Eric Lee (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Eric Lee is an English
former professional footballer who played as a defender
. He has made the fourth most Football League
appearances for Chester City
, with 363 such appearances made from 1946 to 1957. He was born in Chester
.
from local amateur
football, becoming part of the first team during 1945–46
the final season of wartime league formats.
When Football League
action resumed in August 1946, Lee was a regular in the first team side and his performances prompted a call up for the England
amateur side against their Welsh
counterparts. He missed much of the following season due to his teacher training course at Loughborough College
but returned to the first team ranks in 1948–49
and remained a regular in the number five shirt until his final season of 1956–57
. He retired at the end of the season, with his final appearance coming in a 2–0 win over Barrow
on April 29, 1957.
Lee had enjoyed a benefit match between Chester and a Liverpool
XI at Sealand Road
on April 30, 1952, and played in four Welsh Cup
finals. He left the club as their Football League
record appearance holder, subsequently beaten by Ray Gill
, Ron Hughes and Trevor Storton
, but remains the highest Chester-born player in the club’s appearance list.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
former professional footballer who played as a defender
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
. He has made the fourth most Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
appearances for Chester City
Chester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
, with 363 such appearances made from 1946 to 1957. He was born in Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
.
Playing career
Lee was recruited by his hometown club of ChesterChester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
from local amateur
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
football, becoming part of the first team during 1945–46
1945-46 in English football
The 1945–1946 season was the 66th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:1945–1946 was the first football season since the 1939–1940 season was cut short due to World War II. The FA Cup was the main competition to be played this season along with the Football League North and Football...
the final season of wartime league formats.
When Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
action resumed in August 1946, Lee was a regular in the first team side and his performances prompted a call up for the England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
amateur side against their Welsh
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
counterparts. He missed much of the following season due to his teacher training course at Loughborough College
Loughborough College
Loughborough College is a college of Further Education in Leicestershire, England established in 1909. It is located opposite Loughborough University on Epinal Way, and adjacent to the Loughborough University School of Art and Design, situated next to the main entrance of the college...
but returned to the first team ranks in 1948–49
1948-49 in English football
The 1948–49 season was the 69th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:Portsmouth won the First Division title for the first time with a team of no recognised stars and very few international players. They won the league by five points from Manchester United and Derby...
and remained a regular in the number five shirt until his final season of 1956–57
1956-57 in English football
The 1956–57 season was the 77th season of competitive football in England.Manchester United won the First Division to become English football champions for the fifth time. Tottenham Hotspur were runners-up. In the Second Division it was Leicester City who finished in top spot, ahead of East...
. He retired at the end of the season, with his final appearance coming in a 2–0 win over Barrow
Barrow A.F.C.
Barrow A.F.C. are an English football club founded in 1901 based in the town of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. Following promotion at the end of the 2007–08 season, they currently play in the Conference National. The club spent over fifty years in the Football League between 1921 and 1972, and have...
on April 29, 1957.
Lee had enjoyed a benefit match between Chester and a Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
XI at Sealand Road
Sealand Road
Sealand Road was the home stadium of Chester City Football Club from 1906 until 1990. Although officially known simply as The Stadium, it was more commonly referred to as Sealand Road...
on April 30, 1952, and played in four Welsh Cup
Welsh Cup
The Welsh Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams from Wales.The Football Association of Wales is the organising body of this competition, which has been run every year since its inception in 1877-78...
finals. He left the club as their Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
record appearance holder, subsequently beaten by Ray Gill
Ray Gill
Ray Gill holds the Football League appearance record for Chester City.The full-back played in 406 league games for Chester from 1951 to 1962, putting him seven ahead of Ron Hughes and 10 ahead of Trevor Storton...
, Ron Hughes and Trevor Storton
Trevor Storton
Trevor Storton was an English footballer who played as a central defender.-The early years:He began his career at Tranmere Rovers, playing alongside his older brother Stan, he played over 100 games for the club between 1967 and 1972, when he joined Liverpool...
, but remains the highest Chester-born player in the club’s appearance list.
Honours
Chester- 1945–461945-46 in English footballThe 1945–1946 season was the 66th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:1945–1946 was the first football season since the 1939–1940 season was cut short due to World War II. The FA Cup was the main competition to be played this season along with the Football League North and Football...
: Football League Third Division North CupFootball League Third Division North CupThe Football League Third Division North Cup was a football knockout competition open to teams competing in Football League Third Division North. The competition was first held in 1933-34 and ran until the 1938-39 season.-Format:...
runners–up
- 1946–471946-47 in English footballThe 1946–47 season was the 67th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The 1946–47 season was the first to feature a full football programme since the 1938–39 campaign. Eighty-eight teams competed over four divisions. Liverpool went top of the First Division with a 2–1 away win over...
: Welsh CupWelsh CupThe Welsh Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams from Wales.The Football Association of Wales is the organising body of this competition, which has been run every year since its inception in 1877-78...
winners
- 1952–531952-53 in English footballThe 1952–53 season was the 73rd season of competitive football in England.-Events:This was the closest championship win in English league history at the time, with Arsenal claiming the title by just 0.099 of a goal. Both Arsenal and Preston had identical records aside from their goal averages...
: Welsh CupWelsh CupThe Welsh Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams from Wales.The Football Association of Wales is the organising body of this competition, which has been run every year since its inception in 1877-78...
runners–up
- 1953–541953-54 in English footballThe 1953–54 season was the 74th season of competitive football in England.-National team:The Marvellous Magyars shocked football by defeating England 6–3 at Wembley Stadium.-Honours:...
: Welsh CupWelsh CupThe Welsh Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams from Wales.The Football Association of Wales is the organising body of this competition, which has been run every year since its inception in 1877-78...
runners–up
- 1954–551954-55 in English footballThe 1954–1955 season was the 75th season of competitive football in England, from August 1954 to May 1955:-Overview:* Chelsea win the League Championship for the first time.* Newcastle United win the FA Cup....
: Welsh CupWelsh CupThe Welsh Cup is a knock-out football competition contested annually by teams from Wales.The Football Association of Wales is the organising body of this competition, which has been run every year since its inception in 1877-78...
runners–up
- 1951–521951-52 in English footballThe 1951–52 season was the 72nd season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
: Benefit Match