Lee celebrating one of his 16 goals – (Photo Credit: Jon Ashworth / Side of the World)
The goal-scoring exploits of Tony Lee has not gone unnoticed in recent weeks – with clubs making informal approaches to Poole as the ex-Eastleigh man continues his goal a game ratio.
Despite the endless speculation on social media, the man himself is focusing solely on Poole Town.
With the club striving for promotion, Lee is hoping his goal contributions can boost Poole’s bid on the field – whilst helping out with the youth sides off of it.
Discussing the recent transfer stories, Lee told All Poole Aren’t We: “It is what it is. With me scoring goals, there’s always going to be interest, but I think against Hendon was probably the day people would be going ‘oh, is his head turned?’
“No – I’m fully focused on the football. Me scoring goals is obviously good for me, good for the team. We’ve got ambitions this year, and I think the goals help towards that.
“I’m on a contract, I think that’s well documented. Scoring goals is only going to cause interest, so it is what it is.
“It’s always nice to see other teams want you, or have an interest in you, or whatever it is. I think if I wasn’t scoring the goals, the interest wouldn’t be there.
“Obviously I’m doing something right this year, which is nice. I’m scoring goals for Poole, I’m contracted to Poole – that’s what it is.”
Grabbing headlines with his performances on the pitch, Lee has also been praised by his manager for his off the field efforts.
Now a full-time coach with Poole’s partner academy Champion Sports, Lee can also be spotted in the dug-out for Poole’s U23 games.
“I’m right in the thick of it,” continued Lee.
“I started with Luke [Burbidge] in September with a full-time football scholarship programme, I’m involved with the under 23s now every Wednesday, and with the under 18s I try and help out when I can, when I’m needed to.
“So yeah, I think from the bottom to the top I’m trying to get involved as much as I can.”
Whenever a striker does well at the Black Gold, there are inevitable comparisons to strikers of years gone by – most namely Charlie Austin, who scored goals for fun in the Wessex Premier.
But despite being mentioned in the same bracket as prolific Poole heroes, Lee is focusing on helping his team rather than individual records.
That’s not to say Lee is not ambitious, or keen to write his own name in the history books – just not by sacrifcing team performances.
“There’s no target – I’ve been asking who’s got this record, who’s got that record and so on. I’ve got 14 league goals, 16 all comps – I want to score as many goals as I can.
“The more goals I score, the better for me, the better for the club, because we get where we want to go.
“Goals are goals – if I can smash records along the way, I’d love it. I think I’m going to struggle to catch Charlie Austin with 46 in a season, but I’m going to give it a go. I am hunting him down very slowly!”
All Poole Aren't We 