is a local non-league legend, he has represented Frome, Melksham, Yate, Swindon Supermarine, Larkhall and even had a spell playing in New Zealand. Ricky brings high standards and a real drive to make sure the club continues on its upward trajectory. 

“Lewis and Ricky will be joined by Scott Armstrong, as head coach. Scott is another guy with a wealth of experience of local football, he is an ex-professional player having graduated out of Southampton FC Academy before moving to Everton FC and then on to local side Bristol Rovers FC. He has played a high standard of non-league football and recently he has had successful spells managing Bishop Sutton and Oldland Athletic. 

“The initial thought when the season came to an end was how do we make sure that the club does not spiral into debt or have to defer bills to pay at a later date. We carried out an energy audit at the ground and turned off all non-essential equipment, pretty much everything apart from the alarm and the CCTV were switched off. This reduced our forecast bills to a manageable amount, that we are confident we can cope with even if football does not return until the New Year. 

“We’re now working hard to modify the clubhouse to make sure we can comply with social distancing and protect our staff, if and when we get the nod to open again. The local community and businesses have been fantastic, committing to sponsor us financially or in-kind for the upcoming season. We’re all itching for football to start again and we’d love to get regular big crowds in what will be our 100th year as a club next season.”