Lewes FC are rewriting the guide book to running a football club and they are now, arguably, one of the most successful clubs in English football. However, success is not measured by the depth of their pockets but by their level of sustainability, public opinion, fan experience and above all – gender equality.

Lewes FC were the first club in the world to allocate their men’s team and women’s team financial resources and facilities in equal measure. This was just a few years after they became a not-for-profit, fan-owned, democratic football club. The ownership group elect their own directors who operate in the interest of all teams from youth, to men’s, to women’s. 

I was lucky enough to meet at the height of lockdown with elected directors of Lewes FC, Karen and Charlie Dobres, who talked me through their “what if” mentality. What if men and women were paid the same? What if we could modernise fan experience in a non-league setting? What if we could create the most universally ‘owned’ club in the world?

In order to further their success on and indeed off the pitch both the men’s and women’s team now have Veo cameras, a sustainable, cost-effective solution to analysing football games and training. A sports company whose mission is to democratise video technology across age, gender and standard. A football club democratising all facilities, budget, ticket prices across gender. Veo and Lewes FC could not be more of a match in terms of vision, mission and overall ethos.

We hope to track the continued success of Lewes FC across their men’s and women’s team and look forward to perhaps seeing the women in the WSL and the men in the National League in 2021.