54 Facts About Lee Hughes

Lee Hughes was born on 22 May 1976 and is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Midland League Premier Division club Stourport Swifts.

Lee Hughes continued to be a prolific goalscorer into his 40s and signed with AFC Telford United in February 2017.

Lee Hughes began his management career as joint-manager of Worcester City, alongside John Snape, in May 2017.

Lee Hughes later played for Grantham Town, Nuneaton Borough, Cradley Town and Stourport Swifts.

Lee Hughes spent four years at West Bromwich Albion as a schoolboy from ages 11 to 15, though was not offered a youth team contract.

Lee Hughes then had unsuccessful trials at numerous clubs, though came close to being offered a contract by Swansea City.

Lee Hughes instead started his career playing semi-professionally for Conference club Kidderminster Harriers, whilst holding down a part-time job as a roofer.

At this point in his career Lee Hughes was regarded as one of England's finest semi-professionals and was called up to the England national football C team.

In total, Lee Hughes scored 70 goals in 139 games for Kidderminster in all competitions.

Lee Hughes played for amateur touring side Middlesex Wanderers during their tour of Vietnam whilst he was aged 19.

Lee Hughes said "It was a dream to join the team I have supported all my life".

Lee Hughes finished his debut season as the club's top-scorer with 14 goals in 41 appearances, and was rewarded with a new four-year contract.

Lee Hughes claimed further hat-tricks against Crystal Palace and Huddersfield Town, and finished the season with 32 goals in 45 games.

Lee Hughes was named on the PFA Team of the Year for the First Division.

Lee Hughes then submitted a written transfer request, and his spokesman told the press that there have "been a number of things going on behind the scenes which have unsettled him recently".

Lee Hughes claimed two hat-tricks in seven days against Gillingham and Preston North End.

Lee Hughes refused to sign a new contract in July 2001, and was placed on the transfer list.

Lee Hughes spent the next three years in prison, serving half of his six-year sentence.

Lee Hughes failed to find the net in his first seven games, and underwent an operation to correct a hernia problem.

Lee Hughes picked up a groin injury in March 2008, and was sidelined for the rest of the season.

Lee Hughes was linked with a move to Doncaster Rovers in January 2009, but stayed put after talks with manager John Sheridan, who insisted Hughes was "very happy" at Oldham.

In March 2009, it was widely reported that Lee Hughes had been involved in a drunken brawl with Sheridan where Lee Hughes was reported to have had him "in a headlock".

On 26 March 2009, Lee Hughes joined Championship club Blackpool on loan until the end of the season.

Lee Hughes ended the campaign as Oldham's highest scorer with 18 goals in 40 appearances.

Lee Hughes signed for League Two team Notts County on a two-year contract on 22 July 2009, on the same day that Sven-Goran Eriksson arrived at the club as director of football.

In July 2010, Lee Hughes signed a one-year extension to his contract that would see him at Meadow Lane until the summer of 2012.

New signing Yoann Arquin became the county's first choice striker, and Lee Hughes announced his intention to leave the club in order to find first team football.

Lee Hughes was reported to have joined Port Vale on loan, with a view to a permanent move, on 22 November 2012; though the deal had yet to be ratified by the English Football League.

Lee Hughes's contract was terminated by mutual consent on 7 January 2013.

Lee Hughes joined Port Vale the day after securing his exit from Notts County, as the BBC reported that "promotion-chasing boss Micky Adams wants to bring him in to add impetus to a Vale attack who have occasionally misfired this term".

However Lee Hughes later revealed that Adams was against the transfer but had been overruled by chairman Norman Smurthwaite.

Lee Hughes marked his debut against the "Gills" with the winning goal that sent Vale to the top of the table.

Vale were promoted at the end of the season, with Lee Hughes scoring ten goals in his 18 games, ensuring his contract was extended until summer 2014.

Lee Hughes has the experience we need and I believe he'll score goals.

On 30 January 2015, Lee Hughes returned to Conference Premier club Kidderminster Harriers on a deal till the end of the season after having his contract with Forest Green Rovers mutually terminated.

In September 2015, Lee Hughes signed for Worcester City on non-contract terms, who played at Aggborough, the home of Kidderminster Harriers where he started his career.

In March 2018, Lee Hughes signed for Northern Premier League Premier Division side Halesowen Town as a player.

Lee Hughes left Halesowen in August 2019, after losing his place in the starting eleven.

Lee Hughes ended up signing with Nuneaton in March 2020, before he announced his retirement a month later, at the age of 43.

In October 2021, having made one scoring appearance for Cradley Town, Lee Hughes appeared on the team-list for Stourport Swifts.

Lee Hughes rejoined Worcester City as both a player and as joint-manager, alongside John Snape, on 4 May 2017; Worcester had just been relegated out of the National League North.

Lee Hughes maintained a "natural goalscoring instinct" throughout his career, and has said "I always fancy myself to stick the ball in the back of the net if I get a chance".

In 1999, Sharlene Gillies claimed that she and Lee Hughes had a child together.

Lee Hughes stated that "I don't think Donna was particularly happy with all the limelight that comes with football", though insisted that barracking from opposition fans only made him more determined to put in a good performance on the pitch.

Lee Hughes married air hostess Anna Kuzmanic in June 2000 in the Croatian town of Trogir.

On 23 November 2003, near his home in the Warwickshire village of Meriden, West Midlands, Lee Hughes lost control of his Mercedes CL55 AMG and went onto the wrong side of the road before colliding with a Renault Scenic.

Lee Hughes was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

Lee Hughes denied the charge, though later pleaded guilty to charges of failing to stop and failing to report an accident.

Lee Hughes claimed the brakes on his car had locked, though tests showed that the brakes were in perfect working order and had technology installed to prevent the driver from losing control.

Prosecutor Melbourne Inman QC told the court Lee Hughes had fled the scene to dodge a breath test.

On 9 August 2004, Lee Hughes was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving, and was sentenced to six years imprisonment.

Lee Hughes lodged an appeal against the sentence, but not the conviction.

Lee Hughes was released in August 2007, three years into his six-year sentence.

Lee Hughes was then charged with the offence on 30 January 2012.