Wrexham AFC made it three summer signings with Friday’s announcement that Elliot Lee had signed a three-year deal.
With Wrexham fans widely welcoming the signing, all eyes will now be fixed on the former Premier League man as he prepares to pull on a Wrexham shirt for the first time.
The former West Ham and Luton forward has almost 200 career appearances at the prime age of 27 and more than 50 career goals, including one for the Hammers in the Europa League.
At the age of 18, Lee made his senior debut as a substitute for West Ham United in a 1-0 loss to Manchester United in the FA Cup third round.
The highlight of Lee’s West Ham tenure was undoubtedly his winning goal in their Europa League qualification campaign, where he netted the all-important goal against FC Lusitanos in Andorra. The number 36’s curled right-footed effort into the bottom corner of the Lusitanos net drew praise from the likes of Alan Shearer – Dad Robert’s former Newcastle and England team-mate.
Two loan spells at Colchester, one at Southend United and Blackpool would see Lee striving to gain more playing time in the lower leagues.
His best loan spell, however, would come at Luton Town, while they were in League 2 in the 2014/15 season. Lee made eleven appearances, scoring three times, and this spell was a precursor to his eventual move to the club in 2017.
Playing alongside brother Olly – who also started his career in the West Ham academy – Lee was paramount to Luton’s successive promotions up the EFL ladder.
His 81 appearances for the Hatters, including 24 goals, made Elliot a colossal part of Luton’s rise from League 2 to the Championship.
He spent the next season and a half playing for Luton in the Championship, before taking a loan move to Oxford United in February 2021. In the 20 appearances he racked up for the U’s in the second half of that season, Lee scored six times, providing two assists. Oxford would finish the season in sixth place in the final play-off position.
The 2021/22 campaign saw Lee return to League 1, but this time on loan to Charlton Athletic. Four goals and four assists wouldn’t be enough to help the Addicks further their seventh-placed position in the season prior.
Five years at Luton Town saw back-to-back promotions to the Championship and two loan spells for Lee in League 1. His time at the Hatters has now ended, however, and he turned down EFL clubs to sign a three-year deal with Wrexham.
Another marquee signing from the EFL, Lee says he is raring to go to help Parkinson and the players lift the Red Dragons out of the National League.