By Albatross
June 16 2003

It's the announcement that has to be one of the worst-kept secrets at Hartlepool United: Graeme Lee is leaving at the end of his contract. Sheffield Wednesday are expected to be his next port of call. And Pools Online speculates on one of the Managerial Shortlist - from Aberdeen.... Spike came up through the Youth Ranks at the Vic, and made his debut as a 17 year old on New Years Day 1996 at Bury. The following season saw him more regularly in first team action, notching up more than 20 league starts, and from then on it's only really been injury or suspension that has seen him left out of the Pools side. He missed much of 2000/1 with a bad knee injury, but returned to once more play a significant part in 2001/2, and then in our promotion in the season just finished.

It's not only in defence that he has made himself felt though. He's usually been a threat from set pieces, and over the years has scored over 20 goals for the club. A former forward at youth team level, he even found himself pushed up front during one injury crisis, notching twice in a home game against Swansea in 97/8. He scored eight times in our first playoff season, including one in the game at Hull where he appeared up front before dropping back after Strodder was dismissed.

The assured performances at the back attracted much attention, and Lee has been the subject of much transfer speculation over the years. Southampton is the name that has possibly been mentioned more than any other, but others have been rumoured to be interested too. It's entirely possible that had he not been injured at the start of 2000/1, a bid would have come in. Instead, we're now waving him goodbye without receiving a penny.

After more than seven years and well over 200 starts for Pools, it's a sad way to end his time at the Vic. However, the writing had looked to be on the wall for some time, with him not signing a new deal; and the announcement today from the club merely confirms what many had suspected.

As for his next destination - well it seems to be a sure thing that he's going to be joining up with Chris Turner again and signing for Sheffield Wednesday. Other clubs may be interested, and indeed he may not even have a team lined up - but in the current climate, it's almost inconceivable that Lee would choose to join the ranks of players looking for a new club. The odds on it being Sheffield will be very short indeed.

So what will Wednesday be getting? Spike is great in the air, and a decent reader of the game; a good man-marker to boot. What he doesn't have though is pace; and his distribution has looked increasingly shoddy over the last few seasons. If they can team him up with a quick partner who can play the ball, he'll more than do a job in Div2, possibly even in Div1.

Would having a new manager in place have made a difference? Almost certainly not. This decision has been on the cards for months; and it may even be longer, with Lee well aware that his contract was about to expire, and that at the age of 25 any club taking him on wouldn't have to pay compensation. Add in the possibility of a new challenge, and in all likelihood a bigger wage packet than Pools might be willing or able to afford, and it would have to have been a very special appointment to get Spike to stay.

It does mean though that whoever the new boss is, one of his first priorities will have to be central defence. Westwood is staying, and it's quite possible that Barron (now our longest serving player) will move back into the middle; and Jon Bass may also be an option. But with Sharp and Simms already gone, we're looking very short of cover.

The latest rumour is that Gary Pallister may be in the frame for the job. But let me throw in another name as a wild card: Gardner Speirs. A fleeting association with Pools, but a lot of experience as a coach, most recently with Aberdeen where he was Ebbe Skovdahl's assistant. After a game as caretaker, and being in the frame for the job permanently, he left the club when Steven Paterson arrived. The club has said they had applications from all over the UK; and they're interviewing in Aberdeen as well as the North-East. Speirs has also been linked with the Luton job. If it happens, you know where you heard it first....