Wikipedia

Rob Lee

This article is about the English international footballer. For other people with similar names, seeRobert Lee.

Robert Martin Lee(born 1 February 1966) is an English former professionalfootballerand sports co-commentator.

Rob Lee
Lee in 2024
Personal information
Full name Robert Martin Lee[1]
Date of birth (1966-02-01)1 February 1966(age 58)[2]
Place of birth West Ham,England[1]
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[3]
Position(s) Midfielder[1]
Youth career
0000–1981 Hornchurch
1981–1983 Charlton Athletic
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1983–1992 Charlton Athletic 298 (59)
1992–2002 Newcastle United 303 (44)
2002–2003 Derby County 48 (2)
2003–2004 West Ham United 16 (0)
2004 Oldham Athletic 0 (0)
2005–2006 Wycombe Wanderers 38 (0)
Total 703 (105)
International career
1986 England U21 2 (0)
1994 England B 1 (0)
1994–1998 England 21 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

As a player, he was amidfielderwho notably played in thePremier LeagueforNewcastle UnitedandWest Ham United.His time atSt James Parksaw him win theFootball League First Divisionin 1993. He also played in theFootball LeagueforCharlton Athletic,Derby County,Oldham AthleticandWycombe Wanderers.He was capped 21 times byEngland,scoring twice and was a member of the1998 FIFA World Cupsquad.

Following retirement, he harboured interests of becoming a manager and in 2006 he was interviewed for the vacantAFC Bournemouthjob, but ultimately has worked away from the sport with a stint as co-commentator forTEN Sports.He was inducted into the Newcastle United Hall of Fame in 2019.

Club career

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Charlton Athletic

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Lee started his career in the youth team ofHornchurchand actually played for the first team at the age of 15 in a pre-season friendly under manager,Brian Kelly.[4]Hornchurch wanted Lee to sign a contract with them but he was offered an academy place atCharlton Athleticand established himself in the first team by the1984–85 season,when he scored 10 goals in the Second Division. He rapidly became the Addicks' star player playing as a winger and helping Charlton to promotion to theFirst Divisionat the end of the1985–86 seasonand gainedinternationalrecognition at under-21 level. He remained a regular in the top flight over the next four years until Charlton were relegated back to theSecond Divisionat the end of the1989–90 season.[citation needed]

Lee remained with Charlton for more than two years after relegation, but he was sold shortly after the start of1992–93 seasonas the club needed money to finance its return toThe Valley.At the time, Charlton were second in the table, and Lee moved to the league leaders,Newcastle United,for a fee of £700,000. He moved to Newcastle after their manager,Kevin Keegan,told him thatNewcastle upon Tynewas closer to London thanMiddlesbrough,the other club interested in signing Lee,[5]and who were already in thePremier League.

Newcastle United

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Lee in 2007.

Lee who also has ancestral ties to the North East, having relatives who marched in theJarrow March,[6]signed for Newcastle in 1992.[6]Despite his North East connections, Lee noted it was his childhood footballing heroKevin Keeganwho influenced him to move to Newcastle United.[6]Keegan also promised Lee that if he moved to Newcastle United he would play for England.[6]Newcastle playerGavin Peacockhad first alerted Keegan to the ability of Lee. In passing a comment, Peacock stated to Keegan that there is a player from Charlton who could play at the highest level.[7]

Lee made his Newcastle debut as a substitute in a 1–0 win overPeterborough United.Newcastle were promoted to thePremier Leagueat the end of the season, with Lee scoring 10 goals from 36 matches. Newcastle's first season back in the top division for four years ended well, as they finished third and qualified for theUEFA Cup,although it was top scorerAndy Colerather than Lee who made the most headlines at the club during this campaign. In the first round againstRoyal AntwerpLee scored ahat-trickas Newcastle won 5–0 in Belgium in their first European game for 17 years.[8]

Lee finished the1994–95 seasonwith nine goals from 35 matches as Newcastle finished sixth in the table, although they had topped the league early in the season after winning their first six games.[citation needed]

ManagerKevin Keeganrefreshed the side over the summer of 1995, shelling out nearly £9million onDavid GinolaandLes Ferdinand,and allowing Lee a more attacking role. He won the Premier League player of the month for November 1995 as Newcastle built up a wide lead at the top of the league and looked increasingly capable of winning their first top division title since 1927. Newcastle finished the season in second place, after being 10 points ahead of Christmas and remaining top until March, but Lee was named in thePFA Team of the Yearfor the1995–96 season.[citation needed]

After Keegan's shock resignation in January 1997,Kenny Dalglishwas named manager, and he made Lee captain as Newcastle again finished runners-up to Manchester United in the Premier League. After Dalglish's sacking early in the 1998–99 season,Ruud Gullitwas named Newcastle manager. After a good start, Gullit tried to quickly discard Lee, as well asStuart PearceandJohn Barnes,forcing them to train with the reserves.[citation needed].For the start of the1999–2000 season,Lee was not given a squad number by Gullit, and after Gullit had droppedAlan Shearerfor theTyne-Wear derbydefeat againstSunderland,he resigned and was succeeded by the former England managerBobby Robson.[citation needed]

Robson put Lee and fellow midfielderGary Speed(signed in February 1998) back in the heart of Newcastle's midfield. Lee scored in theFA Cupsemi-final againstChelsea,but Newcastle lost 2–1. Lee was awarded a testimonial in 2001, nine years after joining the club, and a crowd of 18,189 turned out as Spanish sideAthletic Bilbaowon 1–0 atSt James' Park.Lee's last goal for Newcastle came in a 4–3 win over Manchester United in 2001.[citation needed]

On 7 February 2002, with Newcastle outsiders in the title race for the first time in five seasons, Lee called time on almost 10 years onTynesideto join strugglingDerby Countyfor a transfer fee of £250,000, signing for the club just eight days afterJohn Gregorywas appointed as manager.[9][10]

Later career

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Following a short, unsuccessful spell with Derby, which saw them relegated from the Premier League, Lee was sold toWest Ham Unitedin 2003, after scoring twice in games againstReading[11]and Ipswich Town.[12]However, he played only a handful of games for the Hammers during the2003–04 season.Following this, he signed forOldham Athleticon a free transfer, playing just the 1 game, leaving the club within a month. Following this he was signed by formerArsenalandEnglandcaptainTony Adams,to helpWycombe Wanderersclimb out of the newly namedLeague Two.He played two seasons in League Two with the Chairboys, before leaving in June 2006, following the dismissal ofJohn Gormanas the club's manager. This took him past his 40th birthday, and he was among the oldest players still playing professional football in England by the time of his last game.[citation needed]

International career

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Lee played forEnglandbetween 1994 and 1998, scoring twice in 21 appearances. He was called up for the first time for afriendlyagainst theUSAin September 1994,[13]and scored on his début the following month againstRomania.[14]He was in thesquadfor the1998 World CupunderGlenn Hoddle,[15]and came on once as a substitute againstColombia.[16]He had been surprisingly omitted from the England squad forUEFA Euro 1996underTerry Venablesdespite being in arguably better form in 1996 than two years later.

Post-playing career

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In October 2006, Lee was interviewed for the manager position atAFC Bournemouth,[17]but the job went toKevin Bond.Lee was arrested in July 2007, alongside former teammateWarren Barton,for taking a limousine[18]but was not charged.[19]He also appeared for Newcastle on the charity television showPremier League All Starsin September 2007.[citation needed]

In May 2008, he captainedLegal & Generalto victory in a charity five-a-side tournament inSt Albans,helping to raise £15,000 for theleukaemiacharity theAnthony Nolan Trust.[20]

In 2008, he worked as a regular pundit for Singapore's Football Channel.[21]In 2010 he was also backup commentator alongsideJohn BurridgeforTEN Sports'UEFA Champions Leaguefixtures.[22]

On 5 November 2019, Lee was inducted into the Newcastle United Hall of Fame.[23]

In 2019 and 2020, Lee featured in both seasons ofITVshowHarry's Heroes,which featured former football managerHarry Redknappattempting to get a squad of former England international footballers back fit and healthy for a game against Germany legends.[24]

Personal life

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Lee is married to his wife, Anna.[25]The couple have three children,OllyandElliot,both of whom are also footballers, and one daughter Megan.[26]

Career statistics

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Club

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[27]
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Charlton Athletic 1983–84 Second Division 11 4 0 0 0 0 — — 11 4
1984–85 Second Division 39 10 2 0 2 0 — — 43 10
1985–86 Second Division 35 8 1 0 2 0 — 1[a] 0 39 8
1986–87 First Division 33 3 0 0 3 1 — 7[b] 3 43 7
1987–88 First Division 23 2 1 0 3 0 — 1[a] 0 28 2
1988–89 First Division 31 5 3 1 1 0 — 1[a] 0 36 6
1989–90 First Division 37 1 3 1 3 0 — 1[a] 0 44 2
1990–91 Second Division 43 13 1 0 2 0 — 0 0 46 13
1991–92 Second Division 39 12 3 0 3 0 — 0 0 45 12
1992–93 First Division 7 1 — — — 1[c] 0 8 1
Total 298 59 14 2 19 1 — 12 3 343 65
Newcastle United 1992–93[28] First Division 36 10 4 2 3 1 — — 43 13
1993–94[29] Premier League 41 7 3 0 3 1 — — 47 8
1994–95[30] Premier League 35 9 4 1 2 0 3[d] 4 — 44 14
1995–96[31] Premier League 36 8 1 0 4 1 — — 41 9
1996–97[32] Premier League 33 5 2 1 1 0 8[d] 0 1[e] 0 45 6
1997–98[33] Premier League 28 4 6 0 2 0 6[f] 0 — 42 4
1998–99[34] Premier League 26 0 3 0 0 0 1[g] 0 — 30 0
1999–2000[35] Premier League 30 0 4 1 1 0 6[d] 0 — 41 1
2000–01[36] Premier League 22 0 0 0 4 0 — — 26 0
2001–02[37] Premier League 16 1 0 0 3 0 3[h] 0 — 22 1
Total 303 44 27 5 23 3 27 4 1 0 381 56
Derby County 2001–02[38] Premier League 13 0 — — — — 13 0
2002–03[39] First Division 35 2 0 0 2 0 — — 37 2
Total 48 2 0 0 2 0 — — 50 2
West Ham United 2003–04[40] First Division 16 0 1 0 2 0 — 0 0 19 0
Oldham Athletic 2004–05[41] League One 0 0 0 0 — — 1[i] 0 1 0
Wycombe Wanderers 2004–05[41] League Two 7 0 — — — — 7 0
2005–06[42] League Two 31 0 1 0 1 0 — 3[j] 0 36 0
Total 38 0 1 0 1 0 — 3 0 43 0
Career total 703 105 43 7 47 4 27 4 17 3 837 123
  1. ^abcdAppearance inFull Members' Cup
  2. ^Five appearances and three goals in Full Members' Cup, two inSecond Division play-offs
  3. ^Appearance inAnglo-Italian Cup
  4. ^abcAppearances inUEFA Cup
  5. ^Appearance inFA Charity Shield
  6. ^Appearances inUEFA Champions League
  7. ^Appearance inUEFA Cup Winners' Cup
  8. ^Appearances inUEFA Intertoto Cup
  9. ^Appearance inFootball League Trophy
  10. ^One appearance in Football League Trophy, two inLeague Two play-offs

Honours

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Newcastle United

England[44]

Individual

References

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  1. ^abc"Rob Lee".Barry Hugman's Footballers.Retrieved24 March2020.
  2. ^"Rob Lee".11v11.com.AFS Enterprises.Retrieved24 March2020.
  3. ^ab"Robert Lee: Overview".Premier League.Retrieved24 March2020.
  4. ^Badcock, Matt (9 May 2021)."Former Newcastle United Ace Rob Lee is backing Hornchurch boss Mark Stimson in Trophy Final".The Non League Paper.
  5. ^King Kev reigns supreme, Newcastle 1992–93 promotion campaignMirror Football, April 2010
  6. ^abcdBolam (2012),Foreword By Rob Lee.
  7. ^Keegan (2018),Kindle location 2577.
  8. ^Ryder, Lee (28 September 2011)."Ten top Newcastle United hat-tricks".nechronicle.
  9. ^"Gregory named Derby boss".30 January 2002 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
  10. ^Ley, John (7 February 2002)."Carbone and Lee lead moves for strugglers"– via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  11. ^"Derby 3–0 Reading".BBC Sport. 10 August 2002.Retrieved6 November2009.
  12. ^"Derby 1–4 Ipswich".BBC Sport. 4 May 2003.Retrieved6 November2009.
  13. ^Moore, Glenn (10 September 1994)."Lee at the centre of Newcastle's intentions: For one player this week's England call-up marked the end of a long wait for recognition".The Independent.
  14. ^Moore, Glenn (13 October 1994)."New boy Lee gets England: Tottenham's Dumitrescu shows how to breach Venables' defence".The Independent.
  15. ^1998 FIFA World Cup France ™ – EnglandFIFA.com
  16. ^Match Report: Colombia – England 0:2 (0:2).Archived4 December 2013 at theWayback MachineFIFA.com, 26 June 1998
  17. ^Shepherd denies he wants to sell stake in Newcastle,The Guardian, 3 October 2006
  18. ^"Footballers in limo theft arrest".BBC News.25 July 2007.Retrieved23 November2007.
  19. ^"No limo theft charges for players".BBC News.21 September 2007.Retrieved23 November2007.
  20. ^"Soccer stars help raise £15K".St Albans Observer.9 July 2008.Retrieved12 May2008.
  21. ^Where are they now?Wycombe Wanderers FC, 7 May 2008
  22. ^WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CLASS OF 1993?The Journal, 7 April 2010 (Archived)
  23. ^Newcastle United [@NUFC] (5 November 2019)."Our second inductee of the evening into the #NUFC Hall of Fame is Rob Lee"(Tweet).Retrieved6 November2019– viaTwitter.
  24. ^"Who is taking part in Harry's Heroes: Euro Having a Laugh?".
  25. ^Hardy, Martin (5 January 2018)."Newcastle legend Rob Lee opens up as his sons prepare to face club that made him".The Independent.Retrieved11 February2024.
  26. ^"Player profiles – Olly Lee".West Ham United FC. Archived fromthe originalon 8 February 2012.Retrieved20 November2011.
  27. ^Rob Leeat the English National Football Archive(subscription required)
  28. ^"Season Details: Appearances: Season 1992–93".Toon1892.Kenneth H. Scott.Retrieved2 March2014.
  29. ^"Season Details: Appearances: Season 1993–94".Toon1892.Kenneth H. Scott.Retrieved2 March2014.
  30. ^"Season Details: Appearances: Season 1994–95".Toon1892.Kenneth H. Scott.Retrieved2 March2014.
  31. ^"Season Details: Appearances: Season 1995–96".Toon1892.Kenneth H. Scott.Retrieved2 March2014.
  32. ^"Season Details: Appearances: Season 1996–97".Toon1892.Kenneth H. Scott.Retrieved2 March2014.
  33. ^"Season Details: Appearances: Season 1997–98".Toon1892.Kenneth H. Scott.Retrieved2 March2014.
  34. ^"Season Details: Appearances: Season 1998–99".Toon1892.Kenneth H. Scott.Retrieved2 March2014.
  35. ^"Season Details: Appearances: Season 1999–00".Toon1892.Kenneth H. Scott.Retrieved2 March2014.
  36. ^"Season Details: Appearances: Season 2000–01".Toon1892.Kenneth H. Scott.Retrieved2 March2014.
  37. ^"Season Details: Appearances: Season 2001–02".Toon1892.Kenneth H. Scott.Retrieved2 March2014.
  38. ^"Games played by Rob Lee in 2001/2002".Soccerbase.Centurycomm.Retrieved3 March2014.
  39. ^"Games played by Rob Lee in 2002/2003".Soccerbase.Centurycomm.Retrieved3 March2014.
  40. ^"Games played by Rob Lee in 2003/2004".Soccerbase.Centurycomm.Retrieved3 March2014.
  41. ^ab"Games played by Rob Lee in 2004/2005".Soccerbase.Centurycomm.Retrieved3 March2014.
  42. ^"Games played by Rob Lee in 2005/2006".Soccerbase.Centurycomm.Retrieved3 March2014.
  43. ^Rollin, Jack, ed. (1993).Rothmans Football Yearbook 1993–94.London: Headline Publishing Group. pp. 346–347, 588.ISBN978-0-7472-7895-5.
  44. ^Campbell, Paul & Lacey, David (25 June 2013)."From the Vault: Recalling How England Won Le Tournoi de France in 1997".The Guardian.London.Retrieved3 December2022.
  45. ^Hugman, Barry J., ed. (1996).The 1996–97 Official PFA Footballers Factfile.Harpenden: Queen Anne Press. p. 285.ISBN978-1-85291-571-1.

Sources

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toRob Lee.
  • Bolam, Mike (2012).The Newcastle Miscellany.United Kingdom: Vision Sports Publishing.ISBN978-1-907637-74-2.
  • Keegan, Kevin (4 October 2018).Keegan, Kevin. My Life in Football: The Autobiography.United Kingdom: Pan Macmillan.ISBN978-1509877201.
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