Graham Potter

Graham Potter is manager of Brighton & Hove Albion having completed an unusual career path to the Premier League. Potter's progress began in December 2005 when he graduated from the Open University with a degree in social sciences (he later completed a master’s) and went to work at the University of Hull and Leeds Metropolitan (now Leeds Beckett) as football development manager, and do some coaching in York City’s youth set-up. In December 2010 he became coach at Swedish side Ostersund, then in the fourth tier of Swedish football. Winning three promotions they reached the Allsvenskan – the top flight of Swedish football – for the first time in the club’s history in October 2015. In April 2017 the club won the Svenska Cupen – Sweden’s main domestic knockout trophy. The first major trophy in Ostersund’s history secured a place in the Europa League. Potter’s team defeated Turkish heavyweights Galatasaray 3-1 over two legs in the second qualifying round of the Europa League, then to second in their Europa League group with victories over Ukrainian side Zorya Luhansk and Hertha Berlin and a draw against Athletic Bilbao. Ostersund then beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium but exited the Europa League at the round of 32 stage on aggregate. In June 2018 Potter left Ostersund with the club in sixth place in the Swedish top flight to take charge at the Liberty Stadium. He moved to Brighton a year later. As a player Potter made more than 300 appearances, notably for York, Stoke, West Brom and Macclesfield.