Ashley Westwood

Ashley Westwood

Ashley Michael Westwood (born 31 August 1976) is an English former footballer who is now coaching at Championship side Blackpool.

A graduate of the Manchester United Academy, the defender signed with Crewe Alexandra in 1995. Three years later he moved on to Bradford City. Winning promotion to the Premier League with the "Bantams", he transferred to Sheffield Wednesday in 2000. He moved on to Northampton Town in 2003, where he stayed for three years. Signing with Chester City in 2006, he was loaned out to Swindon Town and Port Vale in 2007, before joining Wrexham via Stevenage Borough the following year. He spent the 2010–11 season with Kettering Town, before returning to Crewe Alexandra for a brief spell in 2011. Later in the year he re-joined another former club, Northampton Town. In December 2011 he was released from the "Cobblers" after his contract was not renewed. He was appointed player-caretaker manager at Kettering Town the following month, before returning just to playing duties with Lincoln City in May 2012. Two months later he became player-coach at Portsmouth, before becoming a full-time coach at Blackpool in November 2012. In his 18 year playing career he scored 34 goals in 468 competitive appearances in the Football League and Conference. He was promoted four times with four different clubs.