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Graham Westley
Graham Neil Westley (born 4 March 1968) is an English professional football manager and former player who played as a striker.
An England youth international, Westley's playing career was spent largely in non-League football before being curtailed by injury. He began his managerial career at Kingstonian in 1996 at the age of 28, before taking charge of Enfield for the 1997–98 season. In 1999, he acquired a controlling interest in Farnborough Town and appointed himself manager, leading the club to promotion to the Football Conference in 2001. He transferred his shareholding and departed Farnborough in January 2003 to take up the vacant managerial position at Stevenage Borough. Stevenage reached the 2005 Conference National play-off final but were defeated, and Westley left the club a year later. He then had a three-month spell at Rushden & Diamonds, as well as four matches as caretaker manager of Kettering Town in 2007.
Westley rejoined Stevenage in May 2008, earning his first managerial honour at national level when the club won the 2009 FA Trophy final. The following season, he guided Stevenage to the Conference Premier title, securing promotion to the Football League for the first time in the club's history. In his first season as a Football League manager, he led the team to a second successive promotion via the play-offs. He left for Preston North End in January 2012, though was dismissed just over a year later in February 2013, returning to Stevenage the following month for a third spell until May 2015. He spent most of the 2015–16 season managing Peterborough United and had a five-month spell at Newport County the following season. He was subsequently appointed head coach of Barnet in January 2018, before returning to Stevenage for a fourth time, serving a two-month spell from December 2019.
Born in Hounslow, London, Westley left school at the age of 16 to pursue a career in football. He briefly undertook an accountancy course, which he did not complete. His grandfather had founded the J&D Organisation in the 1940s, a company providing services to building contractors. Westley joined the business at 19 and, by 1997, was managing it alongside his football career. During this period the company's turnover increased from £1 million to £20 million and its workforce expanded from 50 to 700 employees.
Westley began his footballing career as an apprentice with Queens Park Rangers at the age of 16. He represented England at youth level, earning one cap for the under-17 team at the Tournoi Juniors in Cannes in April 1985, and another for the under-18 team in September of the same year. He signed for Gillingham in March 1986, making two Third Division appearances before joining Barnet. He made his Barnet debut in a 2–2 draw against Macclesfield Town at Moss Rose and scored one goal in three appearances during his time there.
Westley joined Wycombe Wanderers in the latter part of 1987 for a fee of £7,500, marking his debut with a goal in a 2–1 away victory against Telford United. He scored in each of the club's next two matches and established himself as a regular on the left wing until the departure of manager Peter Suddaby in January 1988. Under Suddaby's successor, Jim Kelman, Westley made one further appearance before moving to Kingstonian. In total, he made 24 appearances for Wycombe in the 1987–88 season, scoring five goals in all competitions.
He subsequently represented a number of non-League clubs, including Kingstonian, Wealdstone, Farnborough Town, Harlow Town, Enfield, Aylesbury United, Harrow Borough, Tooting & Mitcham United, Molesey and Walton & Hersham, three of which he later managed. He scored 33 goals and was named Player of the Season at Enfield during the 1990–91 season, before joining Aylesbury United in December 1992 in exchange for Darren Collins. While at Kingstonian, he suffered a dislocated ankle and a triple leg fracture, an injury that ultimately curtailed his playing career.
While recovering from a broken leg, at the age of 28 in December 1996, Westley was appointed manager of Kingstonian after approaching the club about their vacant managerial position. His first two matches in charge both ended in 4–4 draws, against Walton & Hersham and Harrow Borough respectively, with Westley later stating: "at the time, there was something raw and exciting about the team that I sent out. Although there was also something evidently missing". His first victory as manager came in a 2–0 victory against Wokingham Town in the Isthmian League Cup, followed by his first league win in the subsequent fixture, a 5–2 victory away to Aylesbury United. Kingstonian ultimately drew clear of relegation, with Westley recalling a 3–2 win over champions Yeovil Town at Huish Park as a "memorable victory". Despite guiding Kingstonian to safety, he was dismissed after five months and replaced by Geoff Chapple. He managed the club for 25 matches, recording nine wins, eight draws and eight defeats.
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Graham Westley
Graham Neil Westley (born 4 March 1968) is an English professional football manager and former player who played as a striker.
An England youth international, Westley's playing career was spent largely in non-League football before being curtailed by injury. He began his managerial career at Kingstonian in 1996 at the age of 28, before taking charge of Enfield for the 1997–98 season. In 1999, he acquired a controlling interest in Farnborough Town and appointed himself manager, leading the club to promotion to the Football Conference in 2001. He transferred his shareholding and departed Farnborough in January 2003 to take up the vacant managerial position at Stevenage Borough. Stevenage reached the 2005 Conference National play-off final but were defeated, and Westley left the club a year later. He then had a three-month spell at Rushden & Diamonds, as well as four matches as caretaker manager of Kettering Town in 2007.
Westley rejoined Stevenage in May 2008, earning his first managerial honour at national level when the club won the 2009 FA Trophy final. The following season, he guided Stevenage to the Conference Premier title, securing promotion to the Football League for the first time in the club's history. In his first season as a Football League manager, he led the team to a second successive promotion via the play-offs. He left for Preston North End in January 2012, though was dismissed just over a year later in February 2013, returning to Stevenage the following month for a third spell until May 2015. He spent most of the 2015–16 season managing Peterborough United and had a five-month spell at Newport County the following season. He was subsequently appointed head coach of Barnet in January 2018, before returning to Stevenage for a fourth time, serving a two-month spell from December 2019.
Born in Hounslow, London, Westley left school at the age of 16 to pursue a career in football. He briefly undertook an accountancy course, which he did not complete. His grandfather had founded the J&D Organisation in the 1940s, a company providing services to building contractors. Westley joined the business at 19 and, by 1997, was managing it alongside his football career. During this period the company's turnover increased from £1 million to £20 million and its workforce expanded from 50 to 700 employees.
Westley began his footballing career as an apprentice with Queens Park Rangers at the age of 16. He represented England at youth level, earning one cap for the under-17 team at the Tournoi Juniors in Cannes in April 1985, and another for the under-18 team in September of the same year. He signed for Gillingham in March 1986, making two Third Division appearances before joining Barnet. He made his Barnet debut in a 2–2 draw against Macclesfield Town at Moss Rose and scored one goal in three appearances during his time there.
Westley joined Wycombe Wanderers in the latter part of 1987 for a fee of £7,500, marking his debut with a goal in a 2–1 away victory against Telford United. He scored in each of the club's next two matches and established himself as a regular on the left wing until the departure of manager Peter Suddaby in January 1988. Under Suddaby's successor, Jim Kelman, Westley made one further appearance before moving to Kingstonian. In total, he made 24 appearances for Wycombe in the 1987–88 season, scoring five goals in all competitions.
He subsequently represented a number of non-League clubs, including Kingstonian, Wealdstone, Farnborough Town, Harlow Town, Enfield, Aylesbury United, Harrow Borough, Tooting & Mitcham United, Molesey and Walton & Hersham, three of which he later managed. He scored 33 goals and was named Player of the Season at Enfield during the 1990–91 season, before joining Aylesbury United in December 1992 in exchange for Darren Collins. While at Kingstonian, he suffered a dislocated ankle and a triple leg fracture, an injury that ultimately curtailed his playing career.
While recovering from a broken leg, at the age of 28 in December 1996, Westley was appointed manager of Kingstonian after approaching the club about their vacant managerial position. His first two matches in charge both ended in 4–4 draws, against Walton & Hersham and Harrow Borough respectively, with Westley later stating: "at the time, there was something raw and exciting about the team that I sent out. Although there was also something evidently missing". His first victory as manager came in a 2–0 victory against Wokingham Town in the Isthmian League Cup, followed by his first league win in the subsequent fixture, a 5–2 victory away to Aylesbury United. Kingstonian ultimately drew clear of relegation, with Westley recalling a 3–2 win over champions Yeovil Town at Huish Park as a "memorable victory". Despite guiding Kingstonian to safety, he was dismissed after five months and replaced by Geoff Chapple. He managed the club for 25 matches, recording nine wins, eight draws and eight defeats.