The Premier League Striker Who Spent Three Years in Jail: Who is Lee Hughes?
The Story of Controversial Footballer Lee Hughes
Premier League striker Lee Hughes was at the peak of his career - but a stint behind bars changed everything.
So, what exactly went wrong? The Sporting Blog tells the FULL story!
The story of Lee Hughes’ first public apology after the crash
There are many Premier League footballers that have experienced the inside of a jail cell, but few have endured a lengthy custodial sentence.
Lee Hughes gets the dishonourable mention, however, as he served years behind bars following a fatal car collision for which he was culpable.
He was at the peak of his powers and looked set to play in his second Premier League season before the incident, but he never managed to get back to that level after being jailed.
Hughes played professional and semi-professional football for over four decades - here’s the story of how his career spiralled after hitting his peak.
Lee Hughes at West Brom
Born in Smethwick, West Midlands in 1976, Hughes joined West Bromwich Albion at the age of 11 and spent four years with the Baggies before his release in 1991.
Albion opted against offering him a youth contract, and subsequent trials with other clubs ended up being unsuccessful, so Hughes played semi-professional football at Kidderminster Harriers while working as a part-time roofer.
He spent six years at the club, scoring 70 goals in 126 appearances before West Brom brought him back to the Hawthorns for £380k.
The move attracted a lot of media attention as Hughes was a lifelong Albion supporter alongside his part-time job.
Tabloids couldn’t resist labelling Hughes as a roofer who bagged a shock Championship move, but the 1997 transfer came on merit.
Hughes scored 30 goals in 1996/97 as the Harriers finished second in the Conference (now called the National League), but his club missed out on promotion.
Albion were taking a gamble signing a player from the fourth tier, but Hughes was barely 20 at the time and boasted an impressive scoring record.
Hughes’ record at West Brom:
1997/98 (First Division): 37 games, 14 goals
1998/99 (First Division): 42 games, 31 goals
1999/00 (First Division): 36 games, 13 goals
2000/01 (First Division): 41 games, 22 goals
Hughes was the top scorer in every season at West Brom, so he was a shrewd acquisition.
The Baggies couldn’t deliver on promotion, however, finishing outside of the playoffs in his first three campaigns before losing the 2001 semi-finals to the Bolton Wanderers.
Coventry City came calling that summer and paid West Brom more than £5m for Hughes, but his stint with the Sky Blues was shortlived after a bright debut campaign and Albion would re-sign the striker midway into his second season for City, for half of what they sold him for.
Hughes’ record at Coventry:
2001/02 (First Division): 38 games, 14 goals
2002/03 (First Division): 4 games, 1 goal
Hughes’ return to West Brom:
2002/03 (Premier League): 23 games, 0 goals
2003/04 (First Division): 32 games, 11 goals
West Brom were in the Premier League and Hughes struggled to make the same impact as he did in the First Division, failing to score all season.
Albion were unsurprisingly relegated, but Hughes managed to find his form in the First Division with 11 goals from 32 games.
He was Albion’s top scorer as they won promotion back to the Premier League, but Hughes wouldn’t play top-flight football again…
The Car Crash
In late November 2003, Hughes lost control of his Mercedes and went onto the wrong side of the road, crashing into a Renault Scénic.
The collision killed Douglas Graham while injuring his wife Maureen and the driver Albert Frisby. Hughes and passenger Adrian Smith initially fled the scene, but they turned themselves in a day or two later.
Hughes was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving, but he only plead guilty to failing to stop and failing to report an accident.
The scene of the crime
During the trial at Coventry Crown Court, Hughes was accused of driving too fast in wet conditions and fleeing the scene to avoid a breath test.
It was believed he’d been drinking Jack Daniels before getting into his car.
In early August 2004, Hughes was sentenced to six years imprisonment after being found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving.
He was also banned from driving for 10 years and ordered to pay £8,467 in costs, according to Nick Britten. Hughes unsurprisingly had his West Brom contract terminated.
Hughes’ Incarceration and Release
The Englishman still managed to play football in Staffordshire’s County Senior League while at HM Prison Featherstone, but he was banned a year later after being sent off in a match.
Hughes would serve three years of a six-year sentence before being released in 2007, and he wasted little time returning to football.
Oldham Athletic signed him just weeks after his release and urged the media and supporters to look past his conviction.
Hughes’ record at Oldham:
2007/08 (League One): 18 games, 7 goals
2008/09 (League One): 37 games, 18 goals
Hughes impressed with the Latics but was released at the end of his second season. He would go on to join Notts County where he spent four seasons and scored 66 times in all competitions.
Hughes’ record at Notts County:
2009/10 (League Two): 39 games, 30 goals
2010/11 (League One): 31 games, 13 goals
2011/12 (League One): 40 games, 10 goals
2012/13 (League One: 18 games, 6 goals
After County, he came to Port Vale. Hughes started well at Vale Park before a disappointing second season saw him depart as a bit-part player.
Hughes’ record at Port Vale:
2012/13 (League Two): 18 games, 10 goals
2013/14 (League One): 13 games, 3 goals
Hughes played in the Football League for seven seasons after his release from prison, but his Vale exit led to him dropping into the semi-pro leagues and becoming a journeyman.
Image credits: Tom Wren on Twitter: Lee Hughes set for Forest Green debut
He played for Forest Green Rovers (2014/15), Kidderminster (2015), Ilkeston (2015), Worcester City (2015 - 2017), AFC Telford United (2017), Worcester City (2017/18), Halesowen Town (2018/19), Mickleover Sports (2019/20, Grantham Town (2020), Nuneaton Borough (2020), Cradley Town (2021), and most recently Stourport Swifts (2021/22).
Hughes’ Complicated Legacy
Many fans hold Hughes in high regard for his football career and charity work, but his multiple brushes with the law create a problematic legacy.
Hughes was reportedly questioned by police over allegations of assault in 2000 and was found guilty of assaulting a woman at a hotel in 2012.
And despite earning £20k-a-week at the peak of his career, Hughes was declared bankrupt in 2018. Now he makes personalised videos for money while still playing football as of 2022.
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