Lee Bowyer Bio Send To Friend  

The combative midfielder has never managed to rediscover the form which saw him propel Leeds to greatness and continues to find negative headlines; but he remains an energetic, skilful player who can open up a defence - although gone is the day when he was mentioned in relation to England recognition.

Bowyer began his career at Charlton Athletic before joining Leeds United for a then British record fee for a teenager of an £2.6m. After taking a long time to settle, his performances led to him being voted Leeds' Player of the Year for 1998-99.

A hard-working player, hard in the tackle and with an eye for goal, Bowyer looked to be the fringe of an England place until his well-publicised troubles began. He was arrested in January 2000, along with Jonathan Woodgate, in connection with an alleged attack on a student outside a Leeds nightclub.

The Londoner was a star at home and in Europe as Leeds made the semi-finals of the Champions League - and he almost finished top scorer in the competition. He was one of the best players in the Premiership throughout 2000-01 - even though his court case was still in progress.

The first trial was abandoned, and Bowyer was eventually cleared of all charges in November 2001. But when Leeds slapped a four-week fine on the player for being out drunk on the night in question he refused to accept the punishment. Although the player - eventually - took his punishment, he refused to sign a new contract.

Leeds accepted an offer from Liverpool for the player in July 2002, but the move broke down over Bowyer's wage demands. Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier also said he did not believe the midfielder really wanted to play for the club. And, after serving a near three-year international ban, Bowyer made his England debut against Portugal at Villa Park, setting up a goal for Leeds team-mate Alan Smith. It would be his only appearance for England.

Bowyer eventually left Leeds in January 2003 joining West Ham United on a six-month contract but the Hammers went down, with Bowyer unable to find his best form, and he left the club at the end of the season. He would be re-united with Woodgate on July 1, 2003, when he moved to Newcastle United on a free transfer in the hope of reviving his career.

He moved to St James' Park with a six-game European ban still in place after UEFA found him guilty of stamping on Malaga player Gerardo in a UEFA Cup tie. And Bowyer made a slow start at Newcastle, finding it tough going, with a series of injuries that didn't help his cause.

Bowyer's career took an amazing new twist in April 2004 when he and team-mate Kieron Dyer came to blows on the St James' Park pitch. Bowyer was fined six weeks' wages for his part and was lucky not to be sacked by the Magpies, while he also charged with violent conduct by the Football Association and banned for a total of seven matches.

He would spend only one more season at St James' before returning to London to West Ham for an undisclosed fee in June 2006. His second debut for the Hammers was stunning as he created all three goals in an opening day 3-1 win at home to former club Charlton.

With an influx of players, Bowyer's future looked uncertain and he was no more than a bit-part player before being sent off against Birmingham in February - at which point a groin injury ended his season. And after featuring sporadically in the first half of the 2008-09 season he was loaned to Championship promotion challengers Birmingham City on loan.

Although he did not star for the Blues, his hard-working nature helped the side to promotion and Bowyer returned to the Premier League in 2009-10 after choosing to join the club permanently in the summer after the expiry of his deal at Upton Park.