Alan Lee

Alan Desmond Lee (born 21 August 1978) is an Irish former footballer who played as a striker.

He scored 119 goals in 547 appearances in a 19-year professional career in the Football League, and won 10 caps for the Republic of Ireland.

He started his career with Aston Villa, also playing on loan at Torquay United and Port Vale.

Born in Galway, County Galway, Ireland, Lee began his career as a trainee with Aston Villa, before turning professional in August 1995.

However, he never made his first team debut at Villa Park.

He joined Torquay United on loan on 27 November 1998, and made his debut the following day in the Third Division in a 3–1 defeat to Barnet at Underhill; he replaced Tony Bedeau as a substitute at half-time.

He made his full debut at Plainmoor on 12 December, in a 2–0 win over Hull City.

He scored his first league goal on boxing day, which secured a 1–1 draw with Exeter City at St James Park.

He also scored against Southend United and Fulham to take his tally for Wes Saunders's "Gulls" up to three goals in nine appearances.

On 2 March 1999, he joined Brian Horton's Port Vale on a two-month loan.

Making 11 appearances, he scored in draws with Bradford City and Tranmere Rovers, helping the "Valiants" to avoid relegation out of the First Division on goal difference.

He left Villa in July 1999 when Burnley manager Stan Ternent signed him for a £150,000 fee.

He scored once for Burnley; in a 2–1 Football League Trophy defeat at Wigan Athletic.

He played 15 league games as the "Clarets" won promotion out of the Second Division as runners-up in 1999–2000.

Though a successful season for the club, Lee never had an extended first team run at Turf Moor, and only had two league starts as Andy Payton and Andy Cooke formed an effective partnership up front.

Following a season with Burnley, he signed with Rotherham United in 2000.

He is considered something of a cult hero at the club, after helping the "Millers" to win promotion out of the Second Division in 2000–01.

Lee moved to Rotherham United for £150,000 in November 2000 after a short loan spell.

In his first season at the club, 2000–01, he scored 15 goals in 35 games as Ronnie Moore's "Millers" won promotion out of the Second Division as runners-up.

Lee scored the late winner against Brentford which sealed promotion.

He remained a key fixture at Millmoor in the First Division, scoring ten goals in 41 games in 2001–02, and finding the net 16 times in 44 appearances in 2002–03.

He was then bought by Cardiff City, and made almost 100 appearances for the Welsh side between 2003 and 2006.

Then purchased by Ipswich Town, he made over 100 appearances for the club before earning a big money move to Crystal Palace.

He was sold to Cardiff City in August 2003 for a fee of £850,000, just days after impressing Cardiff manager Lennie Lawrence in a goalless draw on the opening day of the season.

Rotherham's manager Ronnie Moore prophesied that "Alan Lee can and will do better than Cardiff".

However, Lee found himself struggling with injuries at Ninian Park and largely out of first team contention.

He scored three goals in only 24 games in 2003–04, though he managed seven goals in 43 appearances in 2004–05.

However, he was restricted to just two goals in 25 Championship games in 2005–06.

In January 2006 joined Ipswich Town for £100,000.

He scored his second career hat-trick in a 5–0 win against Luton Town on 29 October 2006.

He ended the 2006–07 campaign with 17 goals in 44 games, including a header that relegated Leeds United on the last day of that season.

He penned a new deal with the club in August 2007.

In January 2008 there was speculation of a move back to Burnley for £900,000 but the Ipswich chairman and Lee himself denied these rumours.

He completed his season with a tally of 12 goals, including the winner in Ipswich's 1–0 win against Hull City on the final day of the season.

On 30 August 2008, Lee moved again, leaving Ipswich for Crystal Palace for a fee of around £640,000.

He signed a three-year contract with the club, saying that "I jumped at the chance to go an play for Neil Warnock".

After returning from a loan spell at Norwich City, he wrote himself into the club's folklore by scoring in the final game of the 2009–10 season against Sheffield Wednesday, saving the Eagles from relegation and ultimately administration.

In March 2009, he moved out on loan to Norwich City, his spell lasting for the rest of the season.

Following these heroics he moved on to Huddersfield Town, and helped the "Terriers" to win promotion out of League One in 2012.

He announced his retirement in 2014, having spent his final season as a player-coach at Ipswich Town.