 Tomlin playing forBristol City in 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Lee Marc Tomlin[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1989-01-12)12 January 1989 (age 37)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Leicester, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2] | ||
| Position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Morecambe (joint-caretaker manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1996–2005 | Leicester City | ||
| 2005 | Rushden & Diamonds | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2005–2010 | Rushden & Diamonds | 156 | (27) |
| 2007 | →Brackley Town (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2010–2014 | Peterborough United | 135 | (32) |
| 2014–2015 | Middlesbrough | 56 | (11) |
| 2015–2016 | AFC Bournemouth | 6 | (0) |
| 2016 | →Bristol City (loan) | 18 | (6) |
| 2016–2017 | Bristol City | 38 | (6) |
| 2017–2021 | Cardiff City | 51 | (10) |
| 2018 | →Nottingham Forest (loan) | 15 | (4) |
| 2019 | →Peterborough United (loan) | 19 | (2) |
| 2022 | Walsall | 5 | (0) |
| 2022 | Doncaster Rovers | 9 | (1) |
| 2022–2023 | Ilkeston Town | 10 | (3) |
| 2023 | Harborough Town | 4 | (0) |
| Total | 524 | (102) | |
| International career | |||
| 2009 | England C | 2 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2026– | Morecambe (joint-caretaker) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 31 December 2023 | |||
Lee Marc Tomlin (born 12 January 1989) is an English professionalfootball coach and former player who played as a midfielder. He is currently joint-caretaker manager atNational League clubMorecambe.
Tomlin was born inLeicester, Leicestershire.[2] He started his career with theyouth system ofLeicester City in 1996 before joiningRushden & Diamonds's youth system in 2005.[3] In October 2005, he became Rushden's youngest everfirst-team player when he came on as asubstitute forDrewe Broughton in the 74th minute.[4] Throughout the rest of the season he made several more substitute appearances, but his first start came in November 2005, in an FA Cup first round replay againstHalifax Town. He made 21 appearances inLeague Two in the2005–06 season.[5]
Before the2006–07 season, Tomlin attracted the attention of several big clubs and he earned a trial withLiverpool.[6] Throughout the season, he made more starts and became more of a regular in the Rushden starting eleven.[7] On 21 October 2006, he scored his first goal for the club againstWeymouth, the match afterPaul Hart was sacked, in the 21st minute.[8] He immediately followed this with another goal, this time againstAltrincham in theFA Cup fourth qualifying round.[9] He scored four goals during the season, playing as a forward and on both wings.[10]
Tomlin joinedSouthern League Premier Division clubBrackley Town in October 2007 on a one-monthloan,[11] making two appearances.[12]
Tomlin switched to left midfield for the2009–10 season, under his influential managerJustin Edinburgh whom he credited for his development and achieving his move to the Football League.[13] Following the end of the season a six-figure bid for Tomlin was rejected from another Blue Square Bet Premier club believed to beCrawley Town and Rushden confirmed he would be offered a new contract.[14]
Tomlin signed forLeague One clubPeterborough United for an undisclosed fee on 6 August 2010.[15] He went on to assist the team gain promotion with a hard working display againstHuddersfield Town atOld Trafford, which The Posh won 3–0.[16]
He continued to develop his reputation at Championship level and on 20 August 2011, he scored his first professionalhat-trick in a game againstIpswich Town, helping Peterborough to a 7–1 win.[17]
Tomlin beat five defenders to score in Peterborough's last game of the2012–13 season, away toCrystal Palace, but a 3–2 defeat confirmed their relegation back to League One.[18]
On 31 January 2014, Tomlin signed forMiddlesbrough on loan for the remainder of the2013–14 season with a view to a permanent move. On 18 February, it was announced that he had signed permanently on a three-and-a-half-year contract.[19] Tomlin made his debut on 22 February in a 0–0 draw againstLeeds United, coming on as a substitute forKei Kamara.[20]
In the2014-15 season, Tomlin made 29 starts and a further 10 substitute appearances in the league as Middlesbrough competed at the top of the table.
After a run of fine performances, most notably in Middlesbrough's 2–0 victory over Manchester City in the FA Cup, Tomlin was namedChampionship Player of the Month for January 2015.[21]
The club finished 4th in the league to qualify for the Championship play-offs. Tomlin started in both legs of the semi-final againstBrentford, and scored the first of three goals in a 3–0 second leg home win which took the aggregate score to 5–1, and saw Middlesbrough progress to the final. Ultimately Middlesbrough lost thefinal 2–0 toNorwich City atWembley. Across the season Tomlin made a total of 48 appearances in league and cup competitions, scoring 9 goals.
On 4 August 2015, Tomlin signed forPremier League newcomersAFC Bournemouth on a three-year deal for a fee of around £3.5 million.[22] He made his debut againstLiverpool, coming on forYann Kermorgant.[23] He scored his only goal for Bournemouth in the2015–16 season, a penalty againstBirmingham City in theFA Cup.[24]
Tomlin signed forChampionship club,Bristol City on a season-long loan, on 27 January 2016.[25] He later made his debut in a goalless draw against Birmingham City on 30 January.[26] Tomlin went onto score 6 goals in 18 appearances, including goals in a 6–0 win overBolton Wanderers and a 4–0 win over Huddersfield Town.[citation needed]
During the summer, Tomlin opened talks with Bristol City and took part in a medical on 4 July.[27]
On 13 July 2017, Tomlin joinedChampionship rivalsCardiff City on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee,[28] making his debut for the club on the opening day of the 2017–18 season during a 1–0 victory overBurton Albion.[29]
On 31 January 2018, Tomlin joinedNottingham Forest on loan in a swap deal withJamie Ward moving to Cardiff on loan in return.[30] He scored his first goal for Forest in a 1–1 draw withReading on 20 February 2018.[31]
On 18 December 2018, it was announced that Tomlin was training withPeterborough United and would return to the club on loan from 1 January 2019 until the end of the season.[32] However, the move was delayed due to paperwork issues.[33] The transfer was eventually completed on 8 January.[34]
Tomlin signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract with Cardiff on 10 January 2020.[35]
Tomlin left the club by mutual consent on 4 October 2021.[36]
On 25 February 2022, Tomlin signed forEFL League Two clubWalsall on a short-term deal until the end of the2021–22 season.[37] Tomlin made five appearances with the club, four of which off the bench, before being released at the end of the season.[38]
After playing forDoncaster Rovers in summer 2022, Tomlin retired due to injury in October 2022.[39]
On 1 December 2022, Tomlin came out of his retirement to joinIlkeston Town as player-coach.[40]
On 20 August 2025, Tomlin was appointed as assistant manager ofNational League clubMorecambe.[41] In January 2026, he was appointed joint-caretaker manager following the sacking ofAshvir Singh Johal.[42]
Tomlin wascapped twice by theEngland national C team in 2009.[43]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Rushden & Diamonds | 2005–06[5] | League Two | 21 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 26 | 0 |
| 2006–07[7] | Conference National | 25 | 4 | 3 | 1 | — | 2[b] | 1 | 30 | 6 | ||
| 2007–08[44] | Conference Premier | 34 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 7[c] | 3 | 42 | 4 | ||
| 2008–09[45] | Conference Premier | 41 | 8 | 1 | 0 | — | 3[b] | 0 | 45 | 8 | ||
| 2009–10[46] | Conference Premier | 35 | 14 | 3 | 1 | — | 4[d] | 0 | 42 | 15 | ||
| Total | 156 | 27 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 4 | 185 | 33 | ||
| Brackley Town (loan) | 2007–08[12] | SL Premier Division | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| Peterborough United | 2010–11[47] | League One | 37 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4[e] | 0 | 47 | 11 |
| 2011–12[48] | Championship | 37 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 40 | 9 | ||
| 2012–13[49] | Championship | 42 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | 44 | 13 | ||
| 2013–14[50] | League One | 19 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 1[a] | 0 | 25 | 10 | |
| Total | 135 | 32 | 7 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 156 | 43 | ||
| Middlesbrough | 2013–14[50] | Championship | 14 | 4 | — | — | — | 14 | 4 | |||
| 2014–15[51] | Championship | 42 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3[f] | 1 | 50 | 10 | |
| Total | 56 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 64 | 14 | ||
| AFC Bournemouth | 2015–16[52] | Premier League | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 10 | 1 | |
| Bristol City (loan) | 2015–16[52] | Championship | 18 | 6 | — | — | — | 18 | 6 | |||
| Bristol City | 2016–17[53] | Championship | 38 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 42 | 7 | |
| Total | 56 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 60 | 13 | |||
| Cardiff City | 2017–18[54] | Championship | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 16 | 1 | |
| 2018–19[55] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2019–20[56] | Championship | 33 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[g] | 1 | 36 | 9 | |
| 2020–21[57] | Championship | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2021–22[58] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 51 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 56 | 10 | ||
| Nottingham Forest (loan) | 2017–18[54] | Championship | 15 | 4 | — | — | — | 15 | 4 | |||
| Peterborough United (loan) | 2018–19[55] | League One | 19 | 2 | — | — | 2[h] | 0 | 21 | 2 | ||
| Walsall | 2021–22[58] | League Two | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Doncaster Rovers | 2022–23 | League Two | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| Career total | 510 | 99 | 25 | 6 | 20 | 11 | 30 | 6 | 585 | 122 | ||
Peterborough United
Cardiff City
Individual
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