Jack Lester

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See also Jack Lester (disambiguation)

Jack Lester
Personal information
Full name	Jack Lester
Date of birth	October 8, 1975 (age 31)
Place of birth	Sheffield, England
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current club	Nottingham Forest
Number	14
Senior clubs1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1994-2000 1996 2000-2003 2003-2004 2004-	Grimsby Town → Doncaster Rovers (loan) Nottingham Forest Sheffield United Nottingham Forest	132 (17) 11 (1) 99 (21) 44 (12) 68 (11)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 9 April 2007. * Appearances (Goals)

Jack Lester (born Sheffield, 8 October 1975) is a football player currently in his second spell with Nottingham Forest.

Despite often being billed as a striker, Lester often seems just as at home, and effective, in an attacking midfield role just behind the front line.

Lester started his career with Grimsby Town and signed his first proffesional contract in 1994 as a 19 year old. He made over 90 appearances and scored 17 league goals. Lester was subsequently loaned out to Doncaster Rovers. He played 10 games (4 in the starting lineup) and scored one goal.

David Platt signed Lester for Nottingham Forest in 2000 for £300,000.

It took some time for Lester to get settled in at Forest, however when Platt left the club, new manager Paul Hart moved Lester to an attacking midfield role in which Lester flourished and became a fan favourite, making over 70 starts for Forest and scoring 24 goals.

In 2003 he was released by Paul Hart to In an effort to reduce debts. He was signed by his hometown club Sheffield United where he only made 30 appearances. Towards the end of his Sheffield career he had a falling out with manager Neil Warnock which saw him drop down the pecking order. Team mate Danny Cullip also rowed with Warnock and was also signed by Forest at the start of the 05-06 season.

Lester was offered the chance to return to Forest and he was re-signed by Joe Kinnear in 2004. He returned with a bang and scored on his first game back with Forest. On his third game back at Forest (the humiliating 3-0 defeat to local rivals Derby County) he damaged ligaments in his knee which kept him out of action for almost 9 months.

Upon making his return to fitness Lester scored from the penalty spot and went one on to play over 30 games in his second spell with The Reds, most of them as a substitute. He is now becoming a favourite with manager Colin Calderwood and is once again playing in the hole behind the front men.

[edit] Honours

[edit] Grimsby Town

• Second Division playoff winner: 1998

Nottingham Forest F.C. - Current Squad
1 Smith | 3 Chambers | 4 Gary Holt | 5 Morgan | 6 Breckin | 7 Prutton | 8 Commons | 9 Tyson | 10 Dobie | 11 Grant Holt | 12 Wright | 14 Lester | 15 Henry | 16 Clingan | 17 Perch | 20 Pedersen | 21 Curtis | 23 Agogo | 25 James | 27 Hughes | 29 Bennett | 37 McGugan | 38 Redmond | 39 Bencherif | Manager: Calderwood