Graham Westley returns to management with Barnet

The Football League’s basement club, Barnet FC, have appointed their third manager of the season in former player Graham Westley who has replaced Mark McGhee in the Bees dugout.

McGhee, who only took over from Rossi Eames back in November, has subsequently moved into a new role as the club’s technical advisor after registering just three wins and eight defeats from 11 matches at the helm.

Barnet will hope that the arrival of Westley will trigger a transformation in form, with the 24th-placed League Two outfit four points adrift of safety with a total of just 20 points to their name from 27 matches to date.

It’s Westley’s first job in the managerial arena since March when he was relieved of his duties at Newport County, with whom he will lock horns with in the Barnet’s penultimate game of the season (April 21st).

The 49-year-old, who has never been relegated from League Two, has previously had 10 permanent jobs in management spanning 21 years, and is best known for leading Stevenage to back-to-back promotions from the Conference up into League One.

Westley’s first game in charge of Barnet is on Saturday at home to promotion chasing Lincoln when he’ll attempt to reverse a sorry streak of five consecutive defeats.

Graham Westley will today take charge of Barnet - the club’s 3rd boss of the season.

Will he keep the rock bottom League Two club in the Football League?#BarnetFC

— The Sack Race (@thesackrace) January 16, 2018

Of Westley’s appointment McGhee told barnetfc.com:

"Graham has a fantastic track record at this level and above. His knowledge of the division and the players in it will be a crucial factor in our fight to climb the table during the remainder of this season."

Barnet Football Club can this evening confirm the appointment of Graham Westley as First Team Head Coach #BarnetFC pic.twitter.com/DtZzc6cjNl

— Barnet FC (@BarnetFC) January 15, 2018