Terry Lees

Terence Lees (born 30 June 1952) is an English former footballer who played in the Football League for Stoke City, Crewe Alexandra, Port Vale, Birmingham City, Newport County and Scunthorpe United,[4] in the North American Soccer League for San Jose Earthquakes,[5] and in the Eredivisie for Sparta Rotterdam, Roda JC Kerkrade and DS'79.[6] He also won the National Football League with South African club Cape Town City.

Terry Lees
Personal information
Full name Terence Lees[1]
Date of birth (1952-06-30) 30 June 1952[2]
Place of birth Stoke-on-Trent, England[2]
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[3]
Position(s) Defender; midfielder
Youth career
1968–1969 Stoke City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1969–1975 Stoke City 24 (0)
1973 → Cape Town City (loan)
1975 → Crewe Alexandra (loan) 6 (0)
1975 San Jose Earthquakes 16 (1)
1975–1976 Port Vale 41 (2)
1976–1977 Sparta Rotterdam 33 (1)
1977–1979 Roda JC Kerkrade 59 (8)
1979–1981 Birmingham City 12 (0)
1981–1982 Newport County 25 (0)
1982 Morning Star
1982–1984 DS'79 50 (1)
1984 Stafford Rangers
1984 Altrincham
1984–1985 Scunthorpe United 31 (0)
1985–1986 Macclesfield Town 28 (0)
Managerial career
Hanley Town
Kidsgrove Athletic
Ball Haye Green
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Personal and later life

Terence Lees was born in Stoke-on-Trent on 30 June 1952; his father was a bricklayer and his mother left the family home when Lees was five years old.[2] He married Claire.[2] After retiring from football, Lees ran a burger van.[7]

Playing career

Lees joined local club Stoke City as an apprentice in 1968, turning professional in July 1969.[8] Coach Harry Gregg converted him from a striker into a more defensive player.[2] He made his debut as a substitute in a 2–1 defeat at Southampton on 30 January 1971, and made his full debut in a 2–0 win over Manchester City on 24 April.[2] He made five starts and four substitute appearances during the 1969–70 season.[2] He played infrequently throughout his six seasons with the "Potters" as manager Tony Waddington was able to rely on a trusted defence of Jackie Marsh, Denis Smith, Alan Bloor and Mike Pejic.[9][2] He was an unused substitute in every game of Stoke's run to the 1972 League Cup final, but was not named in the squad for the final itself.[2] He also spent time on loan at South African Cape Town City in 1973, helping Roy Bailey's side to win the National Football League, where he played alongside Geoff Hurst.[2] He also spent time on loan at Crewe Alexandra.[10] In 1975, Lees played 16 games and scored one goal for the San Jose Earthquakes in the North American Soccer League.[5] His wages of £150-a-week in America were more than double his £60-a-week wages at Stoke.[2]

On his return to England, Port Vale paid local rivals Stoke City £3,000 for his services in August 1975.[11] He accepted the move over Peterborough United as he wanted to remain close by to his father, who was ill.[2] He played 47 games over all competitions for the "Valiants", which made him one of the few players to have played for all three local clubs (Stoke, Vale and Crewe); initially home supporters spat on him, though he would win them over with some good performances.[2] In August 1976, he was sold on to Dutch side Sparta Rotterdam for £25,000.[10] Lees played 30 games for Sparta Rotterdam in the Eredivisie.[6] He marked World Cup finalist Willem van Hanegem on his debut against AZ Alkmaar.[2] He rejected a move to Feyenoord over personal terms.[2] He considered a move to Brighton & Hove Albion, who instead signed Mark Lawrenson whilst Lees pondered the club's offer.[2] Lees spent two seasons with fellow top-flight club Roda JC Kerkrade following a club record £100,000 move.[2]

In July 1979, he returned to the Midlands and signed for Birmingham City.[8] He found himself behind Mark Dennis, Colin Todd and Kevan Broadhurst in contention for starting places, so played only ten games in the 1979–80 season, which nevertheless made a contribution to the club's promotion to the First Division. The following season he understudied the ever-present Dave Langan at right back, and played only twice.[12] After two years at Birmingham, in which he played 19 games in all competitions, Lees moved on to Newport County,[8] where he played 25 league games before falling out with assistant manager Bobby Smith.[4][2]

After an interlude in Hong Kong playing for Morning Star, Lees resumed his career in Dutch football with DS'79 after being signed by former Sparta teammate Pim Verbeek.[8][2] He made his debut in October 1982, playing on the left wing in a 5–0 win away at Heracles,[13] and in his first season helped the club win the Eerste Divisie title playing a midfield partnership with Gerrie Mühren.[2] His 1983–84 season was less successful: though Lees himself played in 29 of the 34 games, the club finished bottom of the table, and in their last match of the season were beaten 7–2 by Ajax, Marco van Basten scoring five of the seven.[6][14] He chose to leave the club and return to England despite having a year left on his contract.[2]

After a trial with Blackpool, he later played for Stafford Rangers and finished his Football League career with Scunthorpe United,[10] whom he joined from Altrincham in September 1984.[15] Frank Barlow persuaded him to join Scunthorpe ahead of Northampton Town.[2] He then played for Macclesfield Town.[4][16]

Management career

Lees managed non-League clubs in the Staffordshire area after retiring as a player. He took charge at Hanley Town and Kidsgrove Athletic and was assistant manager of Meir K.A. before becoming manager of Ball Haye Green.[10]

Career statistics
Club Season Division League FA Cup League Cup Other[A] Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Stoke City 1970–71[17] First Division 7020000090
1971–72[17] First Division 5000001060
1972–73[17] First Division 8000100090
1973–74[17] First Division 4000000040
1974–75[17] First Division 0000000000
Total 240201010280
Crewe Alexandra (loan) 1974–75[17] Fourth Division 6000000060
San Jose Earthquakes 1975[5] NASL 161––––––161
Port Vale 1975–76[17] Third Division 412303000472
Sparta Rotterdam 1976–77[18] Eredivisie 331331
Roda JC Kerkrade 1977–78[18] Eredivisie 283283
1978–79[18] Eredivisie 315315
Total 598598
Birmingham City 1979–80[17] Second Division 100101020140
1980–81[17] First Division 2030000050
Total 120401020190
Newport County 1981–82[17] Third Division 250101031301
DS'79 1982–83 Eerste Divisie 211211
1983–84[18] Eredivisie 290290
Total 501501
Scunthorpe United 1984–85[17] Fourth Division 310301010360
Macclesfield Town 1985–86[19] Northern Premier League 280100090380
Career total 325131407016136214
A. ^ The "Other" column includes appearances and goals in the Anglo-Scottish Cup, Football League Group Cup and Football League Trophy.

Honours

Cape Town City

DS'79

References
  1. "Terry Lees". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  2. Shaw, Phil. "Globe Potter" (PDF). Backpass. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  3. Rollin, Jack (1980). Rothmans football yearbook. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 62. ISBN 0362020175. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  4. "Terry Lees". UK A–Z Transfers. Neil Brown. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  5. "North American Soccer League Players: Terry Lees". NASL Jerseys. Dave Morrison. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  6. "Terry Lees". Voetbal International. Archived from the original on 17 August 2011. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  7. "Ten minutes of mayhem saw Vale cap comeback". The Sentinel. Stoke-on-Trent. 20 February 2010. p. 24.
  8. Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 106. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  9. "Terry Lees". Sporting Heroes. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  10. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 171. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  11. Kent, Jeff (December 1991). Port Vale Tales: A Collection of Stories, Anecdotes And Memories. Witan Books. p. 47. ISBN 0-9508981-6-3.
  12. Matthews, pp. 215–16.
  13. "Heracles maakt het DS'79 niet moeilijk: 0–5" [Heracles don't make it hard for DS'79: 0–5] (in Dutch). FC Dordrecht. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  14. "Marco geeft Ajax nog troostprijs" [Marco gives Ajax a consolation prize] (in Dutch). FC Dordrecht. Archived from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
  15. "The Iron alphabet". Scunthorpe United F.C. Archived from the original on 22 December 2007.
  16. "Manager and Player Profiles: L". Silkmen Archives. Macclesfield Town Football Club and Geoffrey Knights. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
  17. Terry Lees at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  18. "Terry Lees » Clubwedstrijden". voetbal.com (in Dutch). Retrieved 8 November 2022.
  19. "Season statistics: Northern Premier League – 1985–86". Silkmen Archives. Macclesfield Town Football Club and Geoffrey Knights. Retrieved 3 November 2018.
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