Lee Croft

Football player infobox
playername = Lee Croft


fullname = Lee Robert Croft
nickname = Buzz
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1985|6|26
height = height|ft=5|in=11
cityofbirth = Billinge Higher End
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Norwich City
clubnumber = 7
position = Midfielder
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 2004–2006
2004–2005
2006–
clubs = Manchester City
→ Oldham Athletic (loan)
Norwich City
caps(goals) = 28 (1)
12 (0)
84 (5)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =
pcupdate = 15:58, 20 September 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate =

Lee Robert Croft (born 26 June, 1985 in Billinge Higher End, Greater Manchester), is an English footballer who currently plays as a midfielder for Norwich City of the Football League Championship. He has previously played for Oldham Athletic and Manchester City.

Croft's first club was Manchester City, who he joined as a twelve year old after scout Eric Mullenden spotted him playing for junior team Garswood United. [cite web |url=http://www.thefa.com/England/U19s/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2002/11/29619.htm |title=Croft stops Keegan feeling blue |accessdate=2007-09-25 |publisher=The FA ] cite web |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/oldham_athletic/s/137/137610_starlet_lee_loves_life_with_latics.html |title=Starlet Lee loves life with Latics |accessdate=2007-09-25 |publisher=Manchester Evening News ] He was a talented youth player, representing England at every level up to under-20, including captaining England under-18s. [cite web |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_city/s/73/73351_keegan_looks_to_next_generation.html |title=Keegan looks to next generation |accessdate=2007-09-25 |publisher=Manchester Evening News ] Accumulating more than 40 caps in total, [cite web |url=http://www.thefa.com/England/U20s/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2003/11/U20s_WY2003_SquadProfiles |title=Introducing the U20s |accessdate=2007-09-25 |publisher=The FA ] he is the most capped England youth player of all-time.cite web |url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11679_2335802,00.html |title=Croft stays with City |accessdate=2007-09-25 |publisher=Sky Sports ] At club level, he was part of the Manchester City youth team which reached the semi-finals of the 2003 FA Youth Cup. [cite web |url=http://www.thefa.com/TheFACup/TheFAYouthCup/NewsAndFeatures/Postings/2003/04/43834.htm |title=FA Youth Cup Final dates set |accessdate=2007-09-25 |publisher=The FA ]

Croft turned professional aged seventeen, but did not break into the first team straight away. In November 2004 Croft went to Oldham Athletic on loan in order to gain first-team experience. He made his senior debut on 14 November 2004 in an FA Cup tie against Thurrock, in which he won his side a penalty. He made his League debut the following week against Barnsley. Later that month a Football League Trophy match against Hartlepool United brought his first senior goal. [cite web |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/4047709.stm |title=Oldham 3-1 Hartlepool|accessdate=2007-09-25 |publisher=BBC] An FA Cup third round draw between Oldham and Manchester City raised the possibility of Croft facing his employers as an opposing player, but competition rules prevented him from doing so. [cite web |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_city/s/139/139672_cup_heartbreak_for_croft.html |title=Cup heartbreak for Croft |accessdate=2007-09-25 |publisher=Manchester Evening News ] Croft's loan spell lasted three months, in which he made seventeen Oldham appearances and scored two goals.

His first team debut for Manchester City was on March 7, 2005 against Bolton Wanderers, coming on as a substitute in Kevin Keegan's final game as Manchester City manager, and made a further six substitute appearances that season. In April 2005 he signed a one-year contract extension. Croft was a regular substitute at the start of the 2005–06 season. His first Premier League start came on 31 October 2005 against Aston Villa, and his first Manchester City goal came a week later in a match against Fulham. He also started the next two matches, but this run of four matches was to be the only period Croft formed part of the Manchester City starting eleven. He was a frequent substitute in the remainder of the season, finishing with campaign with 25 appearances, 21 of these as a substitute.

On July 28 2006 he signed for Norwich City for a fee of around £700,000 and scored his first goal for the club on 12 August 2006 in a 3-2 win against Luton at Carrow Road.

Croft continued his good start at Carrow Road with another goal in the 5-1 demolition of Barnsley on August 26 2006 and was seen by many City fans as providing balance to the team on the right-hand side that had been missing for some time. On 28 October 2006, however, it was announced that Croft would be absent from first team duties for a possible 6 weeks following an injury during Norwich's 5-0 defeat at Stoke City. After making his return from injury, Croft went for a long period without scoring, but finally got on the scoresheet with a goal in another game against Barnsley at Oakwell on March 3 2007.

Croft has been capped at schoolboy level by England more times than any other player. He played in the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship. Croft was a fan of Liverpool as a boy.

Mum Gina and Dad Paul are said to be the biggest influences on his career and his only Brother Stuart is also a talented footballer who is currently in The United States Of America on a four year football Scholarship.

Lee is nicknamed Buzz because of his uncanny look of Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story.

References

External links

* [http://www.canaries.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10355~31654,00.html Lee Croft player profile] at canaries.co.uk
* [http://www.mcfc.co.uk/default.sps?syndicatorguid=%7B7EB24EFC-E397-48B3-977A-BC40E4795300%7D&rmasiteinstanceguid=%7B5B147D34-2BCF-448D-976C-AE1944ED09F5%7D&pagegid=%7B439A001B-9F18-408E-BD8E-8466AB3C97FD%7D&bioid=12700&siteid=502 Lee Croft player profile] at mcfc.co.uk
*soccerbase|id=39644|name=Lee Croft
* [http://www.ex-canaries.co.uk/players/croft.htm Career information]