Albert “Bert” Lee

Born in Bridport, Dorset in 1879, Lee started his career with Poole Town F.C.

After joining Southampton he lived up to the clubs nickname of “Saints”, rescuing a young boy from drowning:

“Whilst some boys were playing on the Quay at Poole one of their number, Percy Crabb, aged seven years, fell into the water, and was promptly rescued by Bert Lee, the well-known Southampton footballer, who happened to be standing near.” – The Hampshire Advertiser County Newspaper, Saturday, 26 July 1902.

Albert joined Dundee on May 3^rd 1906. He arrived from Southampton where he had plied his trade for the past six years, and had recently received a benefit match for his service to the club. On arriving at Dens Park, he was to join up with other former Saints, Bert Dainty, Charlie Webb and Jack Fraser.

Southampton were not pleased at losing their player, and made a complaint to the English F.A. They said that they had offered him the maximum wage, and wanted to retain him under Rule 30. Dundee F.C. argued that Lee’s registration had expired on April 30^th, which meant he was no longer a Saints player. The Chairmen of the F.A. and S.F.A. agreed, and the complaint was overruled.

Albert’s form dropped in the early part of season 1907-08, this was due to a knee injury he sustained the previous season and hadn’t fully recovered from. He lost his place in the first team for a while, with Neal replacing him, and dropped down to the “A” team. It was hoped that this would him to get fully fit again. At the start of the following season he sustained an ankle injury, which also kept him out of the team. A hand injury added to his woes in 1909, when he put his hand through a glass window whilst trying to jump onto a chair!

Appointed club captain in 1909, he took over from Bert Dainty, and got off to a winning start beating Falkirk 1-0.

Lee will be forever linked with the Scottish Cup winning side of 1910. He was also the first Englishman to captain the winning team in the history of the competition.

Clyde thought they had the cup in their hands with a 2-0 lead. It wasn’t until the eighty seventh minute that Dundee scored, before equalising in the dying seconds of the match at Ibrox. Before the start of the game both captains had agreed that whichever team won, the respective captain would present the ball to the referee as a memento. As no agreement had been made if it ended in a draw both captains were vying to keep the ball for themselves at the final whistle. It was decided that they would toss a coin for the honour. Lee won, and was reported to say “I’ll eat the Tay Bridge if we don’t win the replay”.

Of course the team cemented their names as club legends, beating Clyde and returned to Dundee as heroes. Bert was awarded £40 as a bonus, as were the rest of the team.

Signing on for the 1910-11 season, Albert retained his captain’s role, and was also awarded a benefit game which was arranged with Clyde, whom they had recently beaten in the Scottish Cup Final.

The benefit match took place on August 17^th, the attendance was reported as being poor, with “little more than a couple of thousand in the park.” Lee couldn’t play due to a leg injury. However Dundee won 2-0.

1910 proved another injury prone season, he was still popular with supporters, and always gave his best on the pitch. By the end of the season he made his intentions known that he wished to return home, and re-joined Southampton F.C.

At the start of World War 1, Bert, or “Gypsy” as he was known, became player/trainer at the club, before enlisting with the Labour Corps in 1917. When football resumed in 1919, aged forty he took on the role of trainer. In 1923 he was awarded another benefit match, this time against Portsmouth. He finally retired from the sport in 1935, and went to work for his son, as a salesman, in his radio business.

Bert died in  Southampton on January 14th 1958, aged 78.

Albert gained his only “cap” for England in 1904 against Wales, his F.A. Legacy number is 291.