Joe Lea

Joe Lea (born 16 December 1997) is an English football coach and former player who played for Gosport Borough, as a midfielder.[2] He is currently employed as the club's joint first-team manager, working alongside former teammate Pat Suraci.[3]

Joe Lea
Personal information
Date of birth (1997-12-16) 16 December 1997[1]
Place of birth Portsmouth, England
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Gosport Borough (joint manager)
Youth career
0000–2007 Portsmouth
2007–2016 Southampton
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2017 Yeovil Town 0 (0)
2016 → Dorchester Town (loan) 6 (0)
2017 → Gosport Borough (loan) 16 (2)
2017–2018 Bognor Regis Town 11 (0)
2018–2022 Gosport Borough
2022–2023 Petersfield Town
Managerial career
2022–2023 Petersfield Town
2023– Gosport Borough
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Playing career

Southampton

Born in Portsmouth,[4] Lea signed for his local side Portsmouth as a youngster before moving to south-coast rivals Southampton at the age of 9.[5] Lea spent nine years in the Southampton youth academy before being released upon the completion of his two-year scholarship.[4]

Yeovil Town

Upon his release from Southampton, Lea joined Yeovil Town on 2 July 2016, alongside Josh Ezewele from West Bromwich Albion.[4][6] He made his professional debut on 23 August 2016 as a substitute in a League Cup match at Everton.[7]

On 15 October 2016, Lea joined Southern Premier League side Dorchester Town on an initial one-month loan deal,[8] and Lea made his debut for Dorchester that afternoon as a second-half substitute against Dunstable Town.[9]

In January 2017, Lea joined National League South side Gosport Borough on loan until the end of the season.[10]

At the end of the 2016–17 season, Lea was released by Yeovil having only made two appearances for the club.[11]

Bognor Regis Town

After a successful trial, Lea signed for newly promoted National League South club Bognor Regis Town in July 2017.[12]

Gosport Borough

Lea signed for Gosport Borough on 18 January 2018.[13]

Coaching career

In April 2022, Lea and his former teammate at Gosport Borough, Pat Suraci, were appointed co-managers at Petersfield Town.[14] In January 2023, having retained his registration as a player at Petersfield, Lea announced his retirement in order to focus on his coaching career.[15]

In May 2023, Lea and Suraci returned to Gosport as co-managers.[3]

Career statistics
As of 1 May 2018.
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Yeovil Town 2016–17[7] League Two 0000101[lower-alpha 1]020
Dorchester Town (loan) 2016–17[16] Southern Premier 6000—2[lower-alpha 2]080
Gosport Borough (loan) 2016–17[1] National League South 16200—00162
Bognor Regis Town 2017–18[1] National League South 11020—2[lower-alpha 3]0150
Gosport Borough 2017–18[2] Southern Premier 141———141
Career total 473201050553
  1. Appearance in EFL Trophy
  2. One appearance in FA Trophy, one appearance in Dorset Senior Cup
  3. One appearance in FA Trophy, one appearance in Sussex Senior Cup

References
  1. Joe Lea at Soccerway. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  2. Profile at Gosport Borough‚ gosportboroughfc.co.uk
  3. "Petersfield Town bosses Pat Suraci and Joe Lea quit for 'no brainer' return to Gosport Borough".
  4. "Joe Lea becomes the latest Glover". Yeovil Town F.C. 2 July 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  5. "Academy profiles". Southampton F.C. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  6. "Yeovil Town: Joe Lea and Josh Ezewele join League Two side". BBC Sport. 2 July 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  7. "Games played by Joe Lea in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  8. "Lea joins Magpies on loan". Yeovil Town F.C. 15 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  9. "Magpies: Dorchester defeated by Dunstable in tight affair". Dorset Echo. 15 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  10. "Thompson issues rallying call as four players join". Gosport Borough F.C. 22 January 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
  11. "Tom Eaves: Yeovil Town forward among six released by League Two club". BBC Sport. 18 May 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2017.
  12. "Trio join Rocks - will more follow them?". Bognor Regis Observer. 20 July 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  13. Pearce: New striker would make Rocks a top-six team‚ portsmouth.co.uk, 18 January 2018
  14. "New Petersfield Town co-manager Pat Suraci can't wait to get started at Love Lane". Petersfield Post. 19 April 2022.
  15. "Petersfield Town boss Joe Lea: Why I've got 'piece of mind' that my playing career is over aged 25". The News. 5 January 2023.
  16. "Joe Lea Profile". Aylesbury United F.C. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
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