Players and the joint managers have rallied behind Westbury United despite a worrying financial crisis. The club is facing one of the toughest periods in its history, battling severe financial difficulties that have left it without a home ground and unable to pay its players and managers.
With home games now being played in Frome due to ongoing issues with its electricity supplier, and a squad playing entirely without wages, the club’s future is uncertain. But rather than walking away, the vast majority of players, along with joint managers Ricky Hulbert and Lewis Porter, have chosen to stay without pay – which has brought a massive thanks from the fans.
Ricky, who has been part of the club for nearly a decade as both a player and manager, expressed immense pride in the dedication of his squad.
“Westbury United is more than just a football club; it’s a family,” he said. “There is no longer a playing budget at the club or travel expenses, so we had the seemingly impossible task of asking the players if they would stick by the club through these difficult times, and 90% of them said yes. That is unheard of at this level of football. It speaks volumes about the type of people we have brought to this club. I want to pay tribute to the players; they are playing for nothing and have been fantastic. These lads are a special bunch.
“We’ve got lads travelling from Taunton, Newport, Swindon, Bristol – they are actually paying out of their own pockets to play for Westbury United. That just shows the type of people they are. They could have walked away, but they chose to stay.”
The club has been forced to move its home games to Frome Town FC due to being unable to afford electricity at its own ground. While this is a big setback, Ricky and Lewis remain focused on keeping Westbury United competitive in the Southern League, the highest level the club has ever played at.
“We’ve had two promotions in recent years, and we’ve been punching above our weight. But we don’t want to stop here,” Ricky continued. “Even before these financial problems, we were competing at this level with a smaller budget than most. Now, with no budget at all, it’s an even greater challenge – but we’re not backing down.”
The club’s success on the pitch has been remarkable considering the circumstances. At the time the financial crisis hit, Westbury United was just four points off the playoff positions with a game in hand. Though recent results have been impacted, Ricky is determined to ensure the team regains its momentum.
“We’ve lost a couple of games since having to move grounds, but before that, we were unbeaten in eight. The biggest challenge now is bouncing back quickly,” he said. “We’re all willing to give it a real go. Again, a massive thank you goes to our players who have been so understanding and supportive. We are under no illusions about the task that is ahead of us, but we will all give it our best shot!”
While the situation remains difficult, there is hope for the future. Ricky and Lewis believe the club can come through this stronger if they can attract more support from the local community and businesses.
“The town of Westbury deserves a club at this level, but we need help to keep it going. We need more people behind the scenes, more volunteers, and more businesses getting involved. There’s so much potential here with the trading estate and new housing developments. We just need to tap into it.
“There are things going on behind the scenes, and hopefully, the club can put this behind them going forward and come through this stronger.”
Fans have been paying tribute to Ricky, Lewis, and the players.
One lifelong fan, Greg Coulson, told WHN, “Regardless of the results for the remainder of this season, Ricky, Lewis, along with Kurt, and the players should hold their heads high. We Westbury supporters are fortunate to have such a dedicated group of men to support on matchdays. Ricky and Lewis made a seamless transition from being key players in the 2017-18 Western First Division-winning team to managing the club at its highest level ever. Throughout their time at the club, they have upheld high standards for everyone involved.
“Without Ricky and Lewis’s hard work and commitment, day in and day out on and off the pitch, the club wouldn’t be where it is today. Their ability to lead the team to compete in the Southern League, even without a budget, showcases their leadership skills.”
Graham Heath said, “Thank you, Lewis, Ricky, Kurt, and all the players for your loyalty and support in this difficult time. I’m sure the rest of our green army crew echo this thanks too. Now let’s get back to winning games and moving up the league.”
Wayne Miles commented, “Good luck, Lewis Porter and Ricky Hulbert; you are the right people to lead the team through a difficult period,” while Janeen Jones said, “Westbury, you have a fantastic management team who bring out the best in their players. People support you because you entertain them with the great football your team is providing.”
Club’s statement
The club’s chairman, Phil Hampson, issued this statement on 28th January, “Unfortunately, due to a long-standing financial issue in relation to the club’s electrical supply, we now do not meet the Southern League’s grading criteria. As a result, we cannot fulfil our remaining home fixtures at the Platinum Hyundai Park.
“Frome Town FC has kindly offered us a ground-share option, which enables us to complete our remaining home games. We are eternally grateful for their time, understanding, and support over the past week. Such genuine and nice people, without whom we wouldn’t be playing Southern League football. For that, we thank you.
“We take full responsibility for the situation and wholeheartedly apologise to our coaching staff, players, committee members, volunteers, sponsors, and finally, the fans, for this horrible situation and make no mistake, everyone is continuing the hard work laying the foundations for a better club for the future. We will learn and come back stronger.”
Pictured: Westbury United joint managers – Lewis and Ricky
