Lee Gregory (footballer)

Lee Andrew Gregory (born 26 August 1988) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for Championship club Stoke City.

Lee Gregory
Gregory playing for Millwall in 2015
Personal information
Full name Lee Andrew Gregory[1]
Date of birth (1988-08-26) 26 August 1988[2]
Place of birth Sheffield, England
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)[2]
Playing position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 Stoke City
Number 19
Youth career
2006–2008 Sheffield United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2009 Staveley Miners Welfare
2009–2011 Mansfield Town 2 (1)
2009 → Glapwell (loan)
2009 → Harrogate Town (loan) 9 (0)
2010 → FC Halifax Town (loan) 10 (5)
2011–2014 FC Halifax Town 129 (82)
2014–2019 Millwall 204 (64)
2019– Stoke City 33 (4)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15:53, 27 June 2020 (UTC)

Gregory started playing football at the Sheffield United Academy. He was not offered a professional contract with the Blades and so he went and played non-league football with Staveley Miners Welfare whilst learning to become an electrician. After a prolific season with Staveley he joined Mansfield Town in September 2009. He failed to break into the first team at Field Mill and after loan spells with Glapwell, Harrogate Town and FC Halifax Town he signed for the later on a permanent basis. He became a regular goalscorer at The Shay helping them win the Northern Premier League Premier Division title in 2010–11 and promotion from the National League North via the play-offs in 2012–13. His goals earned him a move to Championship club Millwall in June 2014. Gregory scored 27 goals in 2015–16 and helped the Lions beat Bradford City in the 2017 EFL League One play-off Final. He scored 77 goals in 238 appearances for Millwall before joining Stoke City in June 2019.

Career

Early career

Born in Sheffield, Gregory played for the Sheffield United Academy and was released in 2008.[3] Following his release from the Blades' academy Gregory, began working as an electrician whilst playing for Northern Counties East League side Staveley Miners Welfare.[4] He scored 37 goals in the 2008–09 season with Staveley which saw him attract interest from higher placed clubs.[5]

In September 2009 he signed with Conference Premier side Mansfield Town, where he was told by manager David Holdsworth that he would be sent out on loan and then come back and stake a claim for the first team.[6][7] He spent time on loan at Glapwell (where he scored six goals in a single match – a 7–1 rout against Willenhall Town) and Conference North side Harrogate Town.[8][9] Despite scoring on his Stags debut in a 2–1 win against Southport on 11 September 2010, Gregory was unable to establish himself in Holdsworth's plans.[10]

FC Halifax Town

In the spring of 2010 Gregory was loaned to FC Halifax Town for the remainder of the season as back-up for the run-in in the eventual Northern Premier League Division One North title winning campaign, Gregory scoring five goals in 10 appearances, mainly coming off the bench.[11] He rejoined Halifax permanently in December 2010, being the club's third top scorer behind Jamie Vardy and Danny Holland as Halifax claimed back-to-back titles and promotions.[12]

Gregory finished the 2011–12 campaign in the Conference North as the club's top scorer with 18 league goals although promotion was missed out after losing to Gainsborough Trinity in the play-offs.[11] He scored a further 20 goals in the 2012–13 campaign as the Shaymen obtained another promotion this time via the play-offs after defeating Guiseley and then Brackley Town.[11] On 30 June 2013 Gregory signed a new two-year deal with Halifax,[13] and finished 2013–14 with 29 league goals under his name, being the division's second top goalscorer, behind only Luton Town's Andre Gray. Halifax finished in 5th position, losing to Cambridge United in the play-offs.[14] During the January transfer window Gregory nearly moved to Crawley Town.[15] At the end of the campaign Gregory was attracting interest from Football League clubs with Championship side Millwall making a number of bids.[16]

Millwall

On 16 June 2014, Gregory signed a three-year contract with Championship Millwall after the club agreed a fee with Halifax.[17] He scored his first Football League goal on 30 September 2014 in a 3–1 home defeat against Birmingham City.[18] Gregory was a regular in the 2014–15 season as Millwall struggled in the second tier and with relegation an inevitability, manager Ian Holloway was sacked in March 2014 and replaced by Neil Harris.[19][20] Gregory scored a hat-trick in a 3–3 draw against Derby County on 25 April 2015 but it was in vain as Rotherham United defeated Reading to relegate Millwall to League One.[21][22] Gregory scored on the opening day of the 2015–16 season, in a 2–1 victory over Shrewsbury Town.[23] He scored four goals against Plymouth Argyle in the EFL Trophy on 10 November 2015.[24] Gregory scored 17 goals in the second half of the campaign bringing his total to 27 which helped the Lions reach the 2016 Football League One play-off Final where they were beaten 3–1 by Barnsley.[25]

Gregory signed a contract extension with Millwall in September 2016.[26] Millwall were involved in a tense fight for a play-off place through out the season, eventually securing their place with a 4–3 final day success over Bristol Rovers, with Gregory scoring twice.[27] Gregory scored in the 3–2 semi-final 2nd leg win over Scunthorpe United and assisted Steve Morison for the only goal against Bradford City in the final.[28][29] He was sent-off for the first time in his professional career against Queens Park Rangers on 12 September 2017, a decision which angered manager Neil Harris.[30][31] Gregory scored ten goals in 47 appearances in 2017–18 as Millwall had a fine return to the Championship narrowly missing out on a play-off spot by three points.[32] At the end of campaign, his contract was extended by Millwall for an extra year after the club exercised an option.[33] He played 50 times in the 2018–19 season, scoring 13 goals helping the side successfully avoid relegation, finishing in 21st position.[34] Gregory left the Den at the end of the season with him expressing his desire to move back up north.[35][36]

Stoke City

On 25 June 2019, Gregory joined Championship side Stoke City.[37][38]

Career statistics
As of match played 27 June 2020
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Mansfield Town 2009–10 Conference Premier 00———00
2010–11[39] Conference Premier 2110——31
Total 2110——31
Harrogate Town (loan) 2009–10 Conference North 90———90
FC Halifax Town 2010–11[40] NPL Premier Division 2415——1[lower-alpha 1]12516
2011–12[41] Conference North 321841—4[lower-alpha 2]24021
2012–13[42][43] Conference North 372052—8[lower-alpha 3]45026
2013–14[42][44] Conference Premier 362922—2[lower-alpha 4]14032
Total 12982115—15815595
Millwall 2014–15[42][45] Championship 3991010—419
2015–16[42][46] League One 411821109[lower-alpha 5]85327
2016–17[42][47] League One 371760004[lower-alpha 6]14718
2017–18[42][48] Championship 43103010—4710
2018–19[42][49] Championship 44103132—5013
Total 204641526213923877
Stoke City 2019–20[42][50] Championship 3341000—344
Career total 377151287622817439177
  1. Appearance in Northern Premier League Challenge Cup
  2. Two appearances and two goals in Conference North play-offs, two in FA Trophy
  3. Three appearances and two goals in Conference North play-offs, five appearances and two goals in FA Trophy
  4. Appearances in Conference Premier play-offs
  5. Three appearances and two goals in League One play-offs, six appearances and six goals in Football League Trophy
  6. 1 Appearance in EFL Trophy Three appearances and one goal in League One play-offs

Honours

Millwall

FC Halifax Town

References
  1. "Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2018: Millwall" (PDF). English Football League. p. 25. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  2. "Lee Gregory". 11v11. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  3. "Millwall striker Lee Gregory was not going to allow sickness to stop him facing Sheffield United". London News Online. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  4. "The electrician charged with rewiring the Stoke City attack: introducing new signing Lee Gregory". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  5. "Gregory Signs Pro Deal with Stags". NCEFL. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  6. Mansfield sign striker Gregory Archived 11 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Nottingham Post, 12 September 2009
  7. "EXCLUSIVE: MILLWALL TALISMAN LEE GREGORY CHATS TO FLW ON CURRENT FORM, AMBITIONS AND JAMIE VARDY". Football League World. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  8. "Willenhall 1 Glapwell 7". Express and Star. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  9. "Harrogate Town sign Mansfield striker Lee Gregory". BBC Sport. 18 December 2009. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  10. "Southport 1-2 Mansfield". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  11. "Where are they Now: Lee Gregory". FC Halifax Town. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  12. Gregory Joins Shaymen Archived 10 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Northern Premier League, 25 December 2010
  13. Duo Commit To Shaymen Archived 9 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Halifax's official website, 30 June 2013
  14. "Cambridge 2-0 Halifax". BBC Sport. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  15. "Halifax Town striker Lee Gregory was 'desperate' to sign for Crawley Town". Crawley Observer. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  16. "MILLWALL SET TO MAKE A THIRD BID FOR HALIFAX STRIKER LEE GREGORY". Football League World. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  17. "Lee Gregory: Millwall sign FC Halifax Town striker". BBC Sport. 17 June 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  18. "Millwall 1–3 Birmingham". BBC Sport. 30 September 2014. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  19. "Ian Holloway sacked as Millwall manager after 14 months". BBC Sport. 10 March 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  20. "Millwall: Neil Harris named manager of relegated club". BBC Sport. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  21. "Millwall 3–3 Derby". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  22. "Rotherham 2–1 Reading". BBC Sport. 28 April 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  23. "Shrewsbury 1–2 Milwall". BBC Sport. 8 August 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  24. "Report: Plymouth 3-5 Millwall". News at Den. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  25. "Barnsley 3-1 Millwall". BBC Sport. 29 May 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  26. "Lee Gregory: Millwall striker signs new contract until 2018". BBC Sport. 9 September 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  27. "Bristol 3–4 Millwall". BBC Sport. 30 April 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  28. "Scunthorpe 2–3 Millwall". BBC Sport. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  29. "Millwall 1–0 Bradford". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  30. "QPR 2-2 Millwall". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  31. "Neil Harris: Millwall manager says Lee Gregory's red card was a 'poor decision'". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  32. "Millwall 1-0". BBC Sport. 6 May 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  33. "Tim Cahill and Jimmy Abdou: Millwall release veteran Australian and midfielder". BBC Sport. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 18 May 2018.
  34. "Millwall 0-0 Stoke". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  35. "Lee Gregory: Millwall's top goalscorer to leave Championship club after five years". BBC Sport. 8 May 2019. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
  36. "Lee Gregory's emotional message to Millwall fans as switch to Stoke City moves closer". Football.London. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  37. "Stoke City: Liam Lindsay, Adam Davies, Jordan Cousins, Nick Powell & Lee Gregory join Potters". BBC Sport. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  38. "Davies, Powell, Gregory, Cousins and Lindsay arrive…". Stoke City. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  39. "Games played by Lee Gregory in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  40. "FC Halifax Town season 2010/11". Shaymen Down South. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  41. Williams, Mike; Williams, Tony, eds. (2012). Non-League Club Directory 2013. Tony Williams Publications. pp. 46–47. ISBN 978-1-869833-77-0.
  42. "L. Gregory". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 17 January 2017.
  43. For cup matches not covered by Soccerway: "Report: Town V Abbey Hey". F.C. Halifax Town. 22 September 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
    "Chester FC 1 FC Halifax Town 1". Halifax Courier. 6 October 2012. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
    Carpenter, Steve (9 October 2012). "Controversial Cup exit for Blues". Chester FC. Archived from the original on 1 February 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
  44. "Games played by Lee Gregory in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  45. "Games played by Lee Gregory in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  46. "Games played by Lee Gregory in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  47. "Games played by Lee Gregory in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  48. "Games played by Lee Gregory in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  49. "Games played by Lee Gregory in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  50. "Games played by Lee Gregory in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm.
  51. Hunt, Josh (20 May 2017). "Bradford City 0–1 Millwall". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
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