Lee Hughes

Kidderminster Harriers

Hughes spent four years at West Bromwich Albion as a schoolboy from ages 11 to 15, though he was not offered a youth team contract. He then had unsuccessful trials at numerous clubs, though came close to being offered a contract by Swansea City. He instead started his career playing semi-professionally for Conference club Kidderminster Harriers, whilst holding down a part-time job as a roofer. Although Hughes scored 34 goals in the 1996–97 season, Kidderminster failed to gain promotion to the Football League after finishing five points behind champions Macclesfield Town. At this point in his career Hughes was regarded as one of England's finest semi-professionals and was called up to the England national football C team. In total, Hughes scored 70 goals in 139 games for Kidderminster in all competitions. He also played for amateur touring side Middlesex Wanderers during their tour of Vietnam whilst he was aged 19.

West Bromwich Albion

Hughes was sold to West Bromwich Albion for an initial £200,000 – incentives later took the final sum up to £380,000 – in August 1997. He said "It was a dream to join the team I have supported all my life". The Daily Mirror printed that "Hughes has red hair, tattoos of a Tasmanian devil and a British bulldog on his forearms, dynamite in his boots and Albion in his blood." Fans affectionately nicknamed him the "Ginger Ninja". He made his debut at The Hawthorns as a substitute in a 2–1 win over Tranmere…

Hughes rejoined Worcester City as both a player and as joint-manager, alongside John Snape, on 4 May 2017; Worcester had just been relegated out of the National League North. He resigned on 6 March 2018. In March 2019, he was appointed caretaker player-manager of Halesowen Town, remaining in the role until May.

Describing Hughes's attributes in January 2013, former Notts County coach Dave Kevan said that he was a "fantastic finisher... a clever player whose movement is good, whose intelligence is good, who uses his body well and who uses his strength well... he plays with his brain and he's adapted his game as he has got older... he's also clever enough to create opportunities for others". He maintained a "natural goalscoring instinct" throughout his career, and has said "I always fancy myself to stick the ball in the back of the net if I get a chance". His dancing goal celebration originated as a mocking tribute of a friend's bad dancing.

The son of Bill and Gail Hughes, older brother to Clint and Brett, Hughes worked with his father as a roofer in his home-town of Smethwick before turning professional. In 1999, Sharlene Gillies claimed that she and Hughes had a child together. DNA tests later proved that he was not the father, though by this time his engagement to lap dancer Donna Nisbet was called off. Hughes stated that "I don't think Donna was particularly happy with all the limelight that comes with football", though insisted that barracking from opposition fans only made him more determined to put in a good performance on the pitch. Hughes and Jason Roberts were questioned by police over allegations that they assaulted a man outside a pub in Brierley Hill; the case was dropped in September 2000. It was reported that he had converted to Islam during his time in prison, due in part to his friendship with Muslim prisoners and the fact that abuse of alcohol had helped to bring about his downfall – his father said that "this story is not true." In 2005 Hughes was reported to be on suicide watch after learning that his wife had reportedly been seeing a younger man. He married air hostess Anna Kuzmanic in June 2000 in the Croatian town of Trogir. The couple had two children together but split up in 2008; the split was described as "very amicable". His eldest, Mia, was born in November 2000. Hughes was declared bankrupt in March 2018.

Causing death by dangerous driving conviction

On 23 November 2003,…