Lee Barnard (not to be confused with Leigh Barnard who was on loan at Exeter in 1985) played a few games for the Grecians in 2002/03 when on loan from Tottenham Hotspur. After a number of other loans he played more football for Southend and Southampton than his various other teams.   

Lee joined Tottenham Hotspur from school, earned a full professional contract in July 2002 and played for England Youth in his early days at White Hart Lane.

After featuring in Spurs’ reserve team Lee signed for Exeter City, already experiencing a troubled start in an eventual relegation season, on loan in November 2002. The 18-year-old striker only made three league appearances for the Grecians against Boston United, Cambridge United and Bury and soon returned to his parent club. He also played in a Football League Trophy tie against Cardiff City.   

After Exeter Lee had subsequent loan spells at Stevenage, Leyton Orient and Northampton. He then made the first, of three, substitute appearances for Spurs in the Premier League against Manchester United in April 2006. Thereafter Lee had two separate loan spells to Crewe Alexandra during 2006-07 before eventually leaving Tottenham to join Southend United in January 2008. By this time Lee had appeared in thirty games for his various clubs.

Lee made 60 league starts and scored 35 times in a two-year stay at Roots Hall prior to moving to Southampton in January 2010 for an undisclosed fee. Playing in a team that won promotion from League One, Lee scored 14 league goals in 2010/11. Thereafter, even though Lee remained on Southampton’s books until June 2014, he didn’t play for the first-team after March 2012 whilst being sent on loan to Bournemouth, Oldham and Southend. On rejoining Southend permanently ahead of 2014/15 he rarely played and, after a loan to Stevenage, went on to play for Crawley, Braintree, Chelmsford and Maldon & Tiptree where a hamstring injury ended his career. He now invests in property and works as a landscaper.