Lee Cattermole

Middlesbrough

A product of the Middlesbrough youth academy, Cattermole made his debut in the Tyne-Tees derby against Newcastle United on 2 January 2006, playing the full 90 minutes in a match that finished 2–2 in which the England youth international received the Man of the Match award. Manager Steve McClaren later hailed his performance stating, "When we needed people to stand up and be counted, it took a 17-year-old to bring everyone together." After a 4–0 home defeat to Aston Villa, he was captured on camera in tears and had to be consoled by captain Gareth Southgate. However, after this game the team went on to win seven out of their next eight games, advancing to the quarter-finals of both the FA and UEFA cups and defeating Premier League champions Chelsea 3–0, only their second league defeat of the season. Cattermole scored his first league goal for Middlesbrough on 2 April, in a 1–0 victory away at Manchester City, and played for Middlesbrough in the 2006 UEFA Cup Final. Cattermole became Middlesbrough's youngest-ever captain aged 18 years and 47 days when he skippered the side in their 1–0 defeat away against Fulham on 7 May 2006. During the game, Middlesbrough's oldest-ever player, Colin Cooper, came on as a substitute and Cattermole sportingly gave the captain's armband, without instruction, to Cooper who was playing his last game before retirement. On 20 October 2006, Cattermole signed a new four-year deal to keep him at Middlesbrough until 2010.

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Cattermole received his first call-up to the England under-21 squad for the October 2006 play-offs against Germany. Cattermole scored his first international goal and the first goal of the U-21 European Championships on 15 June 2009 against Finland. The goal was set up by Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor. Cattermole went on to score his third in an England shirt when they came from behind to defeat Macedonia U21s in a 2–1 win with a goal in the 83rd minute sealing the victory after an impressive goal from Freddie Sears.

On 20 January 2022, Cattermole returned to his former club Middlesbrough as under-18s lead coach. On 10 February 2023, it was announced that he would be departing his role at the end of the month. On 12 December 2024, Cattermole joined League One side Bristol Rovers as first-team coach with a focus on the development and implementation of set-pieces. Just four days after joining, on 16 December, he became caretaker manager alongside David Horseman following the sacking of Matt Taylor. Before the first match of his caretaker reign however, it was reported that Cattermole had left the club, which was officially confirmed following the appointment of Iñigo Calderón on 26 December. On 16 June 2026, Cattermole was appointed manager of National League club Gateshead on a two-year contract.

In December 2008, Cattermole was given a three-year pub ban across the borough of Stockton. He was added to the PubWatch blacklist of troublemakers after being arrested for disorder during a night out in Yarm. Police were called by door staff at about 11:40 pm and Cattermole was subsequently arrested. In March 2011, it was announced that Cattermole's ban would be extended to December 2012 after a unanimous vote by the members of PubWatch. Cattermole declined to comment on these matters. Following a night out with teammates, Cattermole was arrested on 6 December 2011 along with then teammate Nicklas Bendtner and charged with damaging five cars on Stowell Street in Newcastle, close to St James' Park. On 25 March 2012, the case at Newcastle Magistrates Court was adjourned to be brought back before the same court on 16 April 2012. Charges against Bendtner were subsequently dropped. Cattermole accepted a conditional caution and paid over £4,000 in damages.