Lee Butcher
Encyclopedia
Lee Anthony Butcher is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Leyton Orient
. He started his career as a youth player at Norwich City
and Arsenal
, before moving to Tottenham Hotspur
following his release in 2007. After loan spells with a number of non-League
clubs, he joined League One
club Leyton Orient on loan on 14 October 2009, and signed for Orient on a permanent basis in May 2010.
. He started his youth career with Norwich City
as a schoolboy before joining Arsenal
at the age of 10, and aged 15 he was voted the Goalkeeper of the Tournament at the Cannes Football Festival of 2004. He was released from Arsenal in May 2007 and had trials with Leeds United and Wycombe Wanderers
. After playing a number of pre-season friendlies for Tottenham Hotspur reserves and under-18s he eventually signed for the club.
, making his debut against Maidstone United
in their 2–1 win on 5 January. He went on to make a total of seven appearances in all competitions. In September 2008, Butcher joined Margate
on loan where he made four appearances during September and October. He then joined Grays Athletic
in late December 2008, but did not make an appearance for the first team. St Albans City
signed Butcher on loan in March 2009, where he made six appearances in the Conference South
. Butcher rejoined Grays toward the end of the 2008–09
season, and made his debut in the Conference National
for Grays on 18 April in the 2–0 defeat at Altrincham
. Butcher made three appearances for Grays before returning to Tottenham at the end of the season.
In July 2009, Butcher signed another one-year contract with Tottenham. He then re-joined Grays Athletic, during the following 2009–10
season, on a one-month loan deal on 1 September, where he made a further five appearances in the Conference National. On 14 October, he signed on loan for League One
club Leyton Orient
as cover for Glenn Morris
after Jamie Jones
suffered an injury. Butcher returned to Tottenham on 17 November, having not made a first-team appearance for Leyton Orient.
After the end of the 2009–10 season, he signed for Leyton Orient on a one year contract following his release from Tottenham in May 2010. He made his League debut as a substitute in the 1–1 draw at Oldham Athletic
on 2 October, after Jones again suffered an injury. After making ten appearances in all competitions, he lost his place when Jason Brown was brought in on loan in late November. He remained on the bench until 25 April 2011, when a further Jones injury brought him back into the first team for the trip to Carlisle United
. Butcher saved a penalty in the eighth minute, and Orient won 1–0. He returned to the first team at the beginning of the 2011–12 season due to another Jones injury, and saved two penalties in Orient's 4–3 penalty shoot-out victory over Southend United
on 9 August.
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
. He started his career as a youth player at Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
and Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, before moving to Tottenham Hotspur
Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
Tottenham Hotspur Football Club , commonly referred to as Spurs, is an English Premier League football club based in Tottenham, north London. The club's home stadium is White Hart Lane....
following his release in 2007. After loan spells with a number of non-League
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
clubs, he joined League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
club Leyton Orient on loan on 14 October 2009, and signed for Orient on a permanent basis in May 2010.
Early career
Born in Waltham Forest, Butcher grew up in ChingfordChingford
Chingford is a district of north east London, bordering on Enfield and Edmonton to the west, Woodford to the east, Walthamstow and Stratford to the south and Essex to the north. It is situated northeast of Charing Cross and forms part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest...
. He started his youth career with Norwich City
Norwich City F.C.
Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk. As of the 2011–12 season, Norwich City are again playing in the Premier League after a six-year absence, having finished as runner up in the Championship in 2010–11 and winning automatic promotion.The...
as a schoolboy before joining Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
at the age of 10, and aged 15 he was voted the Goalkeeper of the Tournament at the Cannes Football Festival of 2004. He was released from Arsenal in May 2007 and had trials with Leeds United and Wycombe Wanderers
Wycombe Wanderers F.C.
Wycombe Wanderers Football Club is an English professional football team from High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, which has been promoted to Football League One after finishing third in Football League Two in the season 2010–11. The club's nicknames are "The Chairboys" and "The Blues", and they play...
. After playing a number of pre-season friendlies for Tottenham Hotspur reserves and under-18s he eventually signed for the club.
Club career
During the 2007–08 season, Butcher made 11 appearances for the Tottenham Hotspur reserve team. In January 2008, he was loaned out to Isthmian League Premier Division club AFC WimbledonAFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon is a professional English football club that traces its origins to Wimbledon in the London Borough of Merton. Based at Kingsmeadow, Kingston upon Thames, the club are members of Football League Two, the fourth tier of English football....
, making his debut against Maidstone United
Maidstone United F.C.
Maidstone United Football Club is an English football team from Maidstone, Kent.The current club is a continuation of the old Maidstone United, which was a member of the Football League between 1989 and 1992. The club was forced out of the league by financial ruin but the youth squad formed the...
in their 2–1 win on 5 January. He went on to make a total of seven appearances in all competitions. In September 2008, Butcher joined Margate
Margate F.C.
Margate Football Club is an English football team based in the seaside resort of Margate, Kent, currently playing in the Isthmian League Premier Division. The club was known for a number of years during the 1980s as Thanet United....
on loan where he made four appearances during September and October. He then joined Grays Athletic
Grays Athletic F.C.
Grays Athletic Football Club is an English football club currently based in Corringham, Essex after leaving the New Recreation Ground in Grays at the end of the 2009–10 season...
in late December 2008, but did not make an appearance for the first team. St Albans City
St Albans City F.C.
St Albans City Football Club is a football club based in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. It was founded in 1908 and plays its home matches at Clarence Park, about 800 yards from the city centre. The club is in the Premier Division of the Southern League...
signed Butcher on loan in March 2009, where he made six appearances in the Conference South
Conference South
Conference South is one of the second divisions of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National...
. Butcher rejoined Grays toward the end of the 2008–09
2008–09 in English football
The 2008–09 season was the 129th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* West Bromwich Albion, Stoke City and Hull City were all playing in the Premier League after winning promotion from the Championship last season. Stoke returned to the top flight after a 23-year absence, while...
season, and made his debut in the Conference National
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
for Grays on 18 April in the 2–0 defeat at Altrincham
Altrincham F.C.
Altrincham Football Club is an English association football club from Altrincham, Greater Manchester. They currently play in the Conference North, having been relegated from the Conference National at the end of the 2010–11 season.-History:...
. Butcher made three appearances for Grays before returning to Tottenham at the end of the season.
In July 2009, Butcher signed another one-year contract with Tottenham. He then re-joined Grays Athletic, during the following 2009–10
2009–10 in English football
The 2009–10 season was the 130th season of competitive football in England.The season began on 8 August 2009 for the Championship, League One and League Two and 15 August 2009 for the Premier League...
season, on a one-month loan deal on 1 September, where he made a further five appearances in the Conference National. On 14 October, he signed on loan for League One
Football League One
Football League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
club Leyton Orient
Leyton Orient F.C.
Leyton Orient F.C. are an English professional football club in East London. They currently play in Football League One and are known to their fans as the O's.Leyton Orient have spent one season in the top flight of English football, in 1962–63...
as cover for Glenn Morris
Glenn Morris (footballer)
Glenn James Morris is a professional footballer, currently playing for Southend United.-Career:He was in and out of the first team at Leyton Orient since making his debut against Dagenham & Redbridge in 2001. In the 2006–07 season, Morris become an understudy to first choice goalkeeper Glyn Garner...
after Jamie Jones
Jamie Jones (footballer)
Jamie Jones is an English footballer who plays for Leyton Orient as a goalkeeper.-Everton:Jones signed his first professional contract with Everton at the beginning of the 2006–07 campaign and made numerous appearances in the reserves team but he suffered a broken hand and had to miss numerous games...
suffered an injury. Butcher returned to Tottenham on 17 November, having not made a first-team appearance for Leyton Orient.
After the end of the 2009–10 season, he signed for Leyton Orient on a one year contract following his release from Tottenham in May 2010. He made his League debut as a substitute in the 1–1 draw at Oldham Athletic
Oldham Athletic A.F.C.
Oldham Athletic Association Football Club is an English association football club based at Boundary Park, on Sheepfoot Lane in Oldham, Greater Manchester. The club currently competes in the Football League One, the third tier of the English league...
on 2 October, after Jones again suffered an injury. After making ten appearances in all competitions, he lost his place when Jason Brown was brought in on loan in late November. He remained on the bench until 25 April 2011, when a further Jones injury brought him back into the first team for the trip to Carlisle United
Carlisle United F.C.
Carlisle United F.C. is an English football club based in Carlisle, Cumbria, where they play at Brunton Park. Formed in 1904, the club currently compete in League One, the third tier of the English football league system....
. Butcher saved a penalty in the eighth minute, and Orient won 1–0. He returned to the first team at the beginning of the 2011–12 season due to another Jones injury, and saved two penalties in Orient's 4–3 penalty shoot-out victory over Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
on 9 August.