Ashley Westwood

Infobox Football biography
playername = Ashley Westwood


fullname = Ashley Michael Westwood
height = height|ft=6|in=0
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1976|8|31|df=y
cityofbirth = Bridgnorth
countryofbirth = England
currentclub =
clubnumber =
position = Defender
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1994–1995
1995–1998
1998–2000
2000
2000–2003
2003–2006
2006–2008
2007
2007
2008
clubs = Manchester United
Crewe Alexandra
Bradford City
→ Sheffield Wednesday (loan)
Sheffield Wednesday
Northampton Town
Chester City
→ Swindon Town (loan)
→ Port Vale (loan)
Stevenage Borough
caps(goals) = 00 (0)
96 (9)
24 (2)
05 (1)
77 (4)
31 (2)
21 (3)
09 (0)
12 (0)
20 (2)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
pcupdate = 17:30, 20 June 2008 (UTC)

Ashley Michael Westwood (born 31 August 1976 in Bridgnorth) is a professional footballer who plays as a central defender, who is unattached following his release from Stevenage Borough and is currently on trial at Lincoln City.

Playing caeer

Early career

Westwood started his career as trainee at Manchester United and was part of the FA Youth Cup winning side 1995 before signing for Crewe Alexandra the same year. Two years later, he was a regular in the side that secured promotion to Division One after beating Brentford in the play-off final at Wembley Stadium. He made more than 100 appearances in three years with Crewe.

Bradford City

Westwood moved to Bradford City in 1998 and helped the side secure promotion to the Premiership at the end of his first season and beat the odds to survive the next year (although his appearances were limited).

He followed manager Paul Jewell to Sheffield Wednesday in 2000 for £150,000 making more than 100 appearances for the Owls before moving to Northampton Town in 2003, where he had an injury-hit spell (making just three appearances in the club's promotion season of 2005–06).

Later career

He joined Chester City in 2006, but continued to struggle with his hamstring and did not play for the club again in a league match after going off injured against Wycombe Wanderers in January 2007.

On 2 March 2007, Westwood joined Swindon Town on loan from the remainder of the 2006–07 season to provide much needed cover for the Wiltshire outfit. [Cite news
title= Town Sign Westwood
url= http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11758_2406979,00.html
publisher= Sky Sports
date= 2007-03-02
accessdate= 2007-12-31] The season ended with Westwood helping Swindon win promotion from Football League Two and he then returned to Chester, featuring in their pre-season campaign.

Westwood was placed on the transfer list at Chester by mutual consent in August 2007. He left the club on the 30 August 2007 before the transfer window closed to join League One side Port Vale on a temporary short term deal, making his debut two days later in a 1–0 win at AFC Bournemouth. He returned to Chester in December 2007. [Cite news
title= Player Released by Sinnott
url= http://www.thisisthesentinel.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=158316&command=displayContent&sourceNode=158309&contentPK=19323341&folderPk=87603&pNodeId=158332
publisher= Staffordshire Sentinel
date= 2007-12-20
accessdate= 2007-12-31]

Westwood joined Stevenage Borough at the start of the 2008 January transfer window. [Cite news
title= Westwood Waves Goodbye
url= http://www.chestercityfc.net/article/1466955/Westwood-waves-goodbye
publisher= Chester City Official Website
date= 2007-12-31
accessdate= 2007-12-31] He was released in July 2008, after making 20 appearances, scoring twice. [Cite news
title= Player Departs
url= http://www.stevenageborofc.com/index_news_det.php?news_id=695
publisher= Stevenage Borough Official Website
date= 2008-07-11
accessdate= 2008-07-14]

Westwood returned to football with Lincoln City in early October 2008, featuring in several reserve team games as a trialist. He has also received an offer from a Belgian Club, believed to be Royal Antwerp.

Honours

Manchester United
* FA Youth Cup winners: 1994-95

Crewe Alexandra
* Division Two play-off winners: 1996-97

Bradford City
* Division One runners-up: 1998-99

Northampton Town
* Division Three runners-up: 2005-06

Swindon Town
* Division Three promotion as third-placed team: 2006-07

References

External links

*Soccerbase|8422|Ashley Westwood