BRIAN LEE – 1936-2023
BRIAN LEE, the former National League chairman and president, is being remembered as one of Non-League‘s finest ambassadors following his sad passing.
The ex-Wycombe Wanderers manager and chairman, who received an MBE for his services to sport and managed the England semi-professional team, died last Sunday aged 86, just a few days after the funeral of his wife of 65 years, Shirley Ann.
As manager, Lee took Wycombe to four Isthmian League titles in the 1970s and later helped design and build their current Adams Park home as well as appoint Martin O’Neill, who guided the Chairboys into the Football League.
In 1991, he became vice-chairman of the then-Football Conference and served as vice-president before becoming chairman in 2007.
A key driver of the formation of the National League Trust, he stepped down as chair in 2015 and was named president as the competition took on its National League name.
“He touched every part of the game,” National League chairman Jack Pearce told The NLP. “He was very involved in sport, as was Shirley Ann. He got involved at Lilleshall, he ran Bisham Abbey, he was a coach, a manager, a chairman, and also designed and help build a new ground to Football League standard.
Sharp brain
“He then got involved in running a league, very successfully. He was brilliant in getting the Premier League and PFA involved with our community scheme – Idon’t think you could do many other things if you tried.
“He went all over the place with his wife watching games. His presence will be sadly missed in boardrooms and on the field.”
In 2015, Lee and Shirley Ann attended The NLP’s National Game Awards at Fulham where he received a Lifetime Achievement award.
In typical Lee fashion, he used his acceptance speech to lead calls for the under-threat Englandnd C team’s continuation. Lee travelled all over Europe, and indeed further afield, supporting Paul Fairclough‘s side.
Pearce said: “He was manager of the England Amateur side and England C was a passion of his to get up and running again when the Amateur team didn’t play for a long time – Brian pushed that.
“He was a campaigner and he had a nice way with people. He could convince people something was the right thing to do in a friendly way.
“He always took interest in what other people had done. He listened. He had a very sharp brain. Nothing got past Brian, I’ll tell you.
“He’s been magic for the National League – him and Bill King before him, they are the two pioneers.”
Stickler
Lee took up coaching after his own playing career was halted due to injury and became the youngest ever FA staff coach.
Director of training centre Bisham Abbey for 20 years, the 1966 World Cup winning England side used it as their base, where he once escorted Her Majesty The Queen around the grounds on a visit to the team.
He was also a stick- ler for discipline. “In the 60s when it became fashionable for players to wear their shirts out- side their shorts, he wouldn’t have that,” Pearce said. “Oh no, he said, ‘You can’t play if you do that’. That was his thing.
“He told us a story where he pulled a player over and said, ‘I’m afraid you will be replaced if you don’t put your shirt in your shorts’. You can’t imagine that happening today!
“He was very successful in all his different avenues. Bisham Abbey was a success story, Wycombe Wanderers on and off the field were a success story, the National League with him as chair was a success story. “He made the National League Trust a success story. I can’t speak highly enough of him.”
Wycombe also led the tributes to their club icon with long-standing Chairboys boss Gareth Ainsworth saying: “Without him this club wouldn’t be anywhere near what it is today.
“This club takes their history really seriously and I am sure his name will live forever here.”
