Experienced midfielder Lee Richardson was this week named Caretaker Assistant manager. Lee though signed for the Spireites from Huddersfield Town after a spell with Livingston just a few days before the start of the successful 2000-01 promotion campaign. Apart from a couple of short injury spells he was an automatic choice for the midfield holding role and made 30 league appearances last term, though he has yet to open his goalscoring account in a Chesterfield shirt.
Lee, 5'11" tall and 12 stone in weight, was born in Halifax on Mar 12 1969. After being a member of a successful junior side he joined his hometown team as a YTS trainee in 1985. After signing as a professional two years later he went on to make over 60 appearances for Halifax Town but moved on in February 1989 to Watford, for a fee of £175,000.
He stayed at Vicarage Road for a season and a half, making 41 appearances, before Blackburn Rovers came along with £250,000 cheque in August 1990. Lee was in at the beginning of Rovers' rise to Premiership eminence, playing 62 games and helping them to promotion in 1991-92 from the old second division to the brand-new FA Premier League. In September 1992 came the opportunity for a spell north of the border, with a fee of £150,000 securing a move for Lee to Aberdeen in the Scottish Premier League.
Lee In Action For Oldham
Two years followed at Pittodrie, including cup final appearances, before Lee was on the move again in August 1994 - this time back to the north of England and Oldham Athletic, for a fee of £300,000. Lee's longest (so far) spell at one club followed, with a four-year stint at Boundary Park and 88 league appearances before a move to Huddersfield Town for £75,000 in 1998. During his spell at the McAlpine Stadium Lee spent time on loan at Livingston, then in the Scottish First Division, before being freed at the 1999-00 season. After a spell of pre-season training with Notts County, but no firm offer of a deal, Lee signed a two-year Saltergate contract just before the start of 2000-01. His mature performances in midfield were a big factor in the Spireites promotion. Lee finally broke his scoring duck this season against Swindon hopefully we won't have to wait to much longer for goal number two.
By Ken Foster
