 Bowyer playing forBirmingham City in 2010 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Lee David Bowyer[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1977-01-03)3 January 1977 (age 48)[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Canning Town, London, England | ||
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[1] | ||
| Position | Midfielder[2] | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Senrab | |||
| Charlton Athletic | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1994–1996 | Charlton Athletic | 46 | (8) |
| 1996–2003 | Leeds United | 203 | (38) |
| 2003 | West Ham United | 10 | (0) |
| 2003–2006 | Newcastle United | 79 | (6) |
| 2006–2009 | West Ham United | 41 | (4) |
| 2009 | →Birmingham City (loan) | 17 | (1) |
| 2009–2011 | Birmingham City | 64 | (9) |
| 2011–2012 | Ipswich Town | 29 | (2) |
| Total | 489 | (68) | |
| International career | |||
| 1994–1995 | England U18 | 6 | (0) |
| 1995–2000 | England U21 | 13 | (4) |
| 2002 | England | 1 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2018–2021 | Charlton Athletic | ||
| 2021–2022 | Birmingham City | ||
| 2023–2024 | Montserrat | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Lee David Bowyer (/ˈboʊjər/; born 3 January 1977) is an Englishfootball manager and former professional player.
As a player, he was amidfielder who featured forCharlton Athletic,Leeds United,West Ham United (two spells),Newcastle United,Birmingham City andIpswich Town in over 18 years as a professional. He made 397 appearances in thePremier League, took part in semi-finals of theUEFA Cup andUEFA Champions League with Leeds and won theFootball League Cup with Birmingham in2011. Bowyer was capped once by theEngland national team. His career was punctuated by various incidents both on and off the field.
Bowyer has managed two of the clubs for which he formerly played. After three years in charge of Charlton Athletic, he left to become Birmingham City's manager in March 2021 and was sacked at the end of the following season. In September 2023 he was appointed as the head coach ofMontserrat.
Born inCanning Town, London,[1] Bowyer played for youth teamSenrab[3] before joiningCharlton Athletic as a schoolboy.[4] He turned professional in April 1994.[1] He first drew attention in 1995, when he and teammateDean Chandler failed a drugs test forcannabis use. Bowyer was dropped from the England under-18 squad and suspended for eight weeks while he took part in a rehabilitation course organised bythe Football Association (the FA).[5][6] He went on to become a first-team regular, making 58 appearances for Charlton and scoring 14 goals.[7] A particular highlight was Bowyer's hat-trick in a memorable 5–4 victory over Wimbledon FC in a League Cup second round first leg tie in September 1995.[8]
In 1996, he was signed byLeeds United managerHoward Wilkinson for £2.8 million, which was a record for a British teenager.[9] Later the same year, Bowyer was convicted ofaffray and fined £4,500 following an incident in aMcDonald's restaurant in London in whichCCTV footage showed Bowyer throwing chairs and racially abusing a staff member of Asian origin.[10][11]
Initially, Bowyer was kept out of the Leeds first team byAlfie Haaland andDavid Hopkin; he eventually replaced Hopkin in the1998–99 season, and from then on was a first-team regular. He was a key player inDavid O'Leary's Leeds side that qualified for theChampions League in1999–2000, and which reached the semi-finals of theUEFA Cup in 2000 and the Champions League in 2001. In the Champions League run he scored crucial goals againstA.C. Milan,Barcelona andAnderlecht. He was voted the Leeds player of the year by supporters in both 1998–99[9] and 2000–01.[12]
Following an incident near a Leeds nightclub in January 2000, in which an Asian student suffered severe injuries, Bowyer and teammateJonathan Woodgate were charged with causinggrievous bodily harm with intent and affray.[13] An initial trial atKingston upon Hull Crown Court collapsed in April 2001 after an article in a Sunday newspaper,[14] and following a second trial at the same venue which ended in December 2001, Bowyer was cleared of both charges while Woodgate was convicted of affray and sentenced tocommunity service.[15] Bowyer was generally recognised as playing some of the finest football of his career during this period[16] and would often go straight from court to play for Leeds.[17] In 2005, the player agreed a £170,000 out-of-court settlement of a civil action for damages brought by the victim and his brother, who had been less seriously hurt in the assault.[18]
After Bowyer's acquittal, Leeds fined him four weeks' wages for a breach of the club's code of conduct. Despite having had the backing of the club during the trial and the club paying his extensive legal fees, Bowyer took exception to the fine and was placed on the transfer list.[19] The dispute was later settled and Bowyer removed from the transfer list,[20] though he returned to it at the end of the season after turning down a new five-year contract. A £9 million fee was agreed for a move toLiverpool, which fell through with managerGérard Houllier not convinced the player had the "hunger or desire" to play for the club.[21] In January 2003, Bowyer signed forWest Ham United.[22] He had made 265 appearances for Leeds in all competitions, scoring 55 goals.[7]
Bowyer signed forWest Ham United on an initial six-month contract for a nominal transfer fee, which meant that should West Ham be relegated at the end of the 2002–03 season, the club would not be burdened with a large Premiership salary.[23] The transfer was not popular with a section of West Ham supporters who questioned Bowyer's attitude towards racism. A protest against his signing was held outsideUpton Park before Bowyer's introduction to the crowd.[24] Claims that Bowyer would have received a £1 million bonus had West Ham stayed up were denied by the club's then managerGlenn Roeder.[25] In the event, Bowyer was hampered by ankle injuries and made only eleven appearances for West Ham.[26] West Ham were relegated and Bowyer was not offered another contract.[26]
After West Ham were relegated at the end of the 2002–03 season, Bowyer joinedNewcastle United on afree transfer in July 2003.[27]
In April 2005, Bowyer was in the media spotlight again after an on-pitch brawl with teammateKieron Dyer in Newcastle United'sPremier League match withAston Villa. This resulted in a red card, plus an automatic three-game ban, for each player.The Football Association fined Bowyer £30,000 and imposed an additional three-game ban, and the club fined him six weeks' wages; Dyer was not fined as Bowyer was perceived to have thrown the first punch. In addition, Bowyer was charged byNorthumbria Police in connection with the brawl with offences under section four of thePublic Order Act. He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of using threatening behaviour and was fined £600 and ordered to pay £1,000 costs.[28]
Bowyer made 98 appearances for Newcastle in all competitions and scored 11 goals.[7]
Bowyer rejoined West Ham United, the club he supported as a boy, in June 2006 for an undisclosed fee, declaring that he had "unfinished business" with the club.[29] He made 22 appearances in the 2006–07 season,[30] which was disrupted by a dislocated shoulder suffered in West Ham United's 6–0 loss toReading in January 2007.[31] However, Bowyer made a quick and sooner-than-expected recovery and played in five of West Ham's crucial games towards the end of the season.[30]
He regained a regular place in the Hammers first team at the beginning of the 2007–08 season, scoring his first goals for West Ham againstWigan Athletic andMiddlesbrough, and then two more in the 5–0 victory overDerby County.[32]
In January 2009, Bowyer signed forBirmingham City on loan until the end of the 2008–09 season.[33] He made his debut on 17 January at home toCardiff City in theChampionship, scoring an equalising goal in the fourth minute ofstoppage time to make the score 1–1.[34] Following the expiry of his contract with West Ham United, Bowyer signed a two-year contract with Birmingham in July 2009.[35] He scored winning goals in consecutive Premier League matches, againstFulham andWolverhampton Wanderers, to take Birmingham into a mid-table position at the end of November,[36][37] and was part of the team that went on a run of 15 games unbeaten in all competitions, including a club record 12 unbeaten in the top flight,[38] as they finished in ninth place, the club's best for more than 50 years.[39]
In September 2010 Bowyer was forced to apologise for verbally abusing aWest Bromwich Albion supporter. The incident occurred following Bowyer's substitution after he had committed a rash challenge onGabriel Tamaș.[5] In the absence through injury ofCraig Gardner, Bowyer returned to the starting eleven for the match against championsChelsea in November 2010, and scored the only goal of the game to give his team a surprise victory,[40] and then followed that up with a late equaliser againstManchester United.[41] In January 2011, television replays highlighted incidents,[42] unnoticed by the match referee, in which Bowyer stamped on Arsenal defenderBacary Sagna and appeared to rake his studs down the same player'sAchilles. Suggestions in the media that Bowyer could receive a six-match ban[43] prompted Birmingham manager Alex McLeish to argue that the football authorities were not treating all clubs equally when using television evidence.[42][44] Bowyer received the standard three-match ban for violent conduct.[45]
From 2010, Bowyer held the record for mostyellow cards received in the Premier League;[3] by the end of that year, he had 98 yellow cards in the competition as well as five red.[5][46][A]
He made his first appearance in a major final in February 2011, in the starting eleven as Birmingham defeated favourites Arsenal 2–1 in theLeague Cup Final atWembley Stadium.[50] At that time, it was reported that he was not to be offered a contract extension,[50] in May, McLeish indicated an offer would be made,[51] but after Birmingham's relegation to the Championship, Bowyer left the club when his contract expired at the end of the 2010–11 season.[52]
On 10 July 2011, Bowyer joinedIpswich Town on a free transfer. He signed a one-year contract.[53] He scored his first goal for Ipswich with a late winner against former club West Ham United on 27 September.[54] He was released at the end of the 2011–12 season, having scored twice in 29 appearances, after which Bowyer retired from playing.[55]
During his early career at Leeds, Bowyer played for theEngland under-21 team, making 13 appearances for the national side.[56]
Bowyer's form during the 2000–01 season led to calls for inclusion in theEngland squad; however,the Football Association ruled that he could not be selected until the court case in relation to an assault on an Asian student was completed.[57] The FA eventually cleared Bowyer for selection following the conclusion of the court case and England managerSven-Göran Eriksson called him into the squad for an international friendly againstPortugal in September 2002.[58] Bowyer made his England debut in the game, setting up a goal for Leeds teammateAlan Smith.[59] It was his only appearance for England.[56]
In the autumn of 2015, Bowyer spent a month as a guest coach ofWatford's under-21 team, working under former Leeds teammateHarry Kewell.[60] After coaching at his first professional clubCharlton Athletic,[61] Bowyer was appointed as their assistant manager underKarl Robinson on 1 July 2017.[62]
On 22 March 2018, Bowyer was named caretaker manager of Charlton Athletic after former managerKarl Robinson left by mutual consent.[63] His managerial career began with a 2–0 win two days later againstPlymouth Argyle[64] After winning his first three games, in April he was given the role until the end of the season.[65] His spell in charge ended on 13 May after Charlton were beaten 2–0 on aggregate byShrewsbury Town in the League One play-off semi final.[66] On 14 June, Bowyer was renamed caretaker manager until further notice,[67] and on 6 September, his role was made permanent on a contract lasting until the end of the season.[68]
In Bowyer's first full season at the club, he guided the side to a third-placed finish inLeague One, and they facedDoncaster Rovers in theplay-offs over two legs. Charlton won the away leg 2–1, courtesy of goals fromJoe Aribo andLyle Taylor.[69] Doncaster's 88th-minute goal meant the second leg finished 3–3 in normal time. Both teams scored in extra time, resulting in a 4–4 aggregate score, and Charlton won thepenalty shootout 4–3.[70] They earned promotion to the Championship by beatingSunderland 2–1 in the play-off final atWembley Stadium, returning to the second tier of English football after a three-season absence.[71]
On 17 June 2019, Bowyer turned down the offer of a contract extension, with the club (and owner Roland Duchatelet) announcing that Bowyer and the club were unable to reach an agreement.[72] However, he later reversed his decision by signing a new year-long deal.[73] In October, he received a three-match touchline ban for "improper conduct and/or questioning the integrity of a match official".[74] Following the club's takeover by East Street Investments, Bowyer signed a new three-year deal on 22 January 2020.[75] Charlton were relegated on the final day of the 2019–20 season following a 4–0 defeat at his former club, Leeds United.[76]
Bowyer resigned as Charlton manager on 15 March 2021.[77]
On 16 March 2021, Bowyer replacedAitor Karanka as head coach of Birmingham City; he signed a two-and-a-half-year contract.[78] After 16 months in charge, Bowyer was sacked on 2 July 2022. During his final season in charge, Birmingham finished in 20th in the EFL Championship and won just four games in 26 after November 2021.[79]
Bowyer took charge of theMontserrat national football team in September 2023, winning his opening game 3–2 againstBarbados.[80] Bowyer won four of his 14 games in charge, and was replaced byAngus Eve for their June 2025 fixtures after relegation toCONCACAF Nations League C and losing their first two 2026 World Cup qualifiers.[81]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Charlton Athletic | 1994–95[82] | First Division | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | |
| 1995–96[82] | First Division | 41 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 2[a] | 0 | 52 | 14 | |
| Total[7] | 46 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 58 | 14 | ||
| Leeds United | 1996–97[83] | Premier League | 32 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 36 | 6 | |
| 1997–98[84] | Premier League | 25 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 31 | 4 | ||
| 1998–99[85] | Premier League | 35 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4[b] | 0 | 45 | 9 | |
| 1999–2000[86] | Premier League | 33 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11[b] | 5 | 48 | 11 | |
| 2000–01[87] | Premier League | 38 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15[c] | 6 | 54 | 15 | |
| 2001–02[88] | Premier League | 25 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[b] | 2 | 30 | 7 | |
| 2002–03[7] | Premier League | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5[b] | 0 | 21 | 3 | |
| Total | 203 | 38 | 16 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 38 | 13 | 265 | 55 | ||
| West Ham United | 2002–03[7] | Premier League | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 0 | ||
| Newcastle United | 2003–04[89] | Premier League | 24 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 25 | 2 |
| 2004–05[90] | Premier League | 27 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9[b] | 3 | 39 | 7 | |
| 2005–06[91] | Premier League | 28 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3[d] | 1 | 34 | 2 | |
| Total | 79 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 98 | 11 | ||
| West Ham United | 2006–07[30] | Premier League | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 22 | 0 |
| 2007–08[32] | Premier League | 15 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 20 | 4 | ||
| 2008–09[92] | Premier League | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | — | 7 | 1 | ||
| Total | 51 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 60 | 5 | ||
| Birmingham City (loan) | 2008–09[92] | Championship | 17 | 1 | — | — | — | 17 | 1 | |||
| Birmingham City | 2009–10[93] | Premier League | 35 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 42 | 6 | |
| 2010–11[94] | Premier League | 29 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | — | 35 | 5 | ||
| Total | 81 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 2 | — | 94 | 12 | |||
| Ipswich Town | 2011–12[95] | Championship | 29 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 29 | 2 | |
| Career total | 489 | 68 | 32 | 5 | 28 | 9 | 55 | 17 | 604 | 99 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 2002 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 1 | 0 | |
| Team | From | To | Record | Ref(s) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P | W | D | L | Win % | ||||
| Charlton Athletic | 22 March 2018 | 15 March 2021 | 157 | 64 | 37 | 56 | 040.8 | [96] |
| Birmingham City | 16 March 2021[78] | 2 July 2022 | 59 | 17 | 16 | 26 | 028.8 | [96] |
| Montserrat | September 2023 | November 2024 | 14 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 028.6 | [97] |
| Total | 230 | 85 | 53 | 92 | 037.0 | |||
Birmingham City
Individual
Charlton Athletic
Individual
The Leeds player must have a hide as thick as a hound's to have produced the best football of his career in between visits to Hull Crown Court
The lad was under intense pressure, but he never allowed it to affect his football. In fact, he played some of the best football of his career when the heat was really on.
Bowyer's time on Tyneside has rarely seen him reach the heights he attained during the peak of his spell at his previous club, Leeds, where he helped David O'Leary's side reach the semi-finals of the Champions' League with the best football of his career despite his well-documented off-the-field troubles.
In 2000/2001, when at Leeds United, Bowyer produced some of the best football of his career while on trial during an assault case and won the club's player of the year award.
