Lee: Alexander H. (Alex)

WW2 Guest: 1940-1941 (Leeds United War-time Guest Player Details)

Goalkeeper

Born: Unknown: Unknown

Debut: v Darlington (h): 09-03-1940

Height & Weight: Unknown

Little is known about Alex Lee, other than he was on the books of Leeds United in the WarYears. Neil Roche has advised " Alex H. Lee was an amateur with Leeds United and first started in their Yorkshire League side in September 1937 and had progressed to the Reserve team by autumn 1938. He became a member of the R.A.F. and was R.A.F. heavyweight champion. Service duties kept him away from the club until the start of 1940 but became the club's first choice goalkeeper until the end of the season. He then played some of the early games in the 1941-42 season, but also managed nine appearances that season for Bradford City. He made one appearance for York City in October 1942. His service dutiesthen took him away from the area and he later made eighteen appearances in 1944-45 for Northampton Town and followed this up with another eleven games for the club in the following season. His sporting ability may be judged by his activities on Christmas Day 1940. He played for Leeds United in a 2-1 win over Bradford Park Avenue at Elland Road in a game that kicked off at 11 a.m. and, having the afternoon free he arranged to play for Bramley RLFC as a forward in their game at Odsal Stadium against Bradford Northern, which kicked off at 3 p.m." However, he played fairly regularly for Leeds United during the early War Years. He made his debut on 9th March 1940 in a 3-2 home win over Darlington the 1939-40 Regional League North-East Division. He was given a chance after George Swindin had played the first nine games of the season after United could not call on regular keepers Jim Twomey and Norman Wharton. He played the last nine games and the four War Cup games in that season. In the 1940-41 North Regional League he was the United keeper for the first fourteen games but then missed one game as John Hodgson deputised, before playing the next five games until Jack Daniels took over for one game before Lee played one more League game and four War Cup games. In the following season, he played the first seven games in the 1941-42 Football League Northern Section (First Championship) before Jack Daniels became the regular United keeper for the rest of the War. He did, however, play one more game that campaign. It was atOutside Left on 6th December 1941 when United beat Bradford City 4-2 at Elland Road. He was not afraid to play in the outfield positions and after injury in the home game with Chesterfield on 11th January 1941 he played in the forwards and scored twice. He served as a Sergeant in the RAF during the War years and this dictated when and where he was available. In addition to his games with Leeds United, he played once for Halifax Town in 1939-40, nine times for Bradford City in 1941-42, twice for York City in 1942-43, and eighteen for Northampton Town in 1944-45 and a further eleven in 1945-46. It is not thought that Lee played professionally in the Football League.