Lee Molyneux

Lee Robert Molyneux (born 24 February 1989) is an English former profesional footballer.

Specifically a full back, he began his career with Everton in 2000.

Having progressed through the club's youth academy, Molyneux made his debut for the reserve team at the age of 16 and developed a reputation as a set piece specialist.

He represented England at under-16, under-17 and under-18 levels.

He had a good start to the 2007–08 season, featuring on the bench in five games for Everton's first team, but suffered from a back injury which kept him out for the majority of the season.

He had the option to sign a further year at Everton, but with Leighton Baines firmly established in the first team he decided to look for first-team action elsewhere.

He joined Southampton in 2009, where he made his first team debut and spent time on loan with Port Vale before being released from his contract in the summer of 2010.

He signed for Southampton on a two-and-a-half-year contract on 2 January 2009.

He made his "Saints" debut against Barnsley on 10 January.

He was sent off for two bookings against Swansea City on 31 January, four games into his professional career.

The club were relegated rom the Championship and he failed to establish himself in the first-team under new manager Alan Pardew.

On 25 March 2010, he joined Port Vale on loan until the end of the season, having not settled in well at Southampton.

However, he never made an appearance for Vale, except in the Staffordshire Senior Cup final – a tournament for the club's reserve players – and returned to the south coast in the summer.

In June 2010 it was announced that Southampton had agreed to end Molyneux's contract a year early, by mutual consent, with one year left on his contract.

He signed a five-month contract with Plymouth Argyle on 3 August 2010, having been on trial with the club.

Ironically, his first appearance for Argyle was against Southampton four days later, and he was on the winning side at St Mary's.

"The whole team grafted, from the front right through to the back. It was organised," he said.

"We came with a plan to keep our shape, be solid, and do the simple things right, and everything else looks after itself."

He then turned out nine times for Plymouth Argyle, before leaving the club in January 2011.

On 1 January 2011, Plymouth Argyle announced his contract would not be renewed.

Making a total of 12 appearances for the Devon club, he had not featured in the first team since mid-October.

After a spell in prison for assault, he returned to the English Football League in August 2012 when he signed with Accrington Stanley.

In August 2012, Molyneux returned to professional football when he joined League Two side Accrington Stanley on non-contract terms following a successful trial.

He scored his first senior goal with a 20 yd free kick in the FA Cup on 1 December, in a 3–3 draw with Oxford United at the Crown Ground.

He went on to score a hat-trick on 16 March, giving Stanley a 3–2 home victory over Barnet.

He ended the 2012–13 campaign with nine goals in 43 games, and after being converted into a winger following the arrival of Laurence Wilson was described by The Times as being "League Two's Gareth Bale".

He was named as the club's Player of the Year for 2012–13.

After an impressive season with Stanley, he was signed by Crewe Alexandra in July 2013.

He joined Rochdale on loan in November 2013, and re-joined Accrington Stanley on loan in January 2014 and October 2014.

Molyneux signed with League One side Crewe Alexandra on a two-year contract in July 2013.

He lost his first team place in October, and the next month he joined Keith Hill's League Two club Rochdale on loan.

He made only three substitute appearance for the "Dale" during his time at Spotland.

On 23 January 2014, Molyneux re-joined Accrington Stanley on an initial one-month loan.

Speaking of his loan move, Molyneux stated that "It feels like coming home".

He signed with Tranmere Rovers in January 2015, and moved on to Morecambe four months later.

He dropped into non-League football with Guiseley in August 2017, and spent the second half of the 2017–18 season on loan at Chorley, where he won the Lancashire FA Challenge Trophy.

He joined Barrow in July 2018, before signing with Cymru Premier club Bala Town 12 months later.

Molyneux was born in Huyton, Merseyside, and was in the youth team at Wrexham between the ages seven and nine, before he joined the Everton academy.

He made his debut for the reserve team at 16.

He was also capped by England at under-16, under-17 and under-18 levels.