Monday 5th June 2023
A Statement Issued By Heytesbury FC:
It has been a record-breaking year for Heytesbury FC, this follows big changes at the club over the last few years. 2021 saw the introduction of youth football at the club for the first time when Heytesbury U18’s was formed. This was followed in 2022 by the formation of Heytesbury Reserves. This gave an opportunity for the youngsters to make the transition into adult football, it also gave support for the first team. It was good to see one player play a full part with the U18’s on a Sunday afternoon, and play regularly for both the Reserves and the first team on a Saturday. While other youngsters played a major part in our Reserve team.
Heytesbury Park has been home to the club for many years, and we hope for many more year to come, however we realised that having three teams play on one pitch was not sustainable. So, at the start of the 2022/23 season the decision was made to hire the pitch at Codford. This proved a success with all three teams playing matches both there and at Heytesbury Park.
In the spring of 2023, the club became aware that the land at Heytesbury Park was going to be put up for sale. The decision was made to talk to the Committee at Codford to try and secure the long-term future of the club. Stockton & Codford had a very successful team playing in the Salisbury & District League and then the Trowbridge & District League until 2018. The Village had been left without a football club since that time. This coincided with Heytesbury First team having unprecedented success on the pitch. The League had been won in February, and we had qualified for promotion to the Wiltshire Senior League, but the facilities at Heytesbury meant we could not be promoted. It was decided, with agreement of the Codford Village Hall Committee to move the Heytesbury first team to Codford for the 2023/24 season. The Reserves and Under 18’s would continue to be based at Heytesbury. With the club now having homes in both Villages it was decided to rename the Club “Heytesbury & Codford Football Club”. This will take place on June 5th, 2023.
I would like to emphasize that the club is not abandoning Heytesbury or Heytesbury Park and will continue to do all we can to continue playing football in the Village. We will also support the Parish Council in their effort to secure the sports fields for the Village. We hope this move will help us continue the great tradition of Heytesbury football club, while at the same time bring back Football on a permanent basis to Codford.
Martyn Spratt,
Secretary,
Heytesbury Football Club.