OLLY LEE

Full Name: Oliver Robert Lee

Born: 11 July 1991

Came from: Birmingham City   Went to: Birmingham City

First game: 17 January 2015   Last game: 14 April 2015

Appearances: 15 (9/6)   Goals: 2

Midfielder Lee came to Home Park as John Sheridan's second loan signing of the January 2015 transfer window, a week after Tom Flanagan's arrival from MK Dons. The son of ex-England international Rob Lee, Olly joined on a one month loan from Birmingham City.

Born in Hornchurch in Essex, in keeping with family tradition he started his youth career with West Ham United, the club both his father and brother Elliot played for. He signed professional terms at Upton Park in 2009 but unlike father and brother, didn't manage a first team appearance. He was, however, loaned to near-neighbours Dagenham & Redbridge towards the end of the 2010-2011 season and made his Football League debut there, going on to make 5 appearances as the club were relegated to League Two. In August 2012 he returned to the Daggers for a second spell on an initial month's loan to cover for injuries. This was later extended by a further two months and he made another 17 appearances and scored 3 goals before returning to Upton Park. In February 2012, after a two-week trial, he joined Gillingham for a month, which was again extended for a second month. He made 7 appearances for the Kent club but on his return was released by West Ham at the end of the 2011-12 season.

During the 2012 close season he was signed by former Argyle loanee Mark Robson, who was in charge at Barnet. He made 13 appearances for the Bees but was used less frequently once Edgar Davids arrived and not at all following the departure of Robson. He was loaned to Birmingham City in February 2013 but other than being a non-playing substitute for the last match of the season, did not make a first team appearance. However, he had done enough to earn a permanent move and signed a one year deal in May 2013. He made his Blues debut, ironically against Argyle, at St Andrew's in a 3-2 League Cup win in August 2013, just before Lewis Alessandra's equaliser took a thrilling game into extra time. He went on to make 20 appearances for the Championship club, scoring twice, but having not appeared at all for Birmingham in the 2014-15 season, then moved to Home Park on loan.

Lee made seven appearances during his first month at Home Park, a period that largely coincided with an uplift in the team's fortunes, but he was sent off with the month almost up, in a 3-1 away win at Exeter in February 2015. He was obliged to return to St Andrew's to serve his three-game suspension, even though John Sheridan wanted to retain his services until the end of the 2014-15 season. Birmingham agreed to the loan extension and, having served his suspension, Lee returned to Home Park in early March to continue playing in green, although a groin injury prevented him from playing his part in Argyle's final games of the campaign.

After Birmingham opted not to renew the 24-year-old's contract, Lee signed a short-term contract with Luton Town in August 2015, which was converted to a two-year deal a month later. He went on to score 11 times in 123 appearances for the Bedfordshire club, before moving to Scottish Premiership side Heart of Midlothian on a three-year contract during the summer of 2018.

After clocking up 41 appearances in his first year with Hearts, Lee was loaned to Gillingham for the 2019-20 season, and then returned north of the border to fight for his place back in Edinburgh. However, in January 2021 he returned to the Priestfield Stadium for a second loan spell, which was followed by a full contract with the Gills that summer. At the time of leaving Tynecastle, he had played 58 times and scored nine for the Edinburgh side.

In total he spent four seasons with Gillingham, his last being 2022-23, clocking up 105 appearances and scoring 12 goals before retiring and becoming an under-18s coach at Ipswich Town.