Lee Sharpe

Lee Sharpe, (born May 27 1971), is an English football player currently playing for Garforth Town. Predominantly a left winger, Lee once played for Manchester United and was one of the most promising young players in English football, but his career went into rapid decline at an early age. He has achieved renewed fame by appearing on reality television shows.

Professional football career

Sharpe began his career at Torquay United. However, in his first season with them (1987/88), after only 16 games, Manchester United noted his potential and swooped to sign him in June for £200,000, a record fee at the time for a YTS player.

Related Topics:
Torquay United - Manchester United

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He soon broke into the first team, initially playing out of position at left back before replacing Ralph Milne as left-winger in the 1990-91 season. His performances were outstanding, and he played a key part in United's success in the European Cup Winners' Cup that season.

Related Topics:
Ralph Milne - European Cup Winners' Cup

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Having established himself as a fantastic left winger, Sharpe earned a call up to the England squad, although he was unable to replace John Barnes as first choice left winger. Unfortunately, he was then out of the game for long periods of time through injury and illness (he suffered from viral meningitis) and when his fitness recovered the form of Ryan Giggs meant he had to play out of position at left back or on the right wing, competing for a place with Andrei Kanchelskis. In total he played 265 games for the Red Devils during eight years there, scoring 36 goals.

Related Topics:
England squad - John Barnes - Ryan Giggs - Andrei Kanchelskis

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Despite his injury history, Leeds United signed him for £4.5 million in the summer of 1996, making him their record signing. Unfortunately, his time at Leeds was beset by further injuries. He made 26 Premiership appearances in 1996-97, scoring five goals, but a pre-season knee injury ruled him out for the entire 1997-98 season and he was unable to regain his place in the team on recovery.

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In the autumn of 1998, Lee Sharpe was loaned to Italian Serie A strugglers Sampdoria, but soon fell out of favour and in the New Year he returned to England. A £250,000 fee took him to Bradford City in March 1999 and he was a key player in securing the club's promotion to the Premiership after 77 years outside the top division. He also helped preserve the club's Premiership status in 1999-2000.

Related Topics:
Italian - Serie A - Sampdoria - Bradford City

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In 2000-01, Sharpe lost his place in the Bradford team and just before Christmas went on loan to Division One Portsmouth F.C. He returned to Bradford during the 2001-02 season but when his contracted expired at the end of the season he was given a free transfer. A brief spell at Exeter City then followed before he moved to Grindavik in Iceland. In June 2003 he announced his retirement from first class football at the age of 32, no doubt frustrated at the downhill spiral his career had taken over the previous few seasons.

Related Topics:
Portsmouth F.C. - Exeter City

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During 2003-04, Lee Sharpe made a brief return to football in the Kidderminster Sunday League before signing for Northern League Division One side Garforth Town the following summer.

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Lee Sharpe was capped eight times by the England team between 1991 and 1995.

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Sharpe is regarded by many, alongside George Best and Paul Gascoigne, as a superb talent who lost his edge due to his celebrity life.

Related Topics:
George Best - Paul Gascoigne

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