Rob Lee
One of Newcastle's greatest ever signings?
Welcome back to Football Icons!
This week, we focus on a player who embodied loyalty and leadership in the heart of midfield during one of the Premier League's most exciting eras. It's Rob Lee. Best known for his pivotal role at Newcastle United, where he made over 300 appearances, Lee was an integral part of the side that pushed Manchester United to the limit during those thrilling title races in the mid-90s. Lee's vision, passing range, and knack for arriving late in the box to score goals made him a fan favourite and an essential figure in one of most exciting Newcastle teams in recent history.
Player Profile
Name: Robert Lee
Date of Birth: 1st February 1966
Nationality: English
Position: Midfielder
Premier League Clubs: Newcastle, Derby County
Premier League Appearances: 280
Premier League Goals: 34
Premier League Assists: 32
Overview
An east end lad who played the first half of his career near his birth place at Charlton Athletic and the second half of his career up North for Newcastle United. He was a tireless midfielder, known for his leadership, tactical intelligence, and versatility on the pitch. Capable of playing in both defensive and attacking midfield roles, Lee’s work ethic and box-to-box ability made him an excellent midfielder. He was equally adept at breaking up opposition attacks as he was driving forward to contribute in the final third. Known for his good positioning and late runs into the box, Lee often found himself on the scoresheet during crucial moments for his team. His passing range, combined with his powerful shooting, made him a constant threat from midfield, and his reliability and professionalism cemented his place as one of Newcastle’s most respected players of all time.
Memorable Moments
Rob Lee did not play Premier league football until he was 27 years old. Mainly due to the fact that it only formed in 1992 (9 years after Lee started playing professional football), but also because he moved to Newcastle from Charlton when the Geordies were in the old second division having been relegated from the the top league of English football in 1989. When Kevin Keegan was named Newcastle manager in 1992, one of his first signings was Rob Lee. Keegan and Lee won the first division in 1993 and were promoted to the newly formed Premier league and were about to embark on a very exciting era of football in Newcastle United’s history.
Rob Lee enjoyed some great success during a 10 year spell at Newcastle and his most memorable match was a UEFA cup match against Royal Antwerp in 1994. Lee scored his first and only professional hattrick in this game (Newcastle’s first European match for 17 years) and remarkably every goal was a header. Not many central midfielders score hattricks and even rarer they are all headers.
Rob Lee had a memorable season in the 1995/96 campaign, the most memorable yet painful season in Newcastle United history. Rob Lee was instrumental in Newcastle’s midfield scoring 8 goals as Newcastle led the league for almost the whole season. This was the year that Newcastle had a 12 point lead over Manchester United at the end of January and it felt inevitable that they would end their wait for a first league title since 1927. The 4-3 loss to Liverpool, the Kevin Keegan rant and the end of season collapse ultimately saw Manchester United snatch the title away from the Geordies. Despite the disappointment for Newcastle, they had still been impressive and Rob Lee was named in the PFA team of the year, next to some impressive names. Check it out
When the Keegan era was over at Newcastle, Kenny Dalglish appointed Lee as captain in 1997. A massive highlight in Lee’s career and a role he thrived in. Newcastle continued to push for a Premier league title with Lee pushing them forward from midfield but they again came runners up to United at the end of the 1997/98 season.
Lee’s last goal for Newcastle came in 2001 when he scored against Manchester United in a 4-3 victory for the Geordies. This was in the classic game that saw Roy Keane sent off for a scrap with Alan Shearer. Remind yourself here
Lee left Newcastle in 2002 joining John Gregory’s Derby County for a fee of £250,000. After a short and unsuccessful stint at Derby which saw them relegated from the Premier League he joined West Ham who were playing in the old first division. He only played sporadically for the Irons before moving down the leagues to play for both Oldham and Wycombe in League one and League two. After 18 years as a professional, Lee hung up his boots in 2006.
Opinion
Rob Lee was the type of midfielder that you don’t really see in the game anymore. A box-to-box player who did not have a set role like you see central midfielders in todays game. When 4-4-2 was the usual formation, teams needed midfielders like Lee who could offer both a defensive shield as well as goals in attack. I think the midfield role was a lot more demanding in the 90’s and players like Lee do not get the credit they deserve for being so effective in that role for so long. I think Rob Lee was a perfect fit for Newcastle and arrived at exactly the right time. He was a tenacious player with grit and fight and Newcastle fans have always loved a player like that. When that Newcastle team then started to add more flair and creativity into the team in players like Ginola and Asprilla, Lee was the perfect balance in that side as he had the intelligence and awareness to sit deeper when needed. Although that Newcastle team did not win anything, I don’t think they would have got as close without Rob Lee. A classic underrated player in what was one of the most exciting teams in England in the 90’s.
Did you know?
One of Rob Lee’s sons, Elliot currently plays for Wrexham in League One. He is widely considered one of their best players and was nominated for the PFA league two team of the season last year. Football clearly in the genes.
Where are they now?
Since retiring in 2006, Rob lee has mainly been involved with the media and in television, having worked as a football pundit for global television companies in Singapore and India. In 2019 he was inducted into the Newcastle hall of fame and in both 2019 and 2020 appeared in both seasons of the ITV show Harrys Hero’s. If you havent seen it, it’s well worth a watch.
Tell us your memories
As always we want to hear from you. Do you Remember Rob Lee? An underrated midfield maestro? Or just an average player in a decent Newcastle team? Hit the comments, and let us know.