Oliver Robert Lee(born 11 July 1991) is an English former professionalfootballerand coach who played as amidfielder.He is currently Under 21's Coach atNorwich City.
 Lee withBirmingham Cityin 2013 pre-season | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Oliver Robert Lee[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 11 July 1991[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Hornchurch,England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.81 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Ipswich Town(Under 18's Coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2009 | West Ham United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2009–2012 | West Ham United | 0 | (0) |
| 2011 | →Dagenham & Redbridge(loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2011 | →Dagenham & Redbridge(loan) | 16 | (3) |
| 2012 | →Gillingham(loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | Barnet | 11 | (0) |
| 2013 | →Birmingham City(loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2013–2015 | Birmingham City | 16 | (1) |
| 2015 | →Plymouth Argyle(loan) | 15 | (2) |
| 2015–2018 | Luton Town | 105 | (10) |
| 2018–2021 | Heart of Midlothian | 41 | (4) |
| 2019–2020 | →Gillingham(loan) | 28 | (4) |
| 2021 | →Gillingham(loan) | 25 | (5) |
| 2021–2023 | Gillingham | 38 | (1) |
| Total | 307 | (30) | |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13:53, 22 February 2023 (UTC) | |||
Lee started his career as a youth player withWest Ham United,with whom he turned professional in 2009. He made his debut in theFootball Leagueduring the first of twoloan spellsatDagenham & Redbridgein 2011, and also played on loan toLeague TwoclubGillinghamin 2012. He never made a senior appearance for West Ham, and moved on toBarnetin July 2012. After nine months and thirteen appearances, he signed forChampionshipclubBirmingham Cityon loan. Despite not having playedfirst-teamfootball for Birmingham, the loan was converted to a permanent transfer in May 2013. He played 20 matches in2013–14but none the following season, and after a spell on loan at League TwoPlymouth Argylein 2015, he was released. In August 2015, Lee signed for League Two clubLuton Townon a short-term contract, which was later extended until the end of2016–17.
Playing career
editWest Ham United
editLee began his football career as a youth team player withWest Ham United,for whom he signed professionally in 2009.[3]
Dagenham & Redbridge (first loan)
editHe captained the under-18 team, playedreserve teamfootball, and was an unusedsubstitutefor aLeague Cupmatch with West Ham before signingon loanforLeague OneclubDagenham & Redbridgein March 2011.[3]He made his debut in their 2–1 away defeat toExeter Cityon 2 April.[4]His loan was extended until the end of the season,[5]during which time he played in five league matches, all defeats, as the club failed to avoidrelegationtoLeague Two.[6]
Dagenham & Redbridge (second loan)
editIn August 2011, Lee returned to Dagenham on a one-month loan to cover for injuries.[7]The loan was later extended for a further two months.[6]He made sixteen appearances in League Two and one in theFootball League Trophy,and scored three goals, all in the league.[8]His first senior goal, in the 73rd minute of a 2–1 defeat at home toMorecambeon 17 September, was a 25-yard (23 m)free kickinto the top corner of the net, which managerJohn Stilldescribed as "a bit of a fluke".[9]
Gillingham (first loan)
editAfter a two-weektrialin February 2012, Lee joined League Two clubGillinghamon loan for a month.[10]He made his debut on 21 February in a goalless draw at home toRotherham United,[11]and played eight matches in all during his loan spell, which was extended for a second month.[12]
West Ham released Lee when his contract expired at the end of2011–12.[13]
Barnet
editMark Robsonsigned Lee for League Two clubBarneton 3 July 2012.[14]He played regularly at the start of the season, but increasingly infrequently after the arrival ofEdgar Davidsas joint head coach, and not at all after Robson left the club.[15][16]
Birmingham City (loan)
editLee joined up withChampionshipclubBirmingham Cityon trial in February 2013,[17]and signed on loan on 21 March.[18]He made no first-team appearances during his loan spell, but he was an unused substitute on the final day of the season, and captained theunder-21 development team.[19]
Birmingham City
editLee signed a permanent one-year contract with Birmingham City in May 2013, with the option of a further year, and no transfer fee was involved.[20]
He took part in pre-season friendlies with the first team, scoring againstAlfreton Town,[19]and made his competitive debut as a late substitute in the League Cup on 6 August, just seconds beforePlymouth Argyle's equaliser took the match intoextra time.[21]WithTom Adeyemiunavailable andCallum Reillyunfit to start, both because of illness, Lee made his first appearance in the Championship atLeeds Unitedon 20 October and played the full 90 minutes as Birmingham lost 4–0.[22]He andPeter Løvenkrandsentered the League Cup fourth-round match againstStoke Cityas 79th-minute substitutes with Birmingham 3–1 down. Lee's 85th-minute free kick led to Løvenkrands pulling a goal back, and after the same player's equaliser took the match into extra time, Lee himself scored his first competitive goal for Birmingham, from outside the penalty area in the 118th minute to make the score 4–4, and converted his penalty in theshootout,which Birmingham lost.[23]He scored his first league goal for Birmingham, with a volleyed finish afterNikola Žigićheaded the ball down, on 15 February 2014 in a 2–1 defeat at home toHuddersfield Town,[24]and finished the season with 20 appearances, of which 16 were in Championship matches.[25]
Plymouth Argyle (loan)
editHaving failed to set foot on the field for the first team in 2014–15, Lee joined League Two club Plymouth Argyle in January 2015 on a month's loan.[26][27]He went straight into the starting eleven, and came close to scoring an equaliser from a free kick as Plymouth lost 1–0 at home toLuton Town.[28]He played seven matches during the month, scored once, a stoppage-time header with Argyle already 3–1 down atHartlepool United,and wassent offin the last of the seven for a foul on Exeter City'sTom Nichols.Despite the consequent three-match suspension, Lee's loan was extended to the end of the season.[29]He made a further eight appearances for Argyle, but was forced to miss the end of the regular season, when Argyle qualified for theplay-offs,because of a groin injury.[30]
Birmingham confirmed he would be released when his contract expired at the end of the season.[31]
Luton Town
editLee signed for League Two club Luton Town on a short-term contract on 21 August 2015 which included performance-based options to lengthen his stay.[32]He signed an extended contract until June 2017 on 22 September 2015.[33]Lee helped Luton win promotion to League One in 2017–18.[34]On 18 November 2017 he scored a goal from his own half during a 7–0 victory overCambridge United;the 65-yard strike[35]was voted the Mitre Goal of the Season at the 2018 EFL Awards.[36]
Heart of Midlothian
editLee signed a pre-contract agreement withScottish PremiershipclubHeart of Midlothianin May 2018, and joined the club on a three-year contract upon the expiry of his contract with Luton.[34]He scored in the 11th minute of his debut in a 2–1 away victory overCove Rangersin theScottish League Cupon 18 July 2018.[37]
Gillingham (second loan)
editOn 29 August 2019, Lee rejoined Gillingham, now in League One, on loan until 27 January 2020.[38]The loan was extended until the end of the season on 9 January 2020.[39]
Lee returned to Hearts on 3 May 2020,[40]and played regularly for them during the first part of the 2020–21 season. Lee scored in the penalty shoot-out as Hearts were defeated by Celtic in the2020 Scottish Cup Final.[41]
Gillingham (third loan)
editLee rejoined Gillingham for a third loan spell in January 2021.[42]
Lee was in the Hearts team which won the Scottish Championship in the2020–21 season.
Gillingham
editIn June 2021, Lee signed a permanent contract with Gillingham.[43]
He retired from professional football in February 2023 due to struggles withpsoriatic arthritis[44]andRaynaud syndrome.[45]
Coaching career
editLee was appointed Under 21's Coach atNorwich Cityafter a short spell as U-18's coach atIpswich Town.
Personal life
editLee was born inHornchurch,London,[46]the son of former Newcastle andEnglandmidfielderRob Lee.[3]His younger brother,Elliot,also became a professional footballer.[47]Lee attendedBrentwood SchoolinBrentwood, Essex,and played for theIndependent Schools Football Association(ISFA) under-16 representative team.[48]
Career statistics
edit
- As of 22 February 2023
| Club | Season | League | National Cup[a] | League Cup[b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| West Ham United | 2009–10[49] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| 2010–11[50] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2011–12[8] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Dagenham & Redbridge(loan) | 2010–11[50] | League One | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | |||
| 2011–12[8] | League Two | 15 | 3 | — | 0 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 16 | 3 | ||
| Total | 20 | 3 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 3 | |||
| Gillingham(loan) | 2011–12[8][11] | League Two | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | |||
| Barnet | 2012–13[15] | League Two | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Birmingham City(loan) | 2012–13[15] | Championship | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| Birmingham City | 2013–14[25] | Championship | 16 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 20 | 2 | |
| 2014–15[26] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 16 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 20 | 2 | |||
| Plymouth Argyle(loan) | 2014–15[26] | League Two | 15 | 2 | — | — | — | 15 | 2 | |||
| Luton Town | 2015–16[51] | League Two | 34 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[c] | 0 | 39 | 3 |
| 2016–17[52] | League Two | 33 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4[d] | 0 | 41 | 1 | |
| 2017–18[53] | League Two | 38 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1[e] | 0 | 43 | 7 | |
| Total | 105 | 10 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 123 | 11 | ||
| Heart of Midlothian | 2018–19[54] | Scottish Premiership | 31 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 3 | — | 41 | 6 | |
| 2019–20[55] | Scottish Premiership | 0 | 0 | 2[f] | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21[55] | Scottish Championship | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | — | 15 | 3 | ||
| Total | 41 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 5 | — | 58 | 9 | |||
| Gillingham (loan) | 2019–20[56] | League One | 28 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | 2[e] | 0 | 34 | 6 | |
| 2020–21[57] | League One | 25 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 25 | 5 | ||
| Gillingham | 2021–22[58] | League One | 32 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[e] | 0 | 36 | 1 |
| 2022–23[59] | League Two | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1[e] | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| Total | 91 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 105 | 12 | ||
| Career total | 307 | 30 | 20 | 3 | 23 | 6 | 13 | 0 | 363 | 39 | ||
- ^IncludesFA Cup,Scottish Cup
- ^IncludesFootball League Cup,EFL Cup,Scottish League Cup
- ^abAppearance(s) inFootball League Trophy
- ^Two appearances inEFL Trophy,two inLeague Two play-offs
- ^abcdAppearance(s) in EFL Trophy
- ^Later rounds of the2019–20 Scottish Cupwere delayed until the 2020–21 season as a result of theCOVID-19 pandemic in Scotland
Honours
editHeart of Midlothian
Luton Town
- EFL League Tworunner-up:2017–18[53][62]
References
edit- ^ab"Olly Lee".Barry Hugman's Footballers.Retrieved14 March2016.
- ^"Olly Lee".11v11.com.AFS Enterprises.Retrieved8 May2018.
- ^abc"Daggers take Lee on loan".Dagenham & Redbridge F.C. 25 March 2011. Archived fromthe originalon 14 March 2012.
- ^"Lee makes league bow".West Ham United F.C. 2 April 2011.Retrieved5 February2017.
- ^"Lancaster and Lee extend Dagenham loan deals".BBC Sport. 18 April 2011.Retrieved18 April2011.
- ^ab"Dagenham & Redbridge extend Oliver Lee's loan deal".BBC Sport. 3 October 2011.Retrieved7 August2013.
- ^"Lee makes Daggers return".Sky Sports. 5 August 2011.Retrieved7 August2013.
- ^abcd"Games played by Olly Lee in 2011/2012".Soccerbase.Centurycomm.Retrieved7 August2013.
- ^Power, Lee (18 September 2011)."Dagenham & Redbridge beaten after scaring leaders Morecambe".Romford Recorder.Retrieved7 August2016.
- ^"West Ham midfielder Lee joins Gills on loan".Kent News.17 February 2012. Archived fromthe originalon 2 February 2014.Retrieved7 August2013.
- ^ab"Gillingham 0–0 Rotherham United".BBC Sport. 21 February 2012.Retrieved7 August2013.
- ^"Lee makes Hammers return".Sky Sports. 18 April 2012.Retrieved7 August2013.
- ^"Six players depart West Ham".Sky Sports. 23 May 2012.Retrieved23 May2012.
- ^"Barnet sign midfielder Oliver Lee on a free transfer".BBC Sport. 3 July 2012.Retrieved17 January2016.
- ^abc"Games played by Olly Lee in 2012/2013".Soccerbase.Centurycomm.Retrieved7 August2013.
- ^"Edgar Davids joins Barnet as joint-head coach".BBC Sport. 12 October 2012.Retrieved7 August2013.
"Edgar Davids in charge at Barnet after Mark Robson departs".BBC Sport. 28 December 2012.Retrieved7 August2013. - ^Tattum, Colin (19 February 2013)."Teenager called up to Blues squad to face Owls".Birmingham Mail.Retrieved7 August2013.
- ^"Lee joins Birmingham on loan".Barnet F.C. 21 March 2013.Retrieved5 August2017.
- ^abTattum, Colin (8 July 2013)."Olly Lee targets big break with Blues".Birmingham Mail.Retrieved7 August2013.
- ^"Birmingham secure deal to bring in Barnet youngster Olly Lee".Sky Sports. 8 May 2013.Retrieved7 August2013.
- ^Tattum, Colin (7 August 2013)."Blues 3 Plymouth 2".Birmingham Mail.Retrieved7 August2013.
- ^Tattum, Colin (21 October 2013)."Lee Clark: Performance was not acceptable".Birmingham Mail.Retrieved28 October2013.
- ^Culley, Jon (29 October 2013)."Birmingham City 4 Stoke City 4".The Daily Telegraph.London.Retrieved31 October2013.
"Birmingham City 4–4 Stoke City (2–4 pens)".BBC Sport. 29 October 2013.Retrieved31 October2013. - ^"Birmingham City 1–2 Huddersfield Town".BBC Sport. 15 February 2014.Retrieved26 February2015.
- ^ab"Games played by Olly Lee in 2013/2014".Soccerbase.Centurycomm.Retrieved8 August2014.
- ^abc"Games played by Olly Lee in 2014/2015".Soccerbase.Centurycomm.Retrieved3 May2015.
- ^"Olly Lee in".Plymouth Argyle F.C. 16 January 2015.Retrieved5 August2017.
- ^"Plymouth Argyle 0–1 Luton Town".BBC Sport. 17 January 2015.Retrieved18 January2015.
- ^"Hartlepool Utd 3–2 Plymouth Argyle".BBC Sport. 31 January 2015.Retrieved26 February2015.
Errington, Chris (26 February 2015)."Plymouth Argyle extend loan deal for Olly Lee until end of season".Western Morning News.Plymouth.Retrieved26 February2015. - ^Errington, Chris (23 April 2015)."Olly Lee not expected to finish loan spell at Argyle because of injury".Plymouth Herald.Retrieved3 May2015.
"Shrewsbury Town 0–2 Plymouth Argyle".BBC Sport. 2 May 2015.Retrieved3 May2015. - ^Tattum, Colin (5 May 2015)."Blues announce squad departures".Birmingham City F.C.Retrieved5 August2017.
- ^"Olly Lee: Luton Town sign ex-Birmingham City midfielder".BBC Sport. 21 August 2015.Retrieved21 August2015.
- ^"Olly Lee signs new Luton contract".Luton Town F.C. 22 September 2015.Retrieved5 August2017.
- ^ab"Olly Lee to join Hearts".Heart of Midlothian F.C. 16 May 2018.Retrieved16 May2018.
- ^"Luton Town 7–0 Cambridge United".BBC Sport. 18 November 2017.Retrieved19 January2020.
- ^"2018 EFL Awards: Winners announced".EFL. 16 April 2018.Retrieved19 January2020.
- ^Davie, Scott (18 July 2018)."Cove Rangers 1–2 Heart of Midlothian".BBC Sport.Retrieved19 July2018.
- ^"Gillingham sign Southampton's Thomas O'Connor and Hearts' Olly Lee on loan".BBC Sport. 29 August 2019.Retrieved29 August2019.
- ^Cawdell, Luke (9 January 2020)."Hearts midfielder Olly Lee staying with Gillingham for the rest of the season amid interest from Portsmouth, Ipswich Town and Luton Town".KentOnline.KM Group.Retrieved10 January2020.
- ^Cawdell, Luke (5 May 2020)."Scottish side Hearts have taken midfielder Olly Lee back after a loan deal at Gillingham".KentOnline.KM Group.Retrieved21 May2020.
- ^ab"Celtic win Scottish Cup on penalties".BBC Sport.Retrieved16 January2021.
- ^"Olly Lee: Hearts midfielder re-joins Gillingham on loan".BBC Sport.BBC. 15 January 2021.Retrieved15 January2021.
- ^"Olly Lee signs for Gills".www.gillinghamfootballclub.com.
- ^Cawdell, Luke (22 February 2023)."Former Birmingham City and Hearts midfielder Olly Lee leaves Gillingham on medical grounds, retiring from football aged 31".Kent Online.Retrieved22 February2023.
- ^"Health conditions force Gillingham's Lee to retire"– via www.bbc.com.
- ^Rollin, Glenda & Rollin, Jack, eds. (2012).Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2012–2013(43rd ed.). London: Headline. p. 551.ISBN978-0-7553-6356-8.
- ^"Elliot Lee".Barry Hugman's Footballers.Retrieved2 July2016.
- ^"Current professional players".Independent Schools Football Association. Archived fromthe originalon 14 October 2013.Retrieved7 August2013.
- ^"Games played by Olly Lee in 2009/2010".Soccerbase.Centurycomm.Retrieved7 August2013.
- ^ab"Games played by Olly Lee in 2010/2011".Soccerbase.Centurycomm.Retrieved7 August2013.
- ^"Games played by Olly Lee in 2015/2016".Soccerbase.Centurycomm.Retrieved17 January2016.
- ^"Games played by Olly Lee in 2016/2017".Soccerbase.Centurycomm.Retrieved18 May2017.
- ^ab"Games played by Olly Lee in 2017/2018".Soccerbase.Centurycomm.Retrieved8 May2018.
- ^"Games played by Olly Lee in 2018/2019".Soccerbase.Centurycomm.Retrieved19 May2019.
- ^ab"O. Lee: Summary".Soccerway.Perform Group.Retrieved6 December2020.
- ^"Games played by Olly Lee in 2019/2020".Soccerbase.Centurycomm.Retrieved21 May2020.
- ^"Games played by Olly Lee in 2020/2021".Soccerbase.Centurycomm.Retrieved15 January2021.
- ^"Games played by Olly Lee in 2021/2022".Soccerbase.Centurycomm.Retrieved6 October2021.
- ^"Games played by Olly Lee in 2022/2023".Soccerbase.Centurycomm.Retrieved22 February2023.
- ^"Edouard secures Celtic's treble treble".BBC Sport.Retrieved16 January2021.
- ^"Hearts confirmed as Scottish Championship winners as Robbie Neilson secures promotion to Premiership".Herald Scotland.10 April 2021.Retrieved26 April2024.
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External links
edit
- Olly Leeat Soccerbase
