John Lester (footballer)

John Lester (born 5 August 1982) is an Irish footballer who plays for North End United in the Wexford Football League.

John Lester
Personal information
Full name John Lester
Date of birth (1982-08-05) 5 August 1982
Place of birth Dublin, Ireland
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 North End United
Youth career
Leicester Celtic
1998–2001 Everton
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2003 Bohemians 8 (0)
2002–2003 → Monaghan United (loan) 7 (2)
2004 Drogheda United 33 (3)
2005 Waterford United 16 (0)
2006 Limerick 27 (6)
2007–2008 Galway United 54 (2)
2009 St Patrick's Athletic 13 (1)
2010 Longford Town 30 (4)
2011 Drogheda United 5 (0)
2011–2017 Sheriff Y.C.
2017 Greystones United
2017–2019 Sheriff Y.C.
2019– North End United
International career
1999 Republic of Ireland U17 2 (0)
2003 Republic of Ireland U21 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

Lester played his schoolboy football at Leicester Celtic alongside the likes of Andy Reid, Barry Roche and Declan Field. His performances attracted cross-channel clubs and he played for West Ham United in the famous Northern Ireland Milk Cup winning the Player of the Tournament award.[1] Despite this, he ended up signing professional terms with Everton. He began well and regularly played for the reserve team at the age of 16 but in his 2nd season, he broke his leg and missed the remainder of the year.[2]

His time on Merseyside was never the same after the broken leg and he returned home to Dublin and signed for Pete Mahon's Bohemians, making his League of Ireland debut as a substitute against Galway United on 31 August 2001. He was loaned out to Monaghan making his debut at Shamrock Rovers on 3 February 2002.

Lester was called into the Republic of Ireland national under-21 football team panel for the first time in October 2002.[3]

In January 2003 he was selected in the League of Ireland First Division Team of the Year.[4]


Lester had a nomadic League of Ireland career with 9 different clubs before culminating with a brief stint at Drogheda United.

In 2011, Lester moved to Sheriff Y.C. in the AUL and enjoyed a trophy-laden 6 years with the club winning 25 trophies.

In July 2017, Lester moved to the Leinster Senior League to join Greystones United, however only two months later he returned to Sheriff Y.C.

He signed for North End United in August 2019.


References
  1. "Ni Milk Cup – an International Youth Football Tournament (Founded 1983)".
  2. 'I just can't understand: do you not get Covid because you're classed as elite?'
  3. The Irish Times. Dublin. 8 October 2002. ISSN 0791-5144 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/2002/1008/Pg021.html#Ar02104:6267B86517D06249A26449BA73D9E07589EF. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. The Irish Times. Dublin. 21 January 2003. ISSN 0791-5144 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/2003/0121/Pg023.html#Ar02304:6146106296205C06825D66936146B462A6C56366C164C6D26516C166E6D2. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
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