Former Crewe Alexandra star Ashley Westwood has enjoyed a fine career as a footballer.
He’s played in all four top leagues of the football league pyramid, and enjoyed great years at Aston Villa and Burnley.
Now, he’s swapped England for North Carolina, joining Charlotte FC in the MLS in 2023.
In his three years since signing for Charlotte, he has been a mainstay in the side, and overseen a transformation of the squad as its captain and its most experienced player.
Now, he’s re-signed for potentially his final year at the club.
With the MLS looking better each year, can he help bring success to Charlotte and cap off his incredible career in style?
Westwood: From Nantwich to the Premier League
Westwood was born and raised in Nantwich. He began his career playing at Crewe and after a loan move back to local side Nantwich Town, he broke into the Crewe side as a midfielder.
He eventually rose to be captain of the side in League One. He then transferred to Aston Villa in the Premier League.
After five years and almost 150 games for the Villains, he transferred to Burnley, where he would play 162 games over six years with the club.
In 2022, he suffered a horrific ankle injury in a game against West Ham, essentially ending his career in the top flight.
After his stint with Burnley, he set his eyes on Major League Soccer in the USA.
It may seem that the MLS is something of a step down for Westwood considering his career at the very top of English football.
However, the MLS has come a long way in the last five years, especially with the introduction of Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez to the league with Inter Miami.
The league now boasts some of the highest attendances and viewing figures in the world, with a huge betting culture, covered by all the best betting sites in the UK.
In January of 2023, he transferred to the USA, signing for Charlotte FC on a one-year contract. Upon signing, he was quickly made captain of the club.
Since his signing, he has impressed for the side, who extended his contract until 2026.
Since signing for Charlotte, the team has undergone a major transformation.
Former Aston Villa manager Dean Smith has been brought in as head coach, and Wilfrid Zaha has been signed on loan, alongside other established talent like Tim Ream and Liel Abada.
The side currently sits just inside the play-offs in the Eastern Conference of the MLS, and will be hoping to make a statement by the time the play-offs arrive in October.
Westwood remains captain and leader of the club, and continues to start every game as a reliable and consistent presence on the pitch and in the dressing room.
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