David Lee was a slightly built, but athletic midfielder, who had an eye for an attacking option as he used his passing to try and open up opposition defences.
After featuring in the Spurs reserves, Lee failed to make the step up to the first eleven and the young midfielder moved on to Gillingham in March 2000, having trials at Luton and Norwich before moving to Priestfield.
Lee signed for Southend United on 8th August 2000, but by May 2001, David failed to agree new terms with the Shrimpers and moved on to Hull City, but did not really settle in Yorkshire. He returned south in January 2002, joining Brighton in a swap deal with Matthew Wicks moving in the opposite direction, although his time with the Seagulls was not plain sailing, with him being loaned out to Bristol Rovers in October 2002, but returned the next month.
The midfielder was looking forward to a trial with Yeovil in February 2003 and then on 23rd April, he played in a trial match for Cambridge United's reserves against Gillingham in a 3-0 win, alongside fellow trialists former Spurs youngsters John Sutton and Daniel Perry. Impressing in another reserve match against Colchester, the U's manager said he would like to sign Lee on a permanent basis. The player asked Brighton to allow him to leave, as he would be seeing his wages be half of what he was earning at the Withdean, but the move did not happen, leaving the midfielder to go for a trial at Colchester.
In October 2003, David Lee was loaned to Thurrock, who were struggling at the bottom of the Ryman League, but once more he returned to Brighton and eventually, the Seagulls released him in September 2004. Essex clubs Colchester United and AFC Hornchurch were interested in his services, but he went North to train with Oldham Athletic and signed for them on a non-contract basis in October 2004, but he was not retained by the Lactics and his deal was ended at the end of the following month.
David returned to Thurrock, trialled at Kidderminster Harriers in January, then signed for Conference side Stevenage Borough in February 2005 even though he was due to play in a trial with Aldershot, but he soon changed his mind and joined the Hampshire club the week after. A broken leg meant he missed the majority of the 2005-06 season, but he extended his contract by a year on 30th May 2006 and the Shots allowed him to go out on loan in August 2006 to re-gain his match fitness, but there were no takers.
Lee was released by the club at the end of January 2007 and he signed with Harlow Town of the Ryman League Division One towards the end of February 2007, but he was soon on the move again and following a short spell with Braintree, Lee moved across Essex to join up with AFC Hornchurch in summer 2007 and then moved further east in 2008 with Canvey Island.
David's father John was a scout for the Academy at Spurs and his brother James joined the youth ranks the year before David left.