_(cropped).jpg) Potter withBrighton & Hove Albion in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Graham Stephen Potter[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1975-05-20)20 May 1975 (age 50)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Solihull, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Left-back[1] | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Sweden (head coach) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1992–1993 | Birmingham City | 25 | (2) |
| 1993 | →Wycombe Wanderers (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 1993–1996 | Stoke City | 45 | (1) |
| 1996–1997 | Southampton | 8 | (0) |
| 1997–2000 | West Bromwich Albion | 43 | (0) |
| 1997 | →Northampton Town (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 1997–1998 | →Northampton Town (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 1999 | →Reading (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2000–2003 | York City | 114 | (5) |
| 2003–2004 | Boston United | 12 | (0) |
| 2003 | →Shrewsbury Town (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2004–2005 | Macclesfield Town | 57 | (8) |
| Total | 320 | (16) | |
| International career | |||
| 1996 | England U21 | 1 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2008–2011 | Leeds Carnegie | ||
| 2011–2018 | Östersund | ||
| 2018–2019 | Swansea City | ||
| 2019–2022 | Brighton & Hove Albion | ||
| 2022–2023 | Chelsea | ||
| 2025 | West Ham United | ||
| 2025– | Sweden | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Graham Stephen Potter (born 20 May 1975) is an English professionalfootball manager and former player who is the head coach of theSweden national team.
In a 13-year playing career, Potter, who played as aleft-back, made 307 appearances inthe Football League. He also played in the Premier League forSouthampton, and theFootball Conference forShrewsbury Town. At international level, he wascapped once forEngland at under-21 level.
Potter started his professional managerial career in January 2011 with Swedish clubÖstersund. He won three promotions and theSvenska Cupen with Östersund, leading them to the2017–18 UEFA Europa League knockout stage. He was appointed manager ofChampionship clubSwansea City in June 2018, and moved on toBrighton & Hove Albion of thePremier League a year later. After a successful spell at Brighton, he was hired byChelsea in 2022, but was dismissed in April 2023, following a steep drop in form. From January to September 2025, Potter managedWest Ham United.
Born inSolihull, West Midlands, Potter began his footballing career at the age of 17 as a trainee atBirmingham City.[1] After a loan spell atWycombe Wanderers, the young left-back then moved on toStoke City, then toSouthampton in thePremier League,[3] where he played in the famous 6–3 win overManchester United in 1996.[4] While a Southampton player, he wascapped forEngland U21s in aEuropean Championships qualifier againstMoldova.[5]
Potter joinedWest Bromwich Albion in 1997, and after three and a half years, which also included loan spells atNorthampton Town andReading, he signed forYork City.[3] Potter moved from York City toBoston United in the summer of 2003.[6] Potter would go on to make over 100 appearances for York City, before joiningShrewsbury Town on loan in November 2003.[7] In the closing chapter of his playing career, in 2004, he moved on a free transfer toMacclesfield Town, where he finished his senior playing career.[3]
With support from theProfessional Footballers' Association, Potter graduated from theOpen University in December 2005 with a degree in Social Sciences.[8] He worked as a football development manager for theUniversity of Hull and as technical director for theGhana women's team at the2007 FIFA Women's World Cup.[9] He became assistant coach for the England Universities squad,[10] before joiningLeeds Metropolitan University (now Leeds Beckett University) in a similar role; while at Leeds, he completed an MSc Leadership: Personal & Professional Development, which focused on usingemotional intelligence.[11][12]
In 2008, Potter was appointed manager ofNorthern Counties East League Division One sideLeeds Carnegie.[13] During his time at the club, Potter led the team to the third round of theFA Vase and third place in the2009–10 Northern Counties East League season, before departing Leeds Carnegie on 12 January 2011.[14]
"Quite often there's no perfect situation that emerges. My situation, and my opportunity, was the fourth tier in Swedish football and a place that nobody really wanted to go to."
In December 2010, Potter signed a three-year contract as coach ofÖstersund, who were then playing in the fourth tier of Swedish football, starting on 24 January 2011.[16] Potter was offered the job afterGraeme Jones, his friend and assistant toRoberto Martínez atSwansea City, recommended him to chairman Daniel Kindberg after Östersund's pre-season friendly with Swansea.[17]
In 2013, after two successive promotions, Potter extended his contract with the club for another three years.[18] On 27 October 2015, Östersund secured promotion to the Swedish top flight,Allsvenskan, for the first time in their history following a second-place finish in the2015 Superettan.[19] Östersund finished theirdebut season in eighth place, winning plaudits for their "slick passing game" and competing on a limited budget.[20][21]
On 13 April 2017, Potter's Östersund team won theSvenska Cupen, beatingNorrköping 4–1 in thefinal.[22] This granted the team a place in the second qualifying round of the2017–18 UEFA Europa League where they defeatedGalatasaray 3–1 on aggregate.[23] In the third round they defeatedFola Esch 3–1 on aggregate[24] and in the play-offs they knocked outPAOK (3–3 on aggregate with more away goals), thus securing a historic entry into the Europa League group stage.[25][20] They finished second in theirgroup, level on points withAthletic Bilbao.[26] Despite beatingArsenal 2–1 at theEmirates Stadium, they were eliminated from the competition after losing 4–2 on aggregate.[27] Östersund finished theirdomestic league season in fifth place.[23]
Potter was appointed manager of newly relegatedChampionship club Swansea City on 11 June 2018 on a three-year contract.[28] He was joined by assistant managerBilly Reid and recruitment analystKyle Macaulay.[28] On his appointment, Potter said "This is aPremier League club from the last seven years and it wants to try to get back, but get back in a way that there is an identity and an understanding of what they want to be on the pitch. That was the interesting thing for me – the chance to build something".[29]
Potter won his first match as Swansea boss with a 2–1 victory overSheffield United, with goals from strikerOli McBurnie and formerLiverpool youngsterYan Dhanda.[30] His first game at Swansea'sLiberty Stadium was a 1–0 win againstPreston North End.[31] In his first season at the club, Swansea reached the quarter-finals of the2018–19 FA Cup, where they hostedManchester City. They led the Premier League champions 2–0 after 30 minutes, but three goals in the last 20 minutes, one fromBernardo Silva, an own goal fromKristoffer Nordfeldt and a late winner fromSergio Agüero defeated Potter's side.[32] They finished 10th in the league, after a strong end-of-season run gave Swansea a slim chance of making the play-offs going into the last three matches of the season.[33][34]
AfterChris Hughton was dismissed asBrighton & Hove Albion manager at the end of the2018–19 season, Brighton made an approach for Potter to become their new manager, which Swansea initially rejected.[35] Swansea offered Potter a new contract to remain at the club, which would have made him one of the Championship's highest earning managers.[36] However, the club eventually granted permission for Potter to begin talks with Brighton, who would reportedly pay Swansea about £3m in compensation for Potter and his backroom staff.[37]
Potter was appointed head coach of Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion on 20 May 2019, signing a four-year contract.[38][39] He won his first match 3–0 away toWatford, in what was also his Premier League debut.[40] His first home game on 17 August was a 1–1 draw withWest Ham United.[41] Potter's first defeat in the league was a week later atFalmer Stadium, 2–0 to south coast neighboursSouthampton.[42]
In the first game back after theCOVID-19 league suspension, Brighton achieved their first league double overArsenal following a 2–1 home victory on 20 June, having also won 2–1 in the reverse fixture earlier in the season.[43][44] His first season saw the club recording their highest points and goals in the Premier League, collecting 41 points and scoring 39, while finishing in 15th (their joint highest finish with the2017–18 season) after a 2–1 win overBurnley in the last game of the season.[45]
Brighton lost 3–1 at home toChelsea in their opening game of the2020–21 season.[46] They won their first league match of the season in their second game, beatingNewcastle away 3–0.[47] Brighton lost 3–2 at home toManchester United on 26 September; this was Potter's 100th defeat as a manager.[48]
On 31 January 2021, Brighton beatTottenham 1–0, their first league win at home since the victory over Arsenal on 20 June 2020.[49][43] Three days later, Potter led Brighton to beat defending championsLiverpool 1–0 atAnfield, Brighton's first league win at Liverpool since 1982.[50] On 18 May, Brighton came from 2–0 down to defeat champions Manchester City 3–2, their first league victory over City since 1989.[51]
Potter's second year in charge of Brighton finished with a record-equalling points tally of 41 points, which they also achieved theseason before. However, they finished in 16th, a place below the previous season. Brighton scored 40 goals in the Premier League, conceding 46, with a minus six goal difference and keeping 12 clean sheets, all being new club record statistics for Brighton in the Premier League.[52]
In Potter's third season, Brighton came from behind to beatBurnley 2–1 atTurf Moor in the opening game of the season on 14 August.[53][54] Potter's 100th game as Brighton manager – and 400th overall – came on 20 November, a 2–0 away defeat atAston Villa.[55] On 21 January 2022, it was announced that Potter had tested positive for COVID-19; first team coach Björn Hamberg instead took charge of Brighton's game againstLeicester City, a 1–1 away draw.[56][57]
Potter's 100th Premier League match came on 15 February, a 2–0 away loss at Manchester United, ending Brighton's record-breaking unbeaten league run of seven games.[58][59] He guided Brighton to their best ever points tally after a 3–0 away victory overWolverhampton Wanderers on 30 April, with Brighton up to 44 points and sitting ninth in the league.[60] A week later, Potter's Brighton beat Manchester United at theAmex 4–0; the victory became Brighton's biggest top flight result.[61]
Brighton achieved their highest top flight finish after beatingWest Ham United 3–1 on the last game of the season, ending the campaign in ninth place with their highest Premier League goal tally of 42 and reaching 51 points, 10 points higher than their previous record of 41.[62]
Potter became the first Brighton manager to win atOld Trafford, after Brighton beat Manchester United 2–1 in the opening game of the2022–23 season.[63] On 4 September, Brighton beatLeicester City 5–2 atFalmer Stadium, the first time Brighton have scored five goals in a Premier League fixture.[64]
On 8 September 2022, Brighton announced that Potter and five members of his backroom staff would depart the club forChelsea.[65] Chelsea reportedly paid Brighton around £16m for Potter[66][67] and an additional £5.5m to £6.5m in compensation for his backroom staff.[68] He was succeeded at Brighton byRoberto De Zerbi.[69]
I want a tactically flexible, attacking, possession-based team. Players that are brave, that aren't afraid to make mistakes. That can get on the ball and show courage and really try to enjoy their football. If the players are enjoying their football, there's a chance that the supporters will enjoy it as well. That's how you grow and develop as a club. Styles of play don't make you win games. The challenge is having players believe in it and how it works.
On 8 September 2022, Potter was appointed the new head coach ofPremier League clubChelsea on a five-year deal, replacingThomas Tuchel.[71] On his debut six days later, the team drew 1–1 at home toRed Bull Salzburg in the Champions League group stage.[72] On 1 October, Potter won his first Chelsea match in his second game in charge, coming from behind to beat Crystal Palace 2–1 away from home.Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Chelsea graduateConor Gallagher – who scored the 90th minute winner – scored their first goals for the club.[73] His first loss came on 29 October in his 10th game, a heavy 4–1 away defeat on his first return to his previous club Brighton.[74]
After Chelsea's exit in the third round of theFA Cup for the first time since 1998 following a 4–0 defeat to Manchester City, Potter came under intense scrutiny from the fans and media due to the side's poor results and performances.[75] On 18 February 2023, after a home defeat to bottom of the table Southampton, a section of Chelsea fans called for Potter's resignation.[76] According toSky Sports, Chelsea co-ownerTodd Boehly, who hired Potter, was among the few board members backing him.[77] On 7 March, Chelsea reached the quarter-finals of theChampions League, overturning a first-leg round of 16 defeat atBorussia Dortmund by beating them 2–0 at home.[78]
On 2 April, following a 2–0 loss toAston Villa at Stamford Bridge, Potter was dismissed from his post, withBruno Saltor taking over as interim.[79] During theJanuary 2023 transfer window, Potter oversaw a £323 million outlay on new players.[80] He managed 31 games, losing 11, and left Chelsea in 11th place in the Premier League at the time of his dismissal.[81]
Potter was appointed head coach of Premier League clubWest Ham United on 9 January 2025, signing a two–and–a–half year contract. He replacedJulen Lopetegui who had been sacked the previous day.[82] The following day, in his first game in charge, West Ham were defeated 2–1 byAston Villa in the 3rd round of theFA Cup.[83] On 14 January, Potter won his first West Ham match in his second game in charge, beatingFulham 3–2 at home.[84] West Ham managed one win in Potter's first six games in charge and went eight games without a win before rallying towards the end of the2024–25 season to finish 14th in the2024–25 Premier League table.[85]
On 27 September 2025, Potter was dismissed by West Ham United following poor results and performances over the course of the second half of the2024–25 season and the start of the2025–26 season.[86] At the time, West Ham were 19th in the league having won one of their opening five league games.[87]
On 20 October 2025, theSwedish Football Association announced the appointment of Potter as the new head coach of the Sweden national football team.[88]He was appointed on a short-term contract with the aim of managing Sweden to qualify for the2026 World Cup.[88] His first game in charge, on 15 November, resulted in a 4–1 defeat toSwitzerland in a 2026 World Cup qualifying game.[89]
He's English, he's a modern coach, he has new ideas, he brings new ideas. [Swansea is] a team that takes care of how they move the ball... in their style, the goalkeeper and defenders build from the back. And for me it's the feature that you could underline from Swansea [under Potter].
Potter has been recognised for his "progressive" and "unconventional" coaching methods.[91][92] At Östersund, he encouraged his players and staff to engage in community activities, such as performing in theatre and music productions designed to take them out of theircomfort zone.[92]
Potter describes his teams as "tactically flexible, attacking, [and] possession-based".[91] At Östersund, he deployed a flexible3–5–2, 4–4–2, 4–3–3 formation centered on ball possession.[93][94][95] At Swansea, Potter used ten different formations and his team completed the most passes per 90 minutes in the Championship.[96]
As a young coach, Potter studied the training methods ofRoberto Martínez at Swansea and became inspired by his possession-based approach, along with the "holistic" training principles he observed during his travels to Spain.[97] Potter also cites the philosophy ofPep Guardiola[98] andRaymond Verheijen'speriodisation model among his influences.[97]
FormerCeltic andBarcelona playerHenrik Larsson commented on Potter's pattern of play, stating he "played all different kinds of systems, starting off a match one way, and then halfway through they started playing a different system, and then they ended up with a third system. And all the players knew exactly what they were doing."[99]Guardiola admitted that he was a "big fan" of Potter, saying that Potter's "Brighton are a joy to watch, a joy to analyse" and that his "players move with freedom and everyone knows what they have to do. They have the courage to play everywhere."[100]
In October 2021, BBC Sport published a feature on Potter's rise and regarded him as a possibleEngland manager in the making.[101]
In September 2025, before Potter was sacked by West Ham, Potter became the subject of viralface swap memes on social media, portraying him as various celebrities.[102] The trend began from frustrated West Ham fans ridiculing Potter over the team's results, whilst Potter himself responded by saying that the memes "made his son laugh".[103]
Potter is married to Rachel Potter. They have three sons.[104]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Birmingham City | 1992–93 | First Division | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[a] | 0 | 23 | 2 |
| 1993–94 | First Division | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| Total | 25 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 32 | 2 | ||
| Wycombe Wanderers (loan) | 1993–94 | Third Division | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Stoke City | 1993–94 | First Division | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0[a] | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 1994–95 | First Division | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0[a] | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1995–96 | First Division | 41 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5[a] | 0 | 51 | 1 | |
| Total | 45 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 58 | 1 | ||
| Southampton | 1996–97 | Premier League | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | |
| West Bromwich Albion | 1996–97 | First Division | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | |
| 1997–98 | First Division | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | ||
| 1998–99 | First Division | 22 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 24 | 0 | ||
| 1999–2000 | First Division | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | ||
| Total | 43 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 0 | ||
| Northampton Town (loan) | 1997–98 | Second Division | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Reading (loan) | 1999–2000 | Second Division | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| York City | 2000–01 | Third Division | 38 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0[b] | 0 | 44 | 3 |
| 2001–02 | Third Division | 37 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0[b] | 0 | 44 | 4 | |
| 2002–03 | Third Division | 39 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 43 | 1 | |
| Total | 114 | 5 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 131 | 8 | ||
| Boston United | 2003–04 | Third Division | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Shrewsbury Town (loan) | 2003–04[106] | Football Conference | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | |||
| Macclesfield Town | 2003–04 | Third Division | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0[b] | 0 | 16 | 2 |
| 2004–05 | League Two | 41 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | 48 | 6 | |
| Total | 57 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 64 | 8 | ||
| Career total | 320 | 16 | 22 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 377 | 19 | ||
| Team | From | To | Record | Ref. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Östersund | 24 January 2011 | 11 June 2018 | 249 | 127 | 60 | 62 | 051.00 | [16][28][107] |
| Swansea City | 11 June 2018 | 20 May 2019 | 51 | 21 | 11 | 19 | 041.18 | [108] |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 20 May 2019 | 8 September 2022 | 135 | 42 | 46 | 47 | 031.11 | [108] |
| Chelsea | 8 September 2022 | 2 April 2023 | 31 | 12 | 8 | 11 | 038.71 | [108] |
| West Ham United | 9 January 2025 | 27 September 2025 | 25 | 6 | 5 | 14 | 024.00 | [108] |
| Sweden | 20 October 2025 | Present | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 000.00 | |
| Total | 493 | 208 | 131 | 154 | 042.19 | |||
Östersund
Individual
Ostersund were so flexible. They could change formation during the game. They could play 4–3–3, 3–5–2, 4–4–2. Potter would look at a squad, and look at the opponents, and then decide what he would do. He is so flexible, and I would say he changed the way football was played in Sweden.
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