Lee Novak

Lee Paul Novak (born 28 September 1988) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker for League Two club Bradford City.

Lee Novak
Novak playing for Birmingham City in 2014
Personal information
Full name Lee Paul Novak[1]
Date of birth (1988-09-28) 28 September 1988[1]
Place of birth Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1]
Playing position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 Bradford City
Number 9
Youth career
– Wallsend Boys Club
– Gretna
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2007 Gretna 0 (0)
2007–2008 Newcastle Blue Star (27)
2008–2009 Gateshead 18 (16)
2009–2013 Huddersfield Town 144 (34)
2009 → Gateshead (loan) 14 (10)
2013–2016 Birmingham City 59 (10[lower-alpha 1])
2015–2016 → Chesterfield (loan) 35 (14)
2016–2017 Charlton Athletic 31 (2)
2017–2020 Scunthorpe United 92 (23)
2020– Bradford City 6 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 12:41, 20 March 2020 (UTC)

A former youth team player for Wallsend Boys Club, he began his senior career with Scottish club Gretna, before returning to his hometown with non-league side Newcastle Blue Star. He joined Gateshead for £3,000 in 2008. He won a £150,000 move to Huddersfield Town in January 2009, though immediately returned to Gateshead on loan and helped the club to promotion out of the Conference North as he ended the 2008–09 season as the division's top-scorer. He helped the "Terriers" to win promotion out of League One with victory in the 2012 play-off final. He signed for Championship club Birmingham City in 2013, and spent the 2015–16 season on loan to League One Chesterfield. Released by Birmingham in 2016, he joined Charlton Athletic, and just over a season later, he signed for yet another League One club, Scunthorpe United.

Career

Early career

Born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear,[1] Novak grew up supporting Newcastle United.[3] He played for Wallsend Boys Club, a well respected youth side.[4] Novak started his senior career with Scottish side Gretna, before returning to Newcastle to play in the Northern Premier League for Newcastle Blue Star in August 2007, alongside former Gretna teammates Daniel Lawson, Darren Casson and David Nicholls.[5] He scored a hat-trick for Blue Star in a game against Ossett Albion.[6] Whilst with Blue Star he had unsuccessful trials with Stockport County and Preston North End.[7] He was transfer-listed by his own request in July 2008 after scoring 27 goals in the 2007–08 season.[8] He considered moving to Australia, before he was eventually signed by Conference North side Gateshead for £3,500 plus another player (a 10% sell-on clause was also inserted).[7][9]

Gateshead

Novak impressed for Ian Bogie's Gateshead, notably scoring four first-half goals in a 5–2 win over Hyde United at Ewen Fields on 1 November, which included a record breaking three-minute hat-trick.[10] Eighteen days later he claimed another hat-trick in a 3–2 victory over King's Lynn at the Gateshead International Stadium.[11] He was named as the Conference North player of the month in November 2008.[12] Huddersfield Town manager Lee Clark signed Novak in January 2009 after Novak had scored 17 goals in 21 games for Gateshead in the first part of the 2008–09 season; the deal was an initial £50,000, which would rise by another £100,000 if he met appearance targets at Huddersfield.[9][13] As part of the deal, he returned to Gateshead on loan until the end of the season. Novak agreed to join Huddersfield after resisting numerous approaches by Scunthorpe United manager Nigel Adkins, who made a bid of £90,000.[14][15]

Novak made a further 17 appearances, scoring 11 goals, and helped Gateshead to the Conference North play-off final. Novak played in the final as winger Wayne Phillips scored the only goal in the 1–0 win over AFC Telford United to promote Gateshead to the Conference Premier.[16] Novak finished the season as top-scorer in the Conference North with 26 league goals. At the end of the season he was voted the club's Player of the Year.[17]

Huddersfield Town

In July 2009, he gained media attention after being involved with a punch-up with Fabricio Coloccini in a pre-season friendly against Newcastle United.[18] The fight occurred at the end of a what was described as a "feisty game" that Newcastle manager Chris Hughton said demonstrated the "competitiveness" of both sides.[19] He made his debut for Huddersfield as a substitute in a 2–2 draw against Southend United at Roots Hall on 8 August 2009, where he set up the equalising goal.[20] He made his first competitive start three days later in a 3–1 win over Stockport County in the League Cup.[21] On 18 August, he scored his first goal (a penalty) for the "Terriers", in a 7–1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion.[22] He secured a regular place in the starting 11 alongside Jordan Rhodes. He scored in four consecutive League One games from 24 November to 12 December, claiming goals against Swindon Town, Tranmere Rovers, Leeds United, and Gillingham.[23][24][25][26] He suffered a knee injury during a game against Norwich City on 13 March, forcing him to miss Huddersfield's next five games.[27] Novak returned to action with three stoppage time goals in four appearances off the bench including the winning goal against Walsall, a penalty during stoppage time in a 6–0 away win over Stockport County, and a last minute winner over Colchester United in a 2–1 win on 1 May, the last game of the season at the Galpharm Stadium.[28][29][30] Novak finished the season with 12 league goals in 38 league games as Huddersfield reached the play-off semi-finals, where they were beaten by Millwall.[31] He was the club's third top-scorer with 14 goals in all competitions, behind Jordan Rhodes (23) and Theo Robinson (16). At the end of the season he signed a contract extension to keep him at the club until summer 2013.[32]

He missed the midpoint of the 2010–11 season with a torn hamstring.[33] He was limited to five goals in 15 starts and 24 substitute appearances, and played both legs of the play-off semi-final victory over Bournemouth, converting his penalty in the shoot-out victory.[34] He was an unused substitute in the play-off final defeat to Peterborough United at Old Trafford; Benik Afobe started the game, whilst strikers Danny Cadamarteri, Jordan Rhodes and Alan Lee all featured as substitutes.[35]

Novak had a full pre-season with no injury problems going into the 2011–12 season. He made his first start of the season in the League Cup First Round 4–2 win over Port Vale at Vale Park on 9 August, scoring twice to help the "Terriers" progress into the next round.[36] Keeping his first team place under the transition of managers from Lee Clark to Simon Grayson, he scored a total of 17 goals in 49 appearances throughout the campaign, and started the play-off final victory over Sheffield United, before being substituted shortly before the penalty shoot-out.[37]

After promotion to the Championship, Novak struggled for form, but did make some telling contributions in the 2012–13 campaign, particularly in the final two games against Bristol City and Barnsley, which helped the club to avoid relegation.[38] He left the club when his contract expired at the end of June 2013, after rejecting a new deal that had been on the table since October 2012.[39]

Birmingham City

In May 2013, Novak agreed a deal to join Birmingham City to reunite himself with his former Huddersfield manager Lee Clark.[40] He scored his first goal in Birmingham colours in a 4–0 defeat of Shamrock Rovers while on pre-season tour in Ireland,[41] and made his competitive debut in a 1–0 defeat at home to Watford on the opening day of the season.[42] Novak was retrospectively awarded his first league goal after being adjudged to have got the last touch on a Nikola Žigić header in a 2–1 defeat to Bolton Wanderers.[2] He was released by Birmingham when his contract expired at the end of the 2015–16 season.[43]

Chesterfield

Novak joined League One club Chesterfield on a season-long loan on 14 August 2015.[44] He ended his loan with 14 goals from 35 league appearances.[45]

Charlton Athletic

Novak joined League One club Charlton Athletic on a free transfer on 1 July 2016 after his contract at Birmingham City expired.[46] Novak scored his first goal for the club in a 2–2 draw with Fleetwood Town on 10 September 2016.[47]

Scunthorpe United

Novak joined another League One club, Scunthorpe United, on 31 August 2017 on a free transfer; he signed a two-year contract.[48]

His contract was extended by Scunthorpe at the end of the 2018–19 season.[49]

Bradford City

Novak joined League Two club Bradford City on 31 January 2020 on an 18-month contract.[50]

Style of play

On signing Novak in January 2009, Huddersfield manager Lee Clark said that "he has good awareness and he brings other people into the game. He has a fantastic work ethic... having talked with him he is the type of character that wants to learn and become a better player."[51] Two years later, Clark said he had no problem with asking Novak to play in an unfamiliar role because "his attitude and application are always spot-on".[52] After joining Birmingham, Novak was used on the left wing, in support of a lone striker, as well as in his preferred central position.

Career statistics
As of match played 7 March 2020
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Gateshead 2008–09[53] Conference North 3226——6[lower-alpha 2]23828
Huddersfield Town 2009–10[54] League One 371232104[lower-alpha 3]04514
2010–11[55] League One 31510205[lower-alpha 4]0395
2011–12[56] League One 411311225[lower-alpha 5]14917
2012–13[57] Championship 3543210—396
Total 14434856214117242
Birmingham City 2013–14[42] Championship389[lower-alpha 1]2131—4311
2014–15[58] Championship2112120—252
2015–16[45] Championship 00—10—10
Total 59104261—6913
Chesterfield (loan) 2015–16[45] League One 351431—003815
Charlton Athletic 2016–17[59] League One 29230002[lower-alpha 6]0342
2017–18[60] League One 20—110031
Total 312301120373
Scunthorpe United 2017–18[60] League One 32620—1[lower-alpha 6]0356
2018–19[61] League One431221101[lower-alpha 6]04713
2019–20[62] League Two19510103[lower-alpha 6]2247
Total 942351205210626
Bradford City 2019–20[62] League Two62———62
Career total 401112239154275466130
  1. Birmingham's goal in the 2–1 defeat to Bolton Wanderers on 5 October 2013, originally credited to Nikola Žigić, was retrospectively awarded to Novak.[2]
  2. Two appearances one goal in Conference League Cup, one appearance in FA Trophy, three appearances one goal in Conference North play-offs
  3. Two appearances in Football League Trophy, two in League One play-offs
  4. Three appearances in Football League Trophy, two in League One play-offs
  5. Two appearances one goal in Football League Trophy, three appearances in League One play-offs
  6. Appearances in EFL Trophy

Honours

Gateshead

Huddersfield Town

Individual

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gollark: There are unfathomable techniques of some kind to generate closed-form versions, yes.
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gollark: They're mental states/experiences of some kind vaguely related to these, but the English terms are fuzzy, broad and carry unwanted connotations.
gollark: I have no idea how you would actually run experiments on this, but there might be something I guess.

References
  1. Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2010). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11. Mainstream Publishing. p. 311. ISBN 978-1-84596-601-0.
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  3. "Novak eager for Terriers victory". BBC Sport. 17 August 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  4. "Huddersfield Town: Lee Novak interview". Yorkshire Evening Post. Leeds. 15 March 2010. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  5. Pratt, Malcolm (17 August 2007). "New ball game for Star". Evening Chronicle. Newcastle upon Tyne. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  6. Bowron, Jeff. "No way back as Novak attacks!". Evening Chronicle. Newcastle upon Tyne. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  7. "Blue Star hit back on Lee Novak". Evening Chronicle. Newcastle upon Tyne. 6 February 2009. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  8. Pratt, Malcolm (2 July 2008). "Star struck by blow as Novak is listed". Evening Chronicle. Newcastle upon Tyne. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  9. Bowron, eff (3 February 2009). "Gateshead's delight as hitman Novak makes all the Huddlines". Evening Chronicle. Newcastle upon Tyne. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
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  35. "Huddersfield 0–3 Peterborough". BBC Sport. 29 May 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  36. "Port Vale 2–4 Huddersfield". BBC Sport. 9 August 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2013.
  37. Begley, Emlyn (26 May 2012). "Huddersfield promoted after epic shoot-out win over Sheffield United". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 July 2016.
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  40. "Birmingham sign Huddersfield Town striker". BBC Sport. 21 May 2013. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
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  43. "Five players leave Blues". Birmingham City F.C. 11 May 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
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  49. "Josh Morris: Scunthorpe midfielder one of three released as Iron unveil retained list". BBC Sport. 17 May 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  50. "Bradford City sign Lee Novak from Scunthorpe and Kurtis Guthrie from Stevenage". BBC Sport. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
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  55. "Games played by Lee Novak in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  56. "Games played by Lee Novak in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  57. "Games played by Lee Novak in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  58. "Games played by Lee Novak in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  59. "Games played by Lee Novak in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
  60. "Games played by Lee Novak in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 November 2018.
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  62. "Games played by Lee Novak in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
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