Club career Tom Lees

1 club career

1.1 leeds united

1.1.1 accrington stanley loan spell
1.1.2 return leeds
1.1.3 bury loan
1.1.4 leeds first team


1.2 sheffield wednesday

club career
leeds united

lees began football career @ leeds united when joined eight-year-old. part of club, watched side young age , developed admiration united s legendary defender lucas radebe. progressed through youth ranks , involved in england u16 set in summer of 2005. development later hindered during years scholar club when knee injury required operation when 17. after completed rehabilitation, lees turned professional in january 2009 when signed two-and-a-half year contract club.

he later experienced first taste of senior football leeds when included in simon grayson s squad pre-season friendly tour of republic of ireland , northern ireland , featured in matches against shelbourne , glentoran. senior central defenders rui marques, patrick kisnorbo, richard naylor, lubomir michalik, leigh bromby , paul huntington in first team squad, lees found opportunities limited 2009–10 season club looking sending him out on loan gain experience.

accrington stanley loan spell

he joined accrington stanley on loan on 1 september 2009, of leeds manager simon grayson commented on saying; move accrington give him opportunity spend time in first team environment , keeping eye on him . made debut on same day accrington in 2–1 away win on oldham athletic in football league trophy.

with lees impressing in first few games accrington, simon grayson revealed keen lees stay out on loan @ accrington continue first team games. in late december, lees loan @ accrington extended until end of 2009–10 season. on 23 february 2010, lees signed two-year contract extension leeds united until july 2012. during loan spell @ accrington, lees played right back. impressed in 46 appearances played in competitions, , accrington stanley manager john coleman revealed wanted re-sign lees again following season.

return leeds

at end of 2009–10 season lees returned leeds after playing 39 league games accrington stanley, , 45 games in competitions. following season, featured in both of leeds united s pre-season games in slovakia against mfk ružomberok , mfk košice part of 20-man squad traveled. lees played leeds in norway against sk brann. in leeds final pre-season fixture, lees unused substitute against wolverhampton wanderers in 3–1 victory @ elland road.

bury loan

on 3 august 2010, lees joined league 2 side bury on six-month loan in order gain more first team experience. lees played against bury 2 weeks prior signing, when came on substitute leeds in 4–0 loss. on 14 august, scored first goal of season @ kassam stadium versus newly promoted oxford united collecting second man of match award bury. lees scored second goal of season bury against exeter city in fa cup. lees impressing in loan spell linked new contract @ leeds. on 10 december signed new 2 , half year contract leeds, , announced on 30 december, had extended loan @ bury until end of season.

lees scored winner bury in 1–0 win against lincoln on 22 april. lees scored winner in 1–0 victory on burton albion. on 25 april scored fifth goal of season in club s 3–2 win on league leaders chesterfield, game confirmed bury s promotion league one. after impressive season @ bury, leeds manager simon grayson stated thought lees had big future @ leeds united. during loan spell played 50 times club, , appeared in 1 of bury s league matches. lees won players player of year award @ bury s annual player of season awards ceremony. bury manager richie barker said believed lees best young centre half in league 2 , heavily praised lees in interview in yorkshire evening post.

leeds first team

after returning leeds, played part in leeds 2011–12 pre-season fixtures either substitute or in starting lineup. received squad number 22 forthcoming season. lees made debut against bradford city second-half substitute in 3–2 victory, making instant impact gaining assist setting opening goal ross mccormack. lees made league debut leeds on 13 august against middlesbrough in match leeds lost 1–0. scored own goal in second start leeds against hull city, made amends when scored first goal club in same game strike inside penalty area. despite being central defender, lees found himself regular right leeds patrick kisnorbo , darren o dea preferred central defence partnership. lees part of leeds team came undone in 3–0 loss against fierce rivals manchester united in league cup, lees scored leeds on in game found header cleared off line.

lees signed new contract extension club on 30 september, new contract extended existing contract until 2015. after playing games @ right leeds, lees moved favoured centre position against portsmouth on 1 october, leeds kept first clean sheet of season in same game. lees second goal of season came in leeds 3–0 win against doncaster rovers on 14 october. lees provided assist robert snodgrass in 1–1 draw against cardiff city. lees red carded deliberate handball after error goalkeeper paul rachubka against blackpool.

lees revealed in april had broken nose 4 times on course of season , require surgery on damaged nose when season finished. lees named leeds young player of year during end of season awards on 28 april.

at end of 2011–12 season, leeds manager neil warnock revealed on 2 may lees had been offered new contract @ leeds united. warnock revealed yorkshire radio felt lees had been 1 of bright sparks of season , had become 1 of first names on team sheet leeds. subsequently given number 4 squad shirt beginning of 2012–13 season. lees first goal of season came in leeds 2–1 defeat against blackpool. lees scored second goal of season in league cup match against oxford united.

sheffield wednesday

in august 2014, lees joined sheffield wednesday on free transfer.