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First Team

Worcester City: Player Spotlight

Posted by Kelly Gilchrist
Posted on Thu 11 Aug 2016
Posted in First Team

This week’s player spotlight is Worcester City’s former Premier League striker Lee Hughes.

Hughes started his Football career in 1994 atย Kidderminster Harriers after he was released from his childhood club West Bromwich Albion as a teenager.

While working part-time as a roofer, Hughes netted 70 goals in 139 appearances in non-league before earning his move back to West Brom for ยฃ200,000.

Over the next four seasons Hughes would go on to score 86 goals in the First Division (now Championship) and in the 1998/99 season was named in the leaguesย PFA Team of the Year, aged just 21.

This earned the youngster a move to newly relegated Coventry City in 2001ย for a fee of ยฃ5,000,001, the amount needed to trigger his release cause, where he would bag himself 14 goals in his first season at Highfield Road.

However, after a second season ruined by injuriesย Hughes returned to now Premier Leagueย West Brom for a fee of ยฃ2.5m. During his time in the top-flight Hughes failed to score a single goal in 23 appearances and the club were relegated back to the First Division.

During the following season Hughes was arrested and convicted of causing death by dangerous driving and returned to Football with Oldham Athletic in 2007 where he enjoyed a successful two seasons before moving back to the midlands with Notts County.

While at Notts County he played under director of football Sven-Goran Eriksson in a side that also featured past and future Premier League Winners Sol Campbell and Kasper Schmeichel respectively.

Moves to Port Vale, Forest Green Rovers and a return to Kidderminster Harriers followed before Hughes, now aged 40, completed his move to Worcester City on non-contract terms.

Hughes bagged 15 goals last season in the Vanaramaย National League North and will be looking to better his tally this campaign.

Read more posts by Kelly Gilchrist

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