Lewes FC appeals to fans to help save club eight years after introducing equal pay for men’s and women’s teams | OneFootball

Lewes FC have launched a financial appeal as they look to raise £120,000 to avoid going bust. Pictured: Lewes players warm-up before facing Durham in April 2023. (James Whitehead / SPP)

Lewes FC have launched a financial appeal, asking fans to help raise £120,000 amid a desperate effort to avoid going bust.

It comes eight years after they made history by becoming the first club to pay their women’s and men’s teams equally.

In an open letter to fans, the club said they “faced a number of financial challenges” after its women’s team was relegated from the Championship – the second tier of English football – in 2024.

They admitted the club ‘just’ made it to the end of the 2024-25 season and now needs financial support to survive the summer.

In the letter, the club stated: “This is the moment we humbly need your financial help to propel the club forward on and off the pitch.

“What we do together in the next few weeks will shape the future of Lewes FC for next season and beyond.

“As a small, community-owned club, we have to be honest about the challenges we face – especially during the summer off-season, when there are no matchdays to generate income but plenty of work to be done.”

Lewes FC financial appeal: What will the money go towards?

Lewes FC in their open letter says it costs £120,000 to keep the club running through the off-season.

The money will help towards the upkeep of their 3,000-capacity Dripping Pan Stadium.

It will also contribute towards utility bills, maintaining their pitch, and hospitality costs.

Why are Lewes FC going bust?

Lewes FC, which operates women’s and men’s teams, has faced mounting financial challenges leading to their financial appeal.

This is despite receiving a £750,000 grant from the Premier League Stadium fund for a new pitch at their 3,000-capacity Dripping Pan stadium.

Financial troubles stem from Lewes’ reliance on director loans, which as per the Telegraph, has exceeded £2 million. It’s added that almost two-thirds of that sum was provided in 2021-22 and 2022-23 by outgoing board members, Ed Ramsden and Charlie Dobres.

Lewes were chosen to join the Women’s Championship not long after they introduced equal pay among their men’s and women’s teams.

However, running the second-tier women’s team became more expensive to run than the seventh-tier men’s side due to the increasing professionalisation of the Women’s Championship. Lewes FC were relegated to the third tier of English women’s football in 2024.

Blackburn Rovers Women recently withdrew from the Championship as they were unwilling to meet the league’s criteria for next season. This included requirements on facilities, player welfare, and staffing – all leading to escalating costs. The Athletic has since reported that at least 20 staff members could be made redundant.

Lewes FC introduced equal pay between their men’s and women’s teams back in 2017. (Liam Asman/SPP)

When did Lewes FC introduce equal pay?

Lewes FC launched the Equality FC campaign in July 2017, becoming the first club to pay its women’s and men’s teams equally.

A press release at the time said they would raise and set the player budgets for both teams at equal levels, provide equal resources for coaching, upgrade equipment and facilities, and invest in local grassroots to drive equal participation in football from girls and boys.

The groundbreaking move put Lewes on the map and they were subsequently chosen to join the new Women’s Championship.

Initial fears over how it would affect the men’s team were quashed when they were promoted that same season to the Isthmian League Premier Division.

The move attracted sponsors and increased attendance levels of women’s matches. A record crowd of 2,801 turned up for their Women’s FA Cup quarter-final with Manchester United in 2023.

However, Lewes claim that women’s football is in “severe need of change” due to clubs “defaulting their league status”.