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Graham Neil Westley (born 4 March 1968) is an English professional football manager and former professional footballer.
Westley's playing career, spent predominantly as a striker in non-League football, was curtailed by injury whilst playing for Kingstonian. It was at Kingstonian that he commenced his managerial career at the age of 28, overseeing the team for five months before spending a year as manager of Enfield. In 1999, Westley was appointed manager of Farnborough Town, leading the club to promotion to the Football Conference in 2002. He departed Farnborough the following season to take up the managerial position at Stevenage Borough in January 2003. He guided the club to within one match of promotion to the Football League, but left in 2006 upon the expiry of his contract. Westley subsequently had a brief spell as manager of Rushden & Diamonds, in addition to serving as caretaker manager at Conference North club Kettering Town.
Westley rejoined Stevenage in May 2008 and managed the club to FA Trophy success in 2009, before securing promotion to the Football League for the first time in the club's history after finishing the 2009–10 season as league champions. The club then achieved back-to-back promotions in his first season as a Football League manager, gaining promotion via the League Two play-offs. Westley departed Stevenage in January 2012 to join fellow League One club Preston North End. He was dismissed by the club in February 2013. The following month, Westley returned to Stevenage for a third spell in charge. He remained at the club for further two years before leaving in May 2015.
He took charge of Peterborough United in September 2015, but was sacked shortly before the conclusion of the 2015–16 season. Westley was appointed manager at League Two club Newport County in October 2016, with the team positioned at the bottom of the Football League, but was relieved of his duties five months later. 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.
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 Wycombe's subsequent two games and was a regular in the first team until manager Peter Suddaby departed the club in January 1988. Westley made just one appearance under new manager Jim Kelman before leaving shortly thereafter to sign for Kingstonian. He played 24 times for Wycombe, scoring five goals in all competitions during the club's 1987–88 season.
He later played for 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 would later go on to manage.Roger Triggs (2025). 075242243X, Tempus Publishing Ltd. 075242243X He was named Player of the Season at Enfield, before being transferred to Aylesbury United in exchange for Darren Collins in December 1992. During his time at Kingstonian, he sustained a dislocated ankle and broken leg in three places, an injury that ultimately curtailed his playing career.
In September 1997, Westley was appointed as manager of Enfield, another club for which he had previously played, then competing in the Isthmian League Premier Division. He named Graham Pearce as his assistant, who had also previously played for and managed the club. Despite Enfield's financial difficulties, Westley outlined his ambition to return the club to the top tier of non-League football, stating: "my ambition is to see silverware in the table, and if you can't take the pressure, you shouldn't take big jobs like this one". His first match in charge was a 2–0 home defeat to St Albans City. Enfield finished in seventh in Westley's first season, and he left the club after nine months in charge. He managed the team for 41 matches, recording 19 wins, 16 defeats, and six draws, with a win percentage of 46.34%.
During the 2001–02 season, the club consolidated its position in the first tier of non-League football, finishing in seventh place in the league. In the following season, Westley managed the club to the third round of the FA Cup after a 3–0 victory at Southport, where they faced Darlington at Feethams. They won the match 3–2 and the club was drawn at home to Arsenal in the fourth round. The match was moved to Arsenal Stadium, Arsenal's home stadium, as the tie was expected to generate £600,000 in gate receipts from playing there, whereas staging the match at Cherrywood Road would have yielded the club an estimated £50,000. Westley departed the club after the sell-out 'home' tie at Highbury, which they lost 5–1. Shortly after his resignation, he became manager at Football Conference club Stevenage Borough in January 2003, signing a three-year contract. Westley confirmed he would be transferring his shareholding in Farnborough to other existing shareholders and would also be withdrawing his financial backing from the club. Upon moving to Stevenage, Westley said, "I've enjoyed my time at Farnborough, but I feel that I need to move on now and that I need to concentrate on football management, which is where my ambitions lie". He also stated that Stevenage's "long-term potential" was another key factor behind the move.
As was the case in previous seasons, Westley made wholesale changes at the end of the season, releasing several of the players he had originally signed from Farnborough and replacing them with a combination of players with Football League experience, as well as players recruited from further down the non-League pyramid. Westley also provided first team opportunities to players who had progressed through the club's youth system, including George Boyd. The new squad lost five of the opening eight matches of the club's league season. Following a 4–1 home defeat to part-time Canvey Island, and with Stevenage supporters calling for Westley's departure, he walked across the pitch to the Broadhall Way and told supporters he "would turn it around". The team responded with four consecutive victories. Stevenage entered the final day of the season needing to beat already-relegated Leigh RMI and also relying on Tamworth to avoid defeat against Morecambe, who were occupying the final play-off position. Stevenage defeated Leigh 2–0, while Tamworth held Morecambe to a goalless draw, meaning Stevenage had qualified for the play-offs. They overcame second-placed Hereford United 2–1 on aggregate before losing 1–0 to Carlisle United at the Britannia Stadium in the final.
The 2005–06 season marked Westley's third season as manager of the club. Although the team were consistent at Broadhall Way throughout the season, they did not replicate this form away from home, winning four away matches all season. There were also questions surrounding the discipline of the squad under Westley's management, as Stevenage received 14 red cards during the season, more than any other club in the league. A 2–0 defeat away to relegation-threatened Forest Green Rovers on the final day of the season meant that Stevenage failed to reach the play-offs, finishing sixth in the league table. Following this, Westley confirmed in May 2006 that he would leave the club when his contract expired in June, ending his three-and-a-half year tenure with the Hertfordshire club.
Stevenage began the season by losing three out of their first four games and conceding 13 goals in the process, including a 5–0 defeat to Wrexham on the first day of the season. During the first half of the 2008–09 season, the club struggled with the same inconsistency that had characterised Westley's first spell as manager, losing three consecutive matches in November, the last of which was a 2–1 home defeat to Wrexham; it would prove to be Stevenage's last defeat at Broadhall Way in the league for the next 18 months. Westley appointed former player Dino Maamria as first-team coach at the club. This, combined with several mid-season signings, including Chris Day, Mark Roberts, and Jon Ashton, contributed to an improvement in form during the second half of the season. A club-record 24-match unbeaten run, which lasted from December 2008 to April 2009, ensured that Stevenage qualified for the Conference Premier play-offs, finishing in the last play-off position. Despite holding a 3–1 lead going into the second leg, Stevenage lost 4–3 on aggregate to Cambridge United. The club won the FA Trophy that season, defeating York City 2–0 in the final at Wembley Stadium. The victory marked Westley's first managerial honour with Stevenage. Following the match, he signed a one-year contract extension.
Stevenage started the 2009–10 season by recording just one win from their first five matches. Following a 2–1 defeat to Oxford United in August 2009, the team embarked on a 17-match unbeaten run from August to December 2009, ascending into the top two positions. Unlike in previous seasons, the club performed strongly away from home, securing victories against promotion rivals Luton Town and Mansfield Town. A 4–1 victory against Cambridge United on New Year's Day saw Stevenage positioned in first place in the league table for the first time that season. Two away defeats within the space of a week in February allowed rivals Oxford United to establish an eight-point lead going into March 2010. Stevenage responded by winning eight consecutive games, including a 1–0 victory over Oxford United in late March, subsequently overtaking them at the top of the table.
Stevenage earned promotion to the Football League with two games to spare following a 2–0 victory against Kidderminster Harriers at Aggborough on 17 April 2010. The team won their last six league games without conceding a goal, recording 42 points from a possible 45 across their last 15 league fixtures. Stevenage finished the season having amassed 99 points from 44 games, winning the league by 11 points. The promotion meant Westley had led Stevenage to the Football League for the first time in their history, as well as managing a Football League team for the first time in his managerial career. Westley also guided the club to another FA Trophy final, this time losing 2–1 after extra-time against Barrow at Wembley Stadium. At the end of the season, Westley signed a new two-year contract, keeping him contracted to the club until 2012. On signing the new deal, Westley stated: "I am grateful for all the support that we have all been given in the past two years. I am delighted to have the opportunity to manage the launch of the club into the Football League". In his first two seasons back at the club, from May 2008 to May 2010, Westley was in charge for 114 games, recording 70 victories and a win percentage of 61.40%.
In a manner similar to the previous season, but in contrast to his first spell at the club, the 2010–11 season saw five players join the club, while five others departed during the close season. The club began the season inconsistently, with Westley stating the season would be a "massive learning curve" for both himself and the players. Following four defeats in six matches during December 2010 and January 2011, Stevenage were placed 18th in League Two, four points above the relegation places. Throughout February and March 2011, Stevenage won nine out of eleven matches, moving into the play-off positions. This included six consecutive victories, a sequence matched only by Bury that season. A 3–3 draw against Bury on the final day of the season meant that Stevenage finished in sixth place. They faced fifth-placed Accrington Stanley in the 2010–11 League Two play-off semi-finals, winning both legs by a 3–0 aggregate scoreline. They defeated Torquay United 1–0 in the final at Old Trafford on 28 May 2011. The victory meant that Westley had guided the club to back-to-back promotions, achieving promotion to League One for the first time in the club's history. Westley said: "It's a fantastic feeling. The players work so hard and they deserve everything they get". During the 2010–11 season, Westley also guided the club to the fourth round of the FA Cup, where they lost to Reading 2–1. In the previous round, Stevenage defeated Premier League club Newcastle United 3–1 at Broadhall Way. After the match, Westley stated that prior to the game, he had told the players to "go out and win the match 5–0. We established that if we did just 20% of what it would take to win 5–0 then we would still win the game".
At the start of the 2011–12 season, Westley signed a three-year contract extension at Stevenage, which kept him contracted to the club until 2014. Westley acquired five players on free transfers, while also releasing five members of the existing squad. Stevenage were positioned just outside the play-off places after securing a 5–1 victory against Sheffield Wednesday at Broadhall Way in September 2011. The club also inflicted Charlton Athletic's first league defeat of the season after a 1–0 win against the league leaders. The victory against Charlton served as the catalyst for a 13-match unbeaten, and a 6–1 away victory at Colchester United on Boxing Day 2011 meant the club moved into in sixth place, occupying the final play-off position. After three-and-a-half years in charge, Westley left Stevenage in January 2012 to join fellow League One club Preston North End. His final game as manager of Stevenage was a 1–0 away victory at Reading in the FA Cup third round.
Westley overhauled the playing squad ahead of the 2012–13 season; Preston announced that 21 players would be leaving the club, 14 of whom were released at the end of their contracts, while a further seven were transfer-listed. Preston signed 18 players during the summer transfer window, including Scott Laird, John Mousinho, Joel Byrom, and Chris Beardsley, four players from Westley's former club, Stevenage. Westley stated a desire for the new group of players to be committed to his ideas. Preston started the season by defeating EFL Championship club Huddersfield Town 2–0 at Deepdale in the EFL Cup. Later on in the month, the team secured consecutive 4–1 home victories, beating Crystal Palace and Swindon Town respectively, and also defeated Hartlepool United 5–0 a month later. After this, the club won just two leagues matches in four months, from October 2012 to February 2013. A day after Preston's 3–1 away defeat to Yeovil Town on 12 February 2013, the club released a statement announcing Westley had been sacked. With Preston sitting five points above the relegation zone, "the board felt that a change of manager was the only way forward". Reflecting on his time at Preston, Westley stated he had to "slash the wage bill by 60 percent", and as a result the "re-building was well underway but the club lost confidence in me whilst I was doing it. They just want results. Short-term pain is necessary sometimes. It was necessary at Preston. And the fans got restless. I get that. Just as managers have to be brave enough to grit their teeth and face up to that, so owners have to be brave at difficult times. And they have to be able to understand the issues. I knew the answers to problems but I wasn't being allowed to solve all the problems".
He signed seven players in preparation for the 2013–14 season, and further strengthened the squad by signing striker François Zoko in September 2013. However, the team did not recover from a poor start to the season, and despite a late run of six undefeated matches, they ended the season in last place and were consequently relegated to League Two, finishing eight points adrift of safety. Westley responded by releasing nine players, while a further four were sold. Westley was forced to largely rebuild the squad for the 2014–15 season, and brought in 15 new signings. He guided the team to play-off qualification with a sixth-place finish, before they were beaten by Southend United 4–2 on aggregate in the semi-finals, having conceded two goals in extra-time of the second leg fixture at Roots Hall. Westley was replaced as manager by former England striker Teddy Sheringham on 21 May 2015.
Westley maintained that his strategy had played a key part in Newport's survival, stating: "If you go back to the AGM just after the turn of the year, Newport were rooted to the bottom of the Football League and I was very clear there was one way out of it — turning the whole squad over in January. I put together a team to function on the bog of a pitch that was Rodney Parade and my strategy is what kept that club in the Football League. Yes, it happened under Flynny's management but I think anyone who is honest would say I did a very good job in working out a way of surviving and building a squad that would win the games at home to keep them in the League".
| Queens Park Rangers | 1985–86 | First Division | 0 |
| Gillingham | 1985–86 | Third Division | 0 |
| 1986–87 | Third Division | 0 | |
| Barnet | 1987–88 | Conference | 1 |
| Aylesbury United | 1992–93 | Isthmian League Premier Division | 20 |
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