Olly Lee

Oliver Robert Lee (born 11 July 1991) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder.

Olly Lee
Lee with Birmingham City in 2013 pre-season
Personal information
Full name Oliver Robert Lee[1]
Date of birth (1991-07-11) 11 July 1991[1]
Place of birth Hornchurch, England
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.81 m)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
0000–2009 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 with West Ham United, with whom he turned professional in 2009. He made his debut in the Football League during the first of two loan spells at Dagenham & Redbridge in 2011, and also played on loan to League Two club Gillingham in 2012. He never made a senior appearance for West Ham, and moved on to Barnet in July 2012. After nine months and thirteen appearances, he signed for Championship club Birmingham City on loan. Despite not having played first-team football for Birmingham, the loan was converted to a permanent transfer in May 2013. He played 20 matches in 2013–14 but none the following season, and after a spell on loan at League Two Plymouth Argyle in 2015, he was released. In August 2015, Lee signed for League Two club Luton Town on a short-term contract, which was later extended until the end of 2016–17.

Career

Early career

Lee began his football career as a youth team player with West Ham United, for whom he signed professionally in 2009.[3] He captained the under-18 team, played reserve team football, and was an unused substitute for a League Cup match with West Ham before signing on loan for League One club Dagenham & Redbridge in March 2011.[3] He made his debut in their 2–1 away defeat to Exeter City on 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 avoid relegation to League Two.[6]

In 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 the Football 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 to Morecambe on 17 September, was a 25-yard (23 m) free kick into the top corner of the net, which manager John Still described as "a bit of a fluke".[9]

After a two-week trial in February 2012, Lee joined League Two club Gillingham on loan for a month.[10] He made his debut on 21 February in a goalless draw at home to Rotherham 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 of 2011–12.[13]

Barnet

Mark Robson signed Lee for League Two club Barnet on 3 July 2012.[14] He played regularly at the start of the season, but increasingly infrequently after the arrival of Edgar Davids as joint head coach, and not at all after Robson left the club.[15][16]

Birmingham City

Lee joined up with Championship club Birmingham City on 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 the under-21 development team.[19] Lee signed a permanent one-year contract in May 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 against Alfreton Town,[19] and made his competitive debut as a late substitute in the League Cup on 6 August, just seconds before Plymouth Argyle's equaliser took the match into extra time.[21] With Tom Adeyemi unavailable and Callum Reilly unfit to start, both because of illness, Lee made his first appearance in the Championship at Leeds United on 20 October and played the full 90 minutes as Birmingham lost 4–0.[22] He and Peter Løvenkrands entered the League Cup fourth-round match against Stoke City as 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 the shootout, which Birmingham lost.[23] He scored his first league goal for Birmingham, with a volleyed finish after Nikola Žigić headed the ball down, on 15 February 2014 in a 2–1 defeat at home to Huddersfield Town,[24] and finished the season with 20 appearances, of which 16 were in Championship matches.[25]

Having 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 to Luton Town.[28] He played seven matches during the month, scored once, a stoppage-time header with Argyle already 3–1 down at Hartlepool United, and was sent off in the last of the seven for a foul on Exeter City's Tom 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 the play-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

Lee 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 over Cambridge United; the 65-yard strike[35] was voted the Mitre Goal of the Season at the 2018 EFL Awards.[36]

Heart of Midlothian

Lee signed a pre-contract agreement with Scottish Premiership club Heart of Midlothian in 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 over Cove Rangers in the Scottish League Cup on 18 July 2018.[37] Lee rejoined Gillingham, now in League One, on 29 August 2019 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 the 2020 Scottish Cup Final.[41] He returned to Gillingham for a third loan spell in January 2021.[42]

Gillingham

In June 2021, Lee signed a permanent contract with Gillingham.[43]

He retired from professional football in February 2023 due to struggles with psoriatic arthritis.[44]

Personal life

Lee was born in Hornchurch, London,[45] the son of former Newcastle and England midfielder Rob Lee.[3] His younger brother, Elliot, also became a professional footballer.[46] Lee attended Brentwood School in Brentwood, Essex, and played for the Independent Schools Football Association (ISFA) under-16 representative team.[47]

Career statistics
Lee playing for Barnet in 2012
As of 22 February 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup[lower-alpha 1] League Cup[lower-alpha 2] Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
West Ham United 2009–10[48] Premier League 000000—00
2010–11[49] Premier League 000000—00
2011–12[8] Championship 0000000000
Total 0000000000
Dagenham & Redbridge (loan) 2010–11[49] League One 50———50
2011–12[8] League Two 153—001[lower-alpha 3]0163
Total 203—0010213
Gillingham (loan) 2011–12[8][11] League Two 80———80
Barnet 2012–13[15] League Two 110101000130
Birmingham City (loan) 2012–13[15] Championship 00———00
Birmingham City 2013–14[25] Championship 1612021—202
2014–15[26] Championship 000000—00
Total 1612021—202
Plymouth Argyle (loan) 2014–15[26] League Two 152———152
Luton Town 2015–16[50] League Two 34320102[lower-alpha 3]0393
2016–17[51] League Two 33120204[lower-alpha 4]0411
2017–18[52] League Two 38631101[lower-alpha 5]0437
Total 1051071407012311
Heart of Midlothian 2018–19[53] Scottish Premiership 3134063—416
2019–20[54] Scottish Premiership 002[lower-alpha 6]000—20
2020–21[54] Scottish Championship 1010052—153
Total 41460115—589
Gillingham (loan) 2019–20[55] League One 28442—2[lower-alpha 5]0346
2020–21[56] League One 25500—00255
Gillingham 2021–22[57] League One 32100202[lower-alpha 5]0361
2022–23[58] League Two 6000301[lower-alpha 5]0100
Total 911042505010512
Career total 3073020323613036339
  1. Includes FA Cup, Scottish Cup
  2. Includes Football League Cup, EFL Cup, Scottish League Cup
  3. Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy
  4. Two appearances in EFL Trophy, two in League Two play-offs
  5. Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
  6. Later rounds of the 2019–20 Scottish Cup were delayed until the 2020–21 season as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland

Honours

Heart of Midlothian

Luton Town

References
  1. "Olly Lee". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  2. "Olly Lee". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
  3. "Daggers take Lee on loan". Dagenham & Redbridge F.C. 25 March 2011. Archived from the original on 14 March 2012.
  4. "Lee makes league bow". West Ham United F.C. 2 April 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2017.
  5. "Lancaster and Lee extend Dagenham loan deals". BBC Sport. 18 April 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
  6. "Dagenham & Redbridge extend Oliver Lee's loan deal". BBC Sport. 3 October 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  7. "Lee makes Daggers return". Sky Sports. 5 August 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  8. "Games played by Olly Lee in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  9. Power, Lee (18 September 2011). "Dagenham & Redbridge beaten after scaring leaders Morecambe". Romford Recorder. Retrieved 7 August 2016.
  10. "West Ham midfielder Lee joins Gills on loan". Kent News. 17 February 2012. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  11. "Gillingham 0–0 Rotherham United". BBC Sport. 21 February 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  12. "Lee makes Hammers return". Sky Sports. 18 April 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  13. "Six players depart West Ham". Sky Sports. 23 May 2012. Retrieved 23 May 2012.
  14. "Barnet sign midfielder Oliver Lee on a free transfer". BBC Sport. 3 July 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  15. "Games played by Olly Lee in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  16. "Edgar Davids joins Barnet as joint-head coach". BBC Sport. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
    "Edgar Davids in charge at Barnet after Mark Robson departs". BBC Sport. 28 December 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  17. Tattum, Colin (19 February 2013). "Teenager called up to Blues squad to face Owls". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  18. "Lee joins Birmingham on loan". Barnet F.C. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  19. Tattum, Colin (8 July 2013). "Olly Lee targets big break with Blues". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  20. "Birmingham secure deal to bring in Barnet youngster Olly Lee". Sky Sports. 8 May 2013. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  21. Tattum, Colin (7 August 2013). "Blues 3 Plymouth 2". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
  22. Tattum, Colin (21 October 2013). "Lee Clark: Performance was not acceptable". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
  23. Culley, Jon (29 October 2013). "Birmingham City 4 Stoke City 4". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
    "Birmingham City 4–4 Stoke City (2–4 pens)". BBC Sport. 29 October 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  24. "Birmingham City 1–2 Huddersfield Town". BBC Sport. 15 February 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
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  26. "Games played by Olly Lee in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  27. "Olly Lee in". Plymouth Argyle F.C. 16 January 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  28. "Plymouth Argyle 0–1 Luton Town". BBC Sport. 17 January 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  29. "Hartlepool Utd 3–2 Plymouth Argyle". BBC Sport. 31 January 2015. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
    Errington, Chris (26 February 2015). "Plymouth Argyle extend loan deal for Olly Lee until end of season". Western Morning News. Plymouth. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  30. Errington, Chris (23 April 2015). "Olly Lee not expected to finish loan spell at Argyle because of injury". Plymouth Herald. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
    "Shrewsbury Town 0–2 Plymouth Argyle". BBC Sport. 2 May 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  31. Tattum, Colin (5 May 2015). "Blues announce squad departures". Birmingham City F.C. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  32. "Olly Lee: Luton Town sign ex-Birmingham City midfielder". BBC Sport. 21 August 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  33. "Olly Lee signs new Luton contract". Luton Town F.C. 22 September 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2017.
  34. "Olly Lee to join Hearts". Heart of Midlothian F.C. 16 May 2018. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  35. "Luton Town 7–0 Cambridge United". BBC Sport. 18 November 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  36. "2018 EFL Awards: Winners announced". EFL. 16 April 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  37. Davie, Scott (18 July 2018). "Cove Rangers 1–2 Heart of Midlothian". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 July 2018.
  38. "Gillingham sign Southampton's Thomas O'Connor and Hearts' Olly Lee on loan". BBC Sport. 29 August 2019. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  39. 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. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
  40. Cawdell, Luke (5 May 2020). "Scottish side Hearts have taken midfielder Olly Lee back after a loan deal at Gillingham". KentOnline. KM Group. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  41. "Celtic win Scottish Cup on penalties". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
  42. "Olly Lee: Hearts midfielder re-joins Gillingham on loan". BBC Sport. BBC. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  43. Olly Lee Signs for Gills
  44. 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. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  45. Rollin, Glenda & Rollin, Jack, eds. (2012). Sky Sports Football Yearbook 2012–2013 (43rd ed.). London: Headline. p. 551. ISBN 978-0-7553-6356-8.
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  47. "Current professional players". Independent Schools Football Association. Archived from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
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  53. "Games played by Olly Lee in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
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  57. "Games played by Olly Lee in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  58. "Games played by Olly Lee in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
  59. "Edouard secures Celtic's treble treble". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
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