Alan Lee joined Ipswich Town in January 2006.
It’s 20 years since Alan Lee joined Ipswich Town, so Ross Halls takes a look back at his time and best moments at Portman Road…
Alan Lee, pictured signing for Ipswich Town.
The Irish forward was signed by then manager Joe Royle for a fee of just £100,000 from Championship rivals Cardiff City in January 2006.
Lee, who started his career in England with Aston Villa, had spells at Burnley and Rotherham United before making the £850,000 switch to the Bluebirds in August 2003.
He scored 12 goals in 96 games for the Welsh club, so hardly prolific – but he was an experienced striker in the second tier and had won seven senior caps for Republic of Ireland at the time.
Alan Lee celebrates scoring twice at Southampton.
And that led to the Galway-born frontman linking up with Town, who were having a mixed bag season at this point – and Lee got off to a great start in a Blues shirt.
He bagged a brace on his second appearance for the club in a 2-0 win at Southampton, before netting a further two goals in 2-1 wins over Burnley and Crewe the following month, quickly becoming a fan favourite.
But Lee failed to score for the rest of the 2005/06 campaign with injuries disrupting that period as Town finished 15th in the table, an outcome which saw Royle sacked and replaced by Town legend Jim Magilton.
Jim Magilton and Alan Lee, pictured during a game. (Image: NQ)
Lee, now playing under his former captain and team-mate, enjoyed his first full season in Suffolk as he bagged his second senior hat-trick of his career in the televised 5-0 home win over Luton Town in October 2006.
He ended the 2006/07 campaign with 17 goals in 44 games, including a header that famously relegated Leeds United to League One on the last day of that season.
His 88th minute equaliser at Elland Road caused a riot which saw Leeds fans invade the pitch as they knew their fate was sealed.
Alan Lee celebrates his goal at Leeds United.
Lee enjoyed a goalscoring start to his second Town season as he notched four goals in the opening three games, including a brace in the opening day 4-1 home win over Sheffield Wednesday.
The Irishman had great quality to get past the backline and boasted good physicality, which left defenders very aware they’d been in a battle with him up top.
He completed the 2007/08 season with a tally of 12 goals, including netting against Norwich City at Carrow Road in the East Anglian derby.
Alan Lee celebrates his goal against Norwich at Carrow Road in 2007 (Image: Newsquest)
He departed Town to join Crystal Palace in the summer of 2008, moving for a fee of
£600,000, before he made a controversial loan move to Norwich in 2009.
Lee spent three months on loan in Norfolk but has since apologised to Town fans for his spell with the Canaries – insisting his heart has always been in Suffolk, when he returned to the Blues as a player in 2013, having enjoyed a stint at Huddersfield.
In total, he scored 34 goals in 110 games during his two spells at Portman Road and became a academy coach at the club after he retired from playing football in the summer of 2014.
Alan Lee scored 34 goals during his spells at Ipswich Town. (Image: NQ)
Lee still lives in Suffolk to this day and is often seen at Portman Road in hospitality and as a pundit for Town TV.
He is now the head of Culford School’s football programme in Bury St Edmunds and works for Bexley Independent Financial Services.
Of course, you can’t forget his chant – to the tune of Gold by Spandau Ballet – so let’s give it a sing!
“Alan Lee GOAL, Always believing he’ll score, you’ve got the power to know you’re indestructible. Always believing, Alan Lee GOAL!”
What are you memories of his spell at Portman Road? Let us know in the comments below! ⬇️
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