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Lee Stuart Sharpe (born 27 May 1971 in Halesowen, West Midlands) is a retired English football player. Predominantly a left winger, Sharpe once played for Manchester United and was a promising young player in English football, but his career went into rapid decline at an early age. He has achieved renewed fame by appearing on reality television shows.

An Aston Villa supporter, Sharpe began his career at Torquay United. However, in his first season with them, after only 16 games, Manchester United noted his potential and swooped to sign him in June for £200,000, a record fee at the time for a YTS player.

He soon broke into the first team, initially playing out of position at left back before replacing Ralph Milne as left-winger in the 1990–91 season. He played a key part in United`s success in the European Cup Winners` Cup that season scoring a hat-trick against Arsenal at Highbury in the 1990 League Cup. United eventually won the game 6–2. Sharpe himself, cites this as one of the best memories in his footballing career.[2]

Having established himself as a left winger, Sharpe earned a call up to the England squad, although he was unable to replace John Barnes as first choice left winger. Unfortunately, he was then out of the game for long periods of time through injury and illness (he suffered from viral meningitis) and when his fitness recovered the form of Ryan Giggs meant he had to play out of position at left back or on the right wing, competing for a place with Andrei Kanchelskis. In total he played 265 games for the Red Devils during eight years there, scoring 36 goals.

Sharpe is well remembered on his memorable goal against FC Barcelona during the 1994-1995 Champions League season, when he spectacularly backheeled a cross from Brian McClair into the net. [3]

Despite his injury history, Leeds United signed him for £4.5 million in the summer of 1996, making him their record signing. Again his time at Leeds was beset by further injuries. He made 26 Premiership appearances in 1996–97, scoring five goals, but a pre-season knee injury ruled him out for the entire 1997–98 season and he was unable to regain his place in the team on recovery.

In the autumn of 1998, he was loaned to Italian Serie A strugglers Sampdoria, but soon fell out of favour and in the New Year he returned to England. He signed on loan for Bradford City in March 1999 and he helped in securing the club`s promotion to the Premiership after 77 years outside the top division. He joined Bradford in a £250,000 deal during the summer and helped preserve the club`s Premiership status in 1999–00.

In 2000–01, Sharpe lost his place in the Bradford team and just before Christmas went on loan to Division One Portsmouth. He returned to Bradford during the 2001–02 season but when his contract expired at the end of the season he was given a free transfer. Following a brief trial stay with Grimsby Town he signed for Exeter City before he moved to Grindavík in Iceland. In June 2003 he announced his retirement from professional football at the age of 32.

During 2003–04, Sharpe made a brief return to football in the Kidderminster Sunday League before signing for Northern Counties East Premier League side Garforth Town the following summer.

Sharpe was capped eight times by England between 1991 and 1995.

[edit] After football

In 2004 and 2006, Sharpe was a football pundit for ESPN Star in Asia, and together with Le

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