Biography
Versatile defender and midfielder Lee Warren joined City in August 1988, an important part of Eddie Gray’s squad rebuilding exercise. Lee was an ever-present for the first 27 games of the 1988/89 season, selected at both centre half and right back as Gray’s Tigers struggled to find winning form. During this run Warren scored his first goal for City in a 1-2 Full Members Cup defeat at Portsmouth. Warren had a handful of games in midfield towards the end of this first season but was out of contention when new managers Colin Appleton and Stan Ternent arrived during 1989/90. Ternent used Warren in midfield during his first few weeks in the job but new signings meant Lee dropped down the pecking order. It was over a year before Warren saw regular first team action again, being selected immediately by new boss Terry Dolan, who knew of Warren capabilities from his time at Rochdale. Dolan used Warren regularly for the next three and a half seasons as his potless Tigers struggled to stay afloat in the third tier. Warren’s second and final goal for City came in November 1991 during a 4-0 drubbing of Shrewsbury. By May 1994 City’s struggles had perhaps worn Warren down and he left on a free transfer.
Born in Manchester to devoted parents who attended every match he played during the 1980s and 1990s, Warren started his career in Leeds United’s YTS system and turned professional for the Whites in July 1987, after making the bench for a Boxing Day 1986 game against Sunderland but never debuting. Warren moved to Rochdale three months after signing his Leeds contract, and with only one season at Spotland under his belt he had impressed watching clubs with his calm and assured defending and passing, skills that lured Hull City to secure his signature.
Lee joined Doncaster Rovers in 1994 and served the South Yorkshire side for six years, including their darkest days of relegation to the Conference in 1998. In 2000 he moved to Cumbrian Coast side Barrow, making the jump from player to player-assistant manager in 2003. He left Barrow in 2005 and played the Humber non-league scene for a couple of years before retirement from the game in 2008. Warren attended several ex-Tigers events after his retirement and lived in Brough.
Details
Nationality: England
Date/Place of Birth: 28 February 1969, Manchester
Hull City First Game: 27 August 1988, Manchester City H (Division Two), 19 years, 181 days old
Hull City Final Game: 29 March 1994, Burnley A (League Division 2), 25 years, 29 days old
Clubs
Leeds United (1986-1987), Rochdale (1987-1988), Hull City (1988-1994), Lincoln City (1990, loan), Doncaster Rovers (1994-2000), Barrow (2000-2005), Goole AFC (2005), Brigg Town (2005-2007), Stocksbridge Park Steels (2007-2008)
Hull City Record
Career: 172 apps, 2 goals
Lee Warren| Season | LGE App | LGE Gls | FAC App | FAC Gls | FLC App | FLC Gls | EUR App | EUR Gls | OTH App | OTH Gls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988/89 | 27 (1) | 0 | - | - | 2 (0) | 0 | - | - | 1 (0) | 1 |
| 1989/90 | 10 (0) | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1990/91 | 15 (0) | 0 | 1 (0) | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1991/92 | 26 (5) | 1 | 2 (0) | 0 | 2 (0) | 0 | - | - | 1 (0) | 0 |
| 1992/93 | 35 (1) | 0 | 0 (1) | 0 | 2 (0) | 0 | - | - | 0 (1) | 0 |
| 1993/94 | 28 (5) | 0 | 2 (0) | 0 | 2 (0) | 0 | - | - | 2 (0) | 0 |