Lee withdraws to central reservation

Simon Turnbull finds Newcastle's midfielder is thriving in a new pivotal role

In one respect it was just as well that Robert Lee was ignored as Newcastle United's offensive bombardment buried Ferencvaros on Tuesday. The best goal of the night might never have been scored if he hadn't been.

"I was screaming at him to pass the ball to me," Lee confessed, recalling the juggling David Ginola performed before conjuring his wonder goal. "I was just about to have a go at him when the ball screamed into the net."

Ginola and Faustino Asprilla received the accolades for a bold attacking job well done. Yet it did not fail to escape the discerning eye that the key to the 4-0 success was not the Frenchman or the Colombian. As David Pleat, in his television commentary, and Kevin Keegan, in his post- match summary, both identified, the platform was built from behind by the tireless fetching, foraging and prompting of Lee.

The irony is not that Lee might have denied Ginola his dream finish but that the 30-year-old Londoner was, in fact, the first attacking player Keegan brought to St James' Park. Middlesbrough's visit to St James' Park this afternoon is an ideal opportunity to reflect on Lee's metamorphosis from second- class winger-cum-striker to international central midfielder. It might never have happened if he had signed for Middlesbrough before he joined Newcastle, a division below their north-east neighbours at the time, in a pounds 700,000 move from Charlton in September 1992.

Keegan is fond of telling how he persuaded Lee that Newcastle was closer than Middlesbrough to the London home he was reluctant to leave. The real reason he uprooted and took a chance on Newcastle was Keegan. Lee could envisage his boyhood hero reviving the Tyneside club, though maybe not quite to the spectacular extent he has since the night Lee was sent out to despatch crosses to Mick Quinn and David Kelly on his debut against Middlesbrough in a goalless Coca Cola Cup tie at St James' Park. "The club has grown beyond belief since then," Lee said. "I probably joined at the right time because I've had the chance to grow as the club's got bigger. It must be daunting for people coming here now and seeing the likes of David Ginola, Alan Shearer, Les Ferdinand and Faustino Asprilla."

At one point, in the summer of 1995, Lee was so concerned that he might be pushed out by the stars descending on St James' Park he telephoned Arsenal's Clubcall line to monitor reports of a supposed move to Highbury. Keegan, however, has made itclear how highly he regards the player he considers his best-value signing - even if his nickname has changed from "general", as Robert M Lee was dubbed by his boss last season, to "doggy".

"The manager said a few weeks ago that me and David Batty were like two dogs, running around getting the ball like a couple of terriers," Lee explained. "The lads like to call me 'doggy' now. And I used to think I was a flair player."

Behind the mock hurt, Keegan's pedigree chum is happy with the supporting role he plays at Newcastle. "Kevin switched me to central midfield," he said, "and I think it's my best position. I enjoy playing there. I'm not bothered if I don't get forward to score goals or if I'm out of the limelight. We've got so many attacking players it's up to me, and David Batty especially, to stay back and help out the defence. I think the fans appreciate that some players have got to do the running around and let the flair players express themselves.

"As long as we're playing well and winning I'm happy. I'm like all the players here. I'm desperate to win something - to prove you can do it playing our way."