Playing career
Lee began his football career with Buckfastleigh Rangers and then as an apprentice with Bristol City, turning professional in July 1974, but failed to break into the first team. He joined Hereford United on loan in November 1974, playing 9 times before returning to the reserves at Ashton Gate. He moved to Torquay United in January 1977, quickly establishing himself inManagerial career
Watford
He was appointed youth coach at Watford before taking over as manager in March 1990. However, he was sacked in November the following season after a dismal start had seen Watford win only two games when they had been hoping for a promotion challenge in the Second Division. In 1991, Lee returned to the game as youth coach at Reading, later becoming assistant manager to Mark McGhee. He helped them win the Division Two championship in 1994 and followed McGhee toWolves
During Lee's time as manager, Wolves were semi-finalists in the Division One play-offs and the FA Cup, and Lee was promoted to the manager's seat in November 1998, after McGhee was sacked. His initial caretaker spell beginning with a 6–1 win against Bristol City at Ashton Gate. The next two seasons saw Wolves just miss out on the Division One play-offs, and he was sacked in December 2000 with the Midlanders struggling in the bottom half of the division. His task was not helped by the sale of several key players, including top scorer Ade Akinbiyi, towards the end of his spell as Wolves manager. After leaving Molineux, he joined Leeds United as a scout, a job he held until March 2001, when he was called in by Torquay United chairman Mike Bateson as a consultant to the under pressure manager Wes Saunders in a desperate battle to keep Torquay out of theTorquay United
After much negotiating at the end of the season, Lee verbally agreed to become the new manager of Torquay. However, on 2 July, the day on which he was expected to formally sign his contract, he turned down the offer, leaving Torquay managerless less than a week before the start of pre-season training. The reason he gave that he was still looking for a job at a higher level, although in November 2001, he was still scouting for Leeds United, as well as working for both television and radio. The following month, he was appointed first team coach at Second Division club Wigan Athletic.Walsall
In January 2002, Lee was named as manager of Division One strugglers Walsall, and kept them clear of relegation for the next two seasons. However, he was sacked in March 2004 after allegedly talking toMillwall
Lee began his fourth full-time manager's job in July 2005 with Millwall, succeeding Steve Claridge who had been sacked after just 36 days at the helm by the club's new owners. Millwall were bottom for much of the first half of the 2005–06 Championship campaign, and just before Christmas he became Director of Football. Defender David Tuttle took over the managerial duties, with Lee leaving Millwall in January 2006.Torquay United
In January 2007, he returned to the coaching staff at Torquay United, taking temporary control of playing matters with the departure of Lubos Kubik in early February, he was then appointed Director of Football on 6 February on a three-year contract, making his first act the appointment of former Torquay United and England player Keith Curle as the replacement for Kubik. Lee and Curle were unable to save Torquay from relegation and Lee was made redundant on 14 May 2007 after club owner Mike Bateson stood down as chairman. However, Lee returned to Torquay United, this time as Chief Executive, on 25 May 2007 after Bateson's sale of the club to a local consortium headed by Cris Boyce. On 2 June 2007. He appointed former Torquay player Paul Buckle as the new team manager. After a near-miss in 2008, the club were promoted in 2009 through the play-offs and stayed up in their first season back in League Two. In the summer of 2010 Torquay decided to axe the Chief Executive's role, and Lee subsequently left the club.Notts County
Following Keith Curle's appointment as Notts County manager, Colin Lee was re-united with the former Torquay manager, at the East Midlands club on 20 February 2012.Managerial statistics
As of 7 March 2015References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lee, Colin Sportspeople from Torquay 1956 births Living people English footballers Bristol City F.C. players Hereford United F.C. players Torquay United F.C. players Tottenham Hotspur F.C. players Chelsea F.C. players English football managers Brentford F.C. players Watford F.C. managers Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. managers Torquay United F.C. managers Walsall F.C. managers Millwall F.C. managers Brentford F.C. non-playing staff Association football midfielders