Rob Lee
Encyclopedia
Robert Martin "Rob" Lee (born 1 February 1966 in West Ham
, London
) is a retired English
footballer who played the majority of his career for Charlton Athletic
and Newcastle United.
and established himself in the first team by the 1984–85 season. He rapidly became the Addicks' star player playing as a winger and helping Charlton to promotion to the First Division
at the end of the 1985–86 season. He remained a regular in the top-flight over the next four years until Charlton were relegated back to Division Two
at the end of the 1989–90 season.
Lee remained with Charlton for over two years, but he was sold after the beginning of 1992–93 season as the club needed money to finance the return to The Valley. At the time, Charlton were second in the table, and Lee moved to the team above them, Newcastle United
, for a fee of £700,000. He moved to Newcastle after their manager, Kevin Keegan
, told him that Newcastle upon Tyne
was closer to London
than Middlesbrough
, the other club interested in signing Lee, and who were in the Premier League - though ultimately Newcastle were promoted that season and Middlesbrough were relegated.
'. After Keegan was replaced by Kenny Dalglish
in early 1997, Lee was named captain of Newcastle, but Dalglish's reign failed to bring success and he was fired shortly after the start of the 1998–99 season. He played in both the 1998
and 1999 FA Cup Final
s, both of which ended in defeat for Lee and Newcastle.
Lee failed to get on with new manager Ruud Gullit
, and had his captaincy taken away from him, and didn't even receive a squad number. Gullit resigned shortly after the start of the following season, and under Sir Bobby Robson
Lee reclaimed his place in the side, given the number 37 shirt, and played a part as a free scoring Newcastle side which reached the FA Cup semi finals once again. Lee's old squad number 7, taken away by Gullit, had previously been given to Kieron Dyer
. Dyer gave Lee the number 7 shirt back and Dyer played with the number 8 shirt, previously worn by Franck Dumas
. With Robson as manager, Lee turned into a more of a defending midfielder that held up the play and allowed others to get forward rather than the attacking midfielder that he had been in the mid 1990s.
In the 2001–02 season, Lee wanted to extend his contract with the club, but Newcastle insisted that they waited until January 2002 before negotiating. Lee was unhappy with the way the contract talks were being handled, so he handed in a transfer request. The supporters and the players were surprised at his decision, and manager Robson was sorry about the situation but respected Lee's decision. By February 2002, Lee had been sold to Derby County
for £250,000. However, his 10 years at the club meant he became a hero at Newcastle, despite his decision to leave.
in 2003, after scoring twice in games against Reading and Ipswich Town. However, he played only a handful of games for the Hammers during the 2003–04 season. Following this, he was released on a free transfer, and had trials with Oldham Athletic
and Wycombe Wanderers
, and was later signed full time by the latter. He played two seasons in League Two
with the Chairboys, before leaving in June 2006, following the dismissal of John Gorman
as the club's manager.
between 1994 and 1998, scoring twice in twenty one appearances. He was called up for the first time for a friendly against the USA
in September 1994, and scored on his debut the following month against Romania
. He was in the squad
for the 1998 World Cup
under Glenn Hoddle
, and came on once as a substitute against Colombia
.
, but the job went to Kevin Bond
. Lee was arrested in July 2007, alongside former team-mate Warren Barton
, for taking a limousine but was not charged. He also appeared for Newcastle on the charity television show Premier League All Stars
in September 2007.
In May 2008, he captained Legal & General
to victory in a charity five-a-side tournament in St Albans
, helping to raise £15,000 for the leukemia
charity the Anthony Nolan Trust.
Currently, he works as a regular pundit for Singapore
's Football Channel. He is also backup commentator alongside John Burridge
for TEN Sports
' UEFA Champions League
fixtures.
Newcastle United
West Ham United
West Ham
West Ham is in the London Borough of Newham in London, England. In the west it is a post-industrial neighbourhood abutting the site of the London Olympic Park and in the east it is mostly residential, consisting of Victorian terraced housing interspersed with higher density post-War social housing...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) is a retired English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer who played the majority of his career for Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
and Newcastle United.
Charlton Athletic
Lee came through the academy of Charlton AthleticCharlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
and established himself in the first team by the 1984–85 season. He rapidly became the Addicks' star player playing as a winger and helping Charlton to promotion to the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
at the end of the 1985–86 season. He remained a regular in the top-flight over the next four years until Charlton were relegated back to Division Two
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
at the end of the 1989–90 season.
Lee remained with Charlton for over two years, but he was sold after the beginning of 1992–93 season as the club needed money to finance the return to The Valley. At the time, Charlton were second in the table, and Lee moved to the team above them, Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
, for a fee of £700,000. He moved to Newcastle after their manager, Kevin Keegan
Kevin Keegan
Joseph Kevin Keegan, OBE is a former international footballer and former manager of the England national football team and several English clubs, most notably Newcastle United....
, told him that Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
was closer to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
than Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
, the other club interested in signing Lee, and who were in the Premier League - though ultimately Newcastle were promoted that season and Middlesbrough were relegated.
Newcastle United
In his first season, Lee helped Newcastle gain promotion to the Premier League for the 1993–94 season. The following few years, Lee was a key component of Keegan's team which challenged for several Premier League titles, achieving runners-up position in the 1996–97 season, earning the reputation as "the Entertainers". Such was Lee's form, Keegan gave him the title of 'Best Midfielder in BritainUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
'. After Keegan was replaced by Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
in early 1997, Lee was named captain of Newcastle, but Dalglish's reign failed to bring success and he was fired shortly after the start of the 1998–99 season. He played in both the 1998
1998 FA Cup Final
The 1998 FA Cup Final was contested by Arsenal and Newcastle United at Wembley. Arsenal won 2–0, with goals by Marc Overmars and Nicolas Anelka to complete their second league and cup double....
and 1999 FA Cup Final
1999 FA Cup Final
The 1999 FA Cup Final took place on 22 May 1999 and was played at the old Wembley Stadium. It was contested between Manchester United and Newcastle United. Manchester United had finished as champions and Newcastle 13th in the Premier League that season. The Final was a one-sided affair, Manchester...
s, both of which ended in defeat for Lee and Newcastle.
Lee failed to get on with new manager Ruud Gullit
Ruud Gullit
OON is a Dutch football manager and former football player, who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s. He was the captain of the Netherlands national team that was victorious at Euro 88 and was also a member of the squad for the 1990 World Cup. He was named the European Footballer of the...
, and had his captaincy taken away from him, and didn't even receive a squad number. Gullit resigned shortly after the start of the following season, and under Sir Bobby Robson
Bobby Robson
Sir Robert William "Bobby" Robson, CBE was an English footballer and manager, who coached seven European clubs and the England national team during his career....
Lee reclaimed his place in the side, given the number 37 shirt, and played a part as a free scoring Newcastle side which reached the FA Cup semi finals once again. Lee's old squad number 7, taken away by Gullit, had previously been given to Kieron Dyer
Kieron Dyer
Kieron Courtney Dyer is an English footballer who plays for Queens Park Rangers. Born in Ipswich, he is an attacking midfielder who played youth football for his home club before going on to make nearly 100 league appearances for the club's first team...
. Dyer gave Lee the number 7 shirt back and Dyer played with the number 8 shirt, previously worn by Franck Dumas
Franck Dumas
Franck Dumas is a former French professional football player. He is currently the manager of SM Caen.Dumas started his career at Caen and played there for five seasons before moving to AS Monaco...
. With Robson as manager, Lee turned into a more of a defending midfielder that held up the play and allowed others to get forward rather than the attacking midfielder that he had been in the mid 1990s.
In the 2001–02 season, Lee wanted to extend his contract with the club, but Newcastle insisted that they waited until January 2002 before negotiating. Lee was unhappy with the way the contract talks were being handled, so he handed in a transfer request. The supporters and the players were surprised at his decision, and manager Robson was sorry about the situation but respected Lee's decision. By February 2002, Lee had been sold to Derby County
Derby County F.C.
Derby County Football Club is an English football based in Derby. the club play in the Football League Championship and is notable as being one of the twelve founder members of the Football League in 1888 and is, therefore, one of only ten clubs to have competed in every season of the English...
for £250,000. However, his 10 years at the club meant he became a hero at Newcastle, despite his decision to leave.
Later career
After a short, unsuccessful spell with Derby, which saw them relegated from the Premier League, Lee was sold to West Ham UnitedWest Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
in 2003, after scoring twice in games against Reading and Ipswich Town. However, he played only a handful of games for the Hammers during the 2003–04 season. Following this, he was released on a free transfer, and had trials with Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
and Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers F.C.
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play...
, and was later signed full time by the latter. He played two seasons in League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
with the Chairboys, before leaving in June 2006, following the dismissal of John Gorman
John Gorman (footballer)
John Gorman is a Scottish former football player and coach. He is currently Assistant Manager at MK Dons in the English League One....
as the club's manager.
International career
Lee played for EnglandEngland national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
between 1994 and 1998, scoring twice in twenty one appearances. He was called up for the first time for a friendly against the USA
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
in September 1994, and scored on his debut the following month against Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
. He was in the squad
1998 FIFA World Cup squads
Below are the squads for the 1998 FIFA World Cup tournament in France.Players' age as of 10 June 1998 – the tournament's opening day.-Brazil:Head coach: Mário Zagallo-Morocco:Head coach: Henri Michel...
for the 1998 World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
under Glenn Hoddle
Glenn Hoddle
Glenn Hoddle is an English former footballer and manager who played as an attacking midfielder for Tottenham Hotspur, AS Monaco, Chelsea and Swindon Town and at international level for England....
, and came on once as a substitute against Colombia
Colombia national football team
The Colombian national football team represents Colombia in international football competitions and is controlled by the Colombian Football Federation. It is a member of the CONMEBOL...
.
Post-playing career
In October 2006, Lee was interviewed for the manager position at BournemouthA.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
, but the job went to Kevin Bond
Kevin Bond (footballer)
Kevin John Bond is an English football manager and former player. He is the son of John Bond, also a former footballer. He is currently employed as assistant manager at Tottenham Hotspur.-Playing career:...
. Lee was arrested in July 2007, alongside former team-mate Warren Barton
Warren Barton
Warren Dean Barton is a former English football player and a TV Pundit for Fox Soccer Channel.-Club career:...
, for taking a limousine but was not charged. He also appeared for Newcastle on the charity television show Premier League All Stars
Premier League All Stars
Premier League All Stars was a televised charity football tournament, which was broadcast live on Sky1 on consecutive nights between 23 September and 30 September 2007. The innovative format features football teams representing all 20 Premier League clubs, each playing to win a share of the...
in September 2007.
In May 2008, he captained Legal & General
Legal & General
Legal & General Group Plc , commonly known as Legal & General, is a multinational financial services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. Its products include life insurance, general insurance, pensions and investments. It has operations in the United Kingdom, Egypt, France, Germany,...
to victory in a charity five-a-side tournament in St Albans
St Albans
St Albans is a city in southern Hertfordshire, England, around north of central London, which forms the main urban area of the City and District of St Albans. It is a historic market town, and is now a sought-after dormitory town within the London commuter belt...
, helping to raise £15,000 for the leukemia
Leukemia
Leukemia or leukaemia is a type of cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by an abnormal increase of immature white blood cells called "blasts". Leukemia is a broad term covering a spectrum of diseases...
charity the Anthony Nolan Trust.
Currently, he works as a regular pundit for Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
's Football Channel. He is also backup commentator alongside John Burridge
John Burridge
John Burridge is an English former football goalkeeper who played for 29 different clubs in a career that lasted nearly 30 years. Overall, Burridge played 771 league games in the English and Scottish leagues, and several more at non-league level...
for TEN Sports
TEN Sports
TEN SPORTS is a sports channel, widely broadcast in Asia. Its key programming includes Cricket, Football and sports-entertainment shows viz. WWE. Ten Sports was launched on April 1, 2002, and became the world's premier sports channel for South Asians, reaching over 55 million homes across the Arab...
' UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
fixtures.
Club
Charlton Athletic- Full Members CupFull Members CupThe Full Members Cup was an association football cup competition held in English football from 1985 to 1992. It was also known under its sponsored names of the Simod Cup from 1987 to 1989 and the Zenith Data Systems Cup from 1989 to 1992....
- Runner-up: 19871987 Full Members Cup FinalThe 1987 Full Members Cup Final was the final match of the second edition of the Full Members Cup football tournament and was contested between First Division team Charlton Athletic and Second Division side Blackburn Rovers...
- Runner-up: 1987
Newcastle United
- Premier League
- Runner-up: 1995-96, 1996-97
- FA CupFA CupThe Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
- Runner-up: 19981998 FA Cup FinalThe 1998 FA Cup Final was contested by Arsenal and Newcastle United at Wembley. Arsenal won 2–0, with goals by Marc Overmars and Nicolas Anelka to complete their second league and cup double....
, 19991999 FA Cup FinalThe 1999 FA Cup Final took place on 22 May 1999 and was played at the old Wembley Stadium. It was contested between Manchester United and Newcastle United. Manchester United had finished as champions and Newcastle 13th in the Premier League that season. The Final was a one-sided affair, Manchester...
- Runner-up: 1998
- FA Charity Shield
- Runner-up: 19961996 FA Charity ShieldThe 1996 FA Charity Shield was the 74th FA Charity Shield, an annual football match played between the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup competitions...
- Runner-up: 1996
- Football League First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
- Winner: 1992-93
West Ham United
- Football League First DivisionFootball League First DivisionThe First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
- Play-off Runner-up: 20042004 Football League First Division play-off FinalThe 2004 Football League First Division play-off Final was contested by Crystal Palace and West Ham United at The Millennium Stadium, Cardiff. Crystal Palace won 1–0, with a goal from Neil Shipperley.-Match details:...
- Play-off Runner-up: 2004
International
England- Tournoi de France 1997: Winner
- 1998 King Hassan II International Cup Tournament1998 King Hassan II International Cup TournamentThe King Hassan II International Cup Tournament was a minor international football competition, which took place in the spring of 1998 in Morocco....
: Runner-up
Individual
- PFA Team of the YearPFA Team of the YearThe Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Year is an annual award given to a set of 44 footballers in the top four tiers of English football; the Premier League, the Championship, League One and League Two, whom are seen to be deserving of being named in a "Team of the Year".The award...
(Premier League): 1996 - Premier League Player of the MonthPremier League Player of the MonthThe Player of the Month is an association football award that recognises the best Premier League player each month of the season. The recipient is chosen by a panel assembled by the League's sponsor, and announced alongside the Manager of the Month on the first or second Friday of the following month...
: November 1995