Lee Cartwright
Encyclopedia
Lee Cartwright is a footballer playing for Hyde United in the Conference North
who made his mark as a midfielder
with Preston North End
.
, Rossendale
, Lancashire
Lee was signed from school as a trainee in 1989 by North End boss John McGrath. It was however under McGrath's successor Les Chapman
that Lee made his first team debut at the age of 18 in a 1-0 home win against Shrewsbury Town
in March 1991. Having broken into the first team Lee remained there for the rest of the season.
The following season (1991–92) Lee missed only a handful of matches as he picked up the club's player of the year
award as reward for a string of consistently good displays. The 1992-93 season though was something of a disaster with Preston being relegated to the third division (now Football League Two
) of the Football League
. Lee's displays though were again impressive and interest from both Oldham Athletic
and Blackpool
nearly led to Lee moving on. He was however persuaded to stay by new manager John Beck
and he remained at Deepdale
for the next eleven years.
) title in 1999-2000. Lee also played in the play-off final defeats of 1993-94 and 2000-01 the latter when North End narrowly missed out on a place in the FA Premier League
losing 3-0 to Bolton Wanderers
at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium
.
On April 1, 2010 it was confirmed that Cartwright will play for the Preston team in the 2010 Masters competition.
on a free transfer. His time at Edgeley Park
though was disrupted by injury and after 18 months in which he played 38 games scoring just once against Colchester he moved on to Rochdale
for the start of the 2005-06 season. Again though injury ruined his season and after just 29 games and 1 goal against Notts County he was released.
side Scarborough
offered him a contract for the 2006-07 season. He won the club's final ever Player of the Year award.
side Hyde United following Scarborough's relegation from the same division and subsequent liquidation. Hyde manager Steve Waywell called him the best player that the Tigers had played against the previous season.
Conference North
The Conference North also known as Blue Square Bet North for sponsorship reasons, is a division of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National. Along with Conference South it is at Step 2 of the National League System and the sixth overall tier of...
who made his mark as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
with Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
.
Early years
Born in RawtenstallRawtenstall
Rawtenstall is a town at the centre of the Rossendale Valley, in Lancashire, England. It is the seat for the Borough of Rossendale, in which it is located. The town lies 18 miles north of Manchester, 22 miles east of the county town of Preston and 45 miles south east of Lancaster...
, Rossendale
Rossendale
Rossendale is a local government district with borough status. It is made up of a number of small former mill towns in Lancashire, England centered around the valley of the River Irwell in the industrial North West...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
Lee was signed from school as a trainee in 1989 by North End boss John McGrath. It was however under McGrath's successor Les Chapman
Les Chapman
Leslie "Les" Chapman is an English former football player and manager and legendary Kit Man at Manchester City F.C. As a player, he made 749 appearances in the Football League in a career that spanned 22 seasons, playing for Oldham Athletic, Huddersfield Town, Stockport County, Bradford City,...
that Lee made his first team debut at the age of 18 in a 1-0 home win against Shrewsbury Town
Shrewsbury Town F.C.
Shrewsbury Town Football Club is an English Association football club based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, who play in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club was formed in 1886 and has played in all the bottom three divisions in various guises since being elected into the Football...
in March 1991. Having broken into the first team Lee remained there for the rest of the season.
The following season (1991–92) Lee missed only a handful of matches as he picked up the club's player of the year
Preston North End Player of the Year Award Winners
Winners of the official Preston North End F.C. Player of the Year Award since its inception in 1967–68:...
award as reward for a string of consistently good displays. The 1992-93 season though was something of a disaster with Preston being relegated to the third division (now Football League Two
Football League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
) of the 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...
. Lee's displays though were again impressive and interest from both 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...
and Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
nearly led to Lee moving on. He was however persuaded to stay by new manager John Beck
John Beck (footballer)
John Alexander Beck is an English former footballer and manager. As a player he made nearly 500 league appearances between 1972 and 1988....
and he remained at Deepdale
Deepdale
Deepdale is a stadium in the Deepdale area of Preston, England, the home of Preston North End F.C. and, up to 2010, England's National Football Museum. Preston North End are one of the founder members of the Football League.- History :...
for the next eleven years.
A Preston legend
In his thirteen years at the club Lee became a North End legend making a total of 472 appearances for the club scoring 30 goals.He was an important member of the Preston teams that won both the third division title in 1995-96 and the second division (now Football League OneFootball 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....
) title in 1999-2000. Lee also played in the play-off final defeats of 1993-94 and 2000-01 the latter when North End narrowly missed out on a place in the FA Premier League
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
losing 3-0 to Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
.
On April 1, 2010 it was confirmed that Cartwright will play for the Preston team in the 2010 Masters competition.
Leaving home
In January 2004 however Lee moved to Stockport CountyStockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
on a free transfer. His time at Edgeley Park
Edgeley Park
Edgeley Park is an association football and rugby union stadium in Stockport, England. The stadium was initially built for the rugby league club Stockport in 1901, but by 1902, the rugby club was defunct and in the same year, Stockport County Football Club, who were looking for a bigger ground,...
though was disrupted by injury and after 18 months in which he played 38 games scoring just once against Colchester he moved on to Rochdale
Rochdale A.F.C.
Rochdale Association Football Club is an English professional football club based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester. They play their home matches at Spotland Stadium. Formed in 1907, they were accepted into the Football League in 1921...
for the start of the 2005-06 season. Again though injury ruined his season and after just 29 games and 1 goal against Notts County he was released.
Scarborough
Without a club for the first time in his career Lee was contemplating retirement until Mark Patterson the new manager of Conference NorthConference North
The Conference North also known as Blue Square Bet North for sponsorship reasons, is a division of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National. Along with Conference South it is at Step 2 of the National League System and the sixth overall tier of...
side Scarborough
Scarborough F.C.
Scarborough Football Club was an English football club based in the seaside resort of Scarborough, North Yorkshire. They were one of the oldest football clubs in England, formed in 1879, before they were wound up on 20 June 2007, with debts of £2.5 million.In the 2006–07 season...
offered him a contract for the 2006-07 season. He won the club's final ever Player of the Year award.
Hyde United
In May 2007, it was announced that Cartright had signed for Conference NorthConference North
The Conference North also known as Blue Square Bet North for sponsorship reasons, is a division of the Football Conference in England, taking its place immediately below the Conference National. Along with Conference South it is at Step 2 of the National League System and the sixth overall tier of...
side Hyde United following Scarborough's relegation from the same division and subsequent liquidation. Hyde manager Steve Waywell called him the best player that the Tigers had played against the previous season.