By Billy McGee
March 24, 2026
Hailing from Nantwich, a small market town in northwest England, Ashley Westwood has been a professional soccer player since signing his first contract at age 18 in 2008. Having played for multiple clubs across the top four tiers of the English football pyramid, he made the move to Major League Soccer ahead of the 2023 season.
Westwood began his professional career with Crewe Alexandra, featuring in both EFL League One and EFL League Two. After establishing himself as a key player and later becoming club captain in 2012, he earned a move to Aston Villa, where he remained until 2017 before transferring midseason to Burnley FC, returning to the Premier League following Villa’s relegation the year prior. He spent five and a half seasons with Burnley before suffering a serious ankle injury against West Ham United in April 2022, which ultimately proved to be his final appearance for the club. After recovering, Westwood signed with Charlotte FC in 2023, where he has since become a key figure in midfield.
Now entering his fourth year in the Queen City, the Charlotte FC captain has made the city a true home for himself and his family.
“Some of the lingo you have to be careful with because some words mean different stuff,” Westwood joked. “But apart from that, it’s been good. We’ve sold up in England and we’ve bought a house in Charlotte. So… now it feels like home.”
The club has undergone some adjustments this season, having lost center back Adilson Malanda, a key piece of its defense who moved to EFL Championship side Middlesbrough. Outside of Malanda’s departure, most of the core players have returned for Charlotte. Westwood believes the team is better than last season, adding depth to the squad with the offseason signing of Luca de la Torre, who provides a different profile in midfield alongside Westwood and Pep Biel.
“We tried to do some of the new, the first two games of the season, but it didn’t quite work out,” said Westwood. “But I don’t think that wasn’t anything to do with how we were set up. I think we were poor and we accept we were poor as players.”
Charlotte’s young players will be crucial for this upcoming season, and Westwood also plays a role in their development, with the likes of 21-year-old Morrison Agyemang stepping into a starting center-back role, and 19-year-old Charlotte FC Academy graduate Aron John making his first-team debut in the home opener against Austin FC, earning praise from Westwood for his transition. He credits Gary Dicker, who was promoted to Charlotte FC first-team assistant coach in January, and also points to midfielder Simon Tonidandel and defender Wyatt Holt as prospects to watch.
“I was at a club that was giving people, giving young lads an opportunity to develop,” said Westwood. “So as soon as I came here, I wanted to help with that.”
In August 2024, the club released the first installment of its short video series, Through the Ranks, which featured Westwood along with the captains from Crown Legacy and Charlotte FC’s youth teams. In the episode, Westwood offers advice on how to handle situations as a team captain, such as leading by example in training, holding players accountable, and finding ways to influence the game even when playing poorly.
Westwood and his family are now full-blown Charlotteans, and they’re getting accustomed to the city and all it has to offer, including going to restaurants and attending numerous events. Westwood named Mediterranean seafood spot Limani and Oshen Sushi as some of his favorites around the city, while Inizio Pizza is the top choice for his kids. They’ve also enjoyed attending several Charlotte sporting events.
“We try to do all of them, obviously when our schedules don’t clash,” said Westwood. “The baseball’s a great day out, the basketball is incredible and then obviously you’ve got the Panthers… especially the buzz last year. It was a good city for sport… long may it continue.”
The city has been experiencing a sports renaissance over the past year, with the Panthers hosting their first home playoff game in a decade and the Hornets playing their best basketball in years. Charlotte FC consistently ranks among the top MLS teams in attendance and has quickly developed one of the league’s most energetic matchday atmospheres in its short history.
“I speak to people and they say ‘oh, we’ve never been to a game,’ and the next time I see them, they’ve been to a game, they’re like ‘oh, it’s incredible.’ So I think people are starting to realize how good it is and the club have done an amazing job,” said Westwood.
The Crown’s strong home performance over the past couple of seasons has certainly helped the fans rally behind them, with the team posting a 24-7-6 MLS regular-season record at Bank of America Stadium from 2024 through matchweek five of the 2026 season.
“It’s the minute you walk out for a warmup, you know the energy the fans bring, it’s unique,” said Westwood. “I think the fans are the reason why our home form is so good, so yeah, keep turning up in numbers.”
Westwood mentioned Atlanta as his favorite away game, citing the team’s strong record there, the stadium itself, attendance numbers, and the traveling fans. Charlotte supporters have traveled in strong numbers over the years to Atlanta, with as many as 3,000 in the away section, in part due to the efforts of official Charlotte FC supporter groups, including Carolina Hooliganz, Mint City Collective, NORCAS CLT, South Charlotte, and Southbound & Crown.
The 2026 season is the final year of Westwood’s contract with Charlotte FC, excluding the club’s option for 2027, but Westwood said he has not given much thought to his contract situation and is focused on the current season.
“For me, it’s all about this year and I want to bring a trophy to Charlotte,” said Westwood. “That’s the most important thing.”
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At age 35, Westwood is nearing the end of his career and hopes to stay involved in the game after his playing days come to an end.
“My passion lies with seeing young players develop, the likes of AJ [Aron John]. So, listen, if I can help in any way I can, I think that’s what I want to do,” said Westwood. “I don’t want to leave Charlotte, the family’s happy here, we love it here and I feel like this is our club as well… I want to continue to improve the club and help the city and bring success.”
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Westwood could follow in the footsteps of Christian Fuchs, Charlotte FC’s first-ever captain, who went on to join the team’s coaching staff after retiring. No matter how his playing career ends or what his next endeavor is, Westwood’s impact on Charlotte FC will hopefully remain in the Queen City, and his legacy will be evident throughout the next generation of players.
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