Date of birth | 08 December 1966 |
Place of birth | Acton |
Nationality | English |
Weight | 85 kg |
Height | 1.80 m |
Position | Forward |
Fondly known as 'Sir Les', the powerful centre-forward was a worthy addition to the hallowed list of Newcastle No. 9s when he was signed to replace Andrew Cole. He became the first United player to win the PFA Player of the Year award and subsequently formed a revered strike force with Alan Shearer.
Les began the 2000-01 season partnering Sergei Rebrov up front for Tottenham Hotspur, scoring with a header in the 3-1 defeat of Premiership newcomers Ipswich Town in the opening game. Looking lean and focused, he returned to the exciting form that he had displayed in his younger days and netted regularly throughout the campaign to finish as the club's leading scorer. Probably his finest performance in a Spurs shirt came in the home game with Leicester City when he almost single-handedly destroyed the opposition defence with three superbly taken goals. Ironically, Les did not get to take the ball home with him that day after a disappointed City defender kicked it into the crowd in frustration, and it was only after a public appeal that he received his prize several weeks later! Strong, pacy and good in the air, he received his reward with a new two-year contract.
After concluding the 2002-03 campaign with West Ham United, Les retained his Premiership status when he agreed a one-year deal with newly-promoted Leicester City in July 2003. He then moved on to Bolton Wanderers with another 12-month contract which was cancelled by mutual consent in December 2004. He then joined Reading with a contract to the end of the season.
Les joined Watford in September 2005 on non-contract terms.
Team | Joined | Left | Loan / Trialist |
---|---|---|---|
Hayes | 01 Jul 1986 | 12 Mar 1987 | |
Queens Park Rangers | 12 Mar 1987 | 07 Jun 1995 | |
Besiktas | 01 Mar 1988 | 22 Mar 1988 | L |
Brentford | 24 Mar 1988 | 05 Apr 1988 | L |
Besiktas | 01 Jul 1988 | 31 May 1989 | L |
Newcastle United | 07 Jun 1995 | 05 Aug 1997 | |
Tottenham Hotspur | 05 Aug 1997 | 20 Jan 2003 | |
West Ham United | 20 Jan 2003 | 30 Jun 2003 | |
Leicester City | 11 Jul 2003 | 30 Jun 2004 | |
Bolton Wanderers | 05 Jul 2004 | 31 Dec 2004 | |
Reading | 06 Jan 2005 | 30 Jun 2005 | |
Watford | 14 Sep 2005 | 30 Jun 2006 |
Season | Team | Competition | Apps | Subs | Goals | Y | R |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1987-88 | Queens Park Rangers | President`s Cup | 1 | ||||
1989-90 | Queens Park Rangers | League Division One | 1 |
||||
1992-93 | Queens Park Rangers | Premier League | 37 | 20 |
7
|
||
1993-94 | Queens Park Rangers | Premier League | 35 | 1 |
16 |
2
|
1
|
1994-95 | Queens Park Rangers | FA Cup | 3 | 1 |
|||
1994-95 | Queens Park Rangers | League Cup | 2 | 1 |
|||
1994-95 | Queens Park Rangers | Premier League | 37 | 24 |
5
|
1
|
|
1995-96 | Newcastle United | FA Cup | 2 | 1 |
|||
1995-96 | Newcastle United | League Cup | 5 | 3 |
|||
1995-96 | Newcastle United | Premier League | 37 | 25 |
4
|
||
1996-97 | Newcastle United | FA Charity Shield | 1 | ||||
1996-97 | Newcastle United | FA Cup | 2 | 1 |
1 |
1
|
|
1996-97 | Newcastle United | League Cup | 1 | ||||
1996-97 | Newcastle United | Premier League | 30 | 1 |
16 |
3
|
|
1996-97 | Newcastle United | UEFA Cup | 4 | 4 |
|||
1997-98 | Tottenham Hotspur | FA Cup | 2 | ||||
1997-98 | Tottenham Hotspur | League Cup | 1 | ||||
1997-98 | Tottenham Hotspur | Premier League | 19 | 2 |
5 |
1
|
|
1998-99 | Tottenham Hotspur | FA Cup | 6 | 1 |
1
|
||
1998-99 | Tottenham Hotspur | League Cup | 2 | 2 |
1
|
||
1998-99 | Tottenham Hotspur | Premier League | 22 | 2 |
5 |
5
|
|
1999-00 | Tottenham Hotspur | Premier League | 5 | 4 |
2 |
2
|
|
2000-01 | Tottenham Hotspur | FA Cup | 4 |
1
|
|||
2000-01 | Tottenham Hotspur | League Cup | 2 | 1 |
|||
2000-01 | Tottenham Hotspur | Premier League | 25 | 3 |
10 |
4
|
|
2001-02 | Tottenham Hotspur | FA Cup | 3 | 1 |
1
|
||
2001-02 | Tottenham Hotspur | League Cup | 5 | 5 |
|||
2001-02 | Tottenham Hotspur | Premier League | 22 | 3 |
9 |
3
|
|
2002-03 | Tottenham Hotspur | League Cup | 1 | 1 |
|||
2002-03 | Tottenham Hotspur | Premier League | 4 | 7 |
2 |
1
|
|
2002-03 | West Ham United | Premier League | 12 | 2 |
2 |
1
|
|
2003-04 | Leicester City | FA Cup | 1 | 1 |
1 |
||
2003-04 | Leicester City | Premier League | 20 | 9 |
12 |
1
|
1
|
2004-05 | Bolton Wanderers | League Cup | 1 | 1 |
1 |
||
2004-05 | Bolton Wanderers | Premier League | 1 | 11 |
1 |
1
|
|
2004-05 | Reading | FA Cup | 2 | ||||
2004-05 | Reading | League Championship | 4 | 8 |
1 |
1
|
Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
Season | Team | Competition | Apps | Subs | Goals | Y | R |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1992-93 | England | FIFA World Cup | 3 | 1 |
|||
1992-93 | England | US Cup | 1 | ||||
1993-94 | England | FIFA World Cup | 2 | 2 |
|||
1994-95 | England | International Friendly | 1 |
||||
1995-96 | England | International Friendly | 3 | 1 |
|||
1995-96 | England | Unofficial | 1 | 1 |
|||
1996-97 | England | FIFA World Cup | 2 | 1 |
1 |
||
1997-98 | England | B International | 1 | 1 |
|||
1997-98 | England | FIFA World Cup | 1 | ||||
1997-98 | England | International Friendly | 1 |
||||
1997-98 | England | King Hassan II Cup | 1 | 1 |
Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
Date | Match | Result | Competition | Round | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
17 Feb 1993 | England v San Marino | W | 6-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 2 |
28 Apr 1993 | England v Netherlands | D | 2-2 | FIFA World Cup | Group 2 |
02 Jun 1993 | Norway v England | L | 2-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 2 |
09 Jun 1993 | USA v England | L | 2-0 | US Cup | |
08 Sep 1993 | England v Poland | W | 3-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 2 |
17 Nov 1993 | San Marino v England | W | 1-7 | FIFA World Cup | Group 2 |
07 Sep 1994 | England v USA | W | 2-0 | International Friendly | |
12 Dec 1995 | England v Portugal | D | 1-1 | International Friendly | |
27 Mar 1996 | England v Bulgaria | W | 1-0 | International Friendly | |
18 May 1996 | England v Hungary | W | 3-0 | International Friendly | |
26 May 1996 | Hong Kong v England | W | 0-1 | UNOFFICIAL | |
09 Oct 1996 | England v Poland | W | 2-1 | FIFA World Cup | Group 2 |
09 Nov 1996 | Georgia v England | W | 0-2 | FIFA World Cup | Group 2 |
12 Feb 1997 | England v Italy | L | 0-1 | FIFA World Cup | Group 2 |
10 Sep 1997 | England v Moldova | W | 4-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 2 |
21 Apr 1998 | England v Russia | W | 4-1 | B International | |
23 May 1998 | England v Saudi Arabia | D | 0-0 | International Friendly | |
27 May 1998 | Morocco v England | W | 0-1 | King Hassan II Cup | |
29 May 1998 | Belgium v England | L | 0-0 (3-4) | King Hassan II Cup |
Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.