| Joe Lea | |
| Birth Date: | 16 December 1997 |
| Birth Place: | Portsmouth, England |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Currentclub: | Gosport Borough (joint manager) |
| Youthyears1: | –2007 |
| Youthclubs1: | Portsmouth |
| Youthyears2: | 2007–2016 |
| Youthclubs2: | Southampton |
| Years1: | 2016–2017 |
| Clubs1: | Yeovil Town |
| Caps1: | 0 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2016 |
| Clubs2: | → Dorchester Town (loan) |
| Caps2: | 6 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2017 |
| Clubs3: | → Gosport Borough (loan) |
| Caps3: | 16 |
| Goals3: | 2 |
| Years4: | 2017–2018 |
| Clubs4: | Bognor Regis Town |
| Caps4: | 11 |
| Goals4: | 0 |
| Years5: | 2018–2022 |
| Clubs5: | Gosport Borough |
| Years6: | 2022–2023 |
| Clubs6: | Petersfield Town |
| Manageryears1: | 2022–2023 |
| Managerclubs1: | Petersfield Town |
| Manageryears2: | 2023– |
| Managerclubs2: | Gosport Borough |
Joe Lea (born 16 December 1997) is an English football coach and former player who played for Gosport Borough, as a midfielder.[1] He is currently employed as the club's joint first-team manager, working alongside former teammate Pat Suraci.[2]
Born in Portsmouth, Lea signed for his local side Portsmouth as a youngster before moving to south-coast rivals Southampton at the age of 9.[3] Lea spent nine years in the Southampton youth academy before being released upon the completion of his two-year scholarship.
Upon his release from Southampton, Lea joined Yeovil Town on 2 July 2016, alongside Josh Ezewele from West Bromwich Albion.[4] [5] He made his professional debut on 23 August 2016 as a substitute in a League Cup match at Everton.
On 15 October 2016, Lea joined Southern Premier League side Dorchester Town on an initial one-month loan deal,[6] and Lea made his debut for Dorchester that afternoon as a second-half substitute against Dunstable Town.[7]
In January 2017, Lea joined National League South side Gosport Borough on loan until the end of the season.[8]
At the end of the 2016–17 season, Lea was released by Yeovil having only made two appearances for the club.[9]
After a successful trial, Lea signed for newly promoted National League South club Bognor Regis Town in July 2017.[10]
Lea signed for Gosport Borough on 18 January 2018.[11]
In April 2022, Lea and his former teammate at Gosport Borough, Pat Suraci, were appointed co-managers at Petersfield Town.[12] In January 2023, having retained his registration as a player at Petersfield, Lea announced his retirement in order to focus on his coaching career.[13]
In May 2023, Lea and Suraci returned to Gosport as co-managers.[2]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Yeovil Town | 2016–17 | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1[14] | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Dorchester Town (loan) | 2016–17[15] | Southern Premier | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[16] | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
| Gosport Borough (loan) | 2016–17 | National League South | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 16 | 2 | ||
| Bognor Regis Town | 2017–18 | National League South | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 2[17] | 0 | 15 | 0 | ||
| Gosport Borough | 2017–18 | Southern Premier | 14 | 1 | — | — | — | 14 | 1 | ||||
| Career total | 47 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 55 | 3 | |||