Southend United completed the signing of Tottenham Hotspur striker Lee Barnard in January 2008 for an undisclosed fee.

The 23-year-old has certainly made impressive strides having scored nine goals for the club last season.

Barnard, originally from Billericay, signed a two-and-a-half year deal at Roots Hall keeping him at the club until 2010.

He had his first taste of League football during loan spells at Exeter City (2002), Leyton Orient (2004-05) and Northampton Town (2005), and also had a temporary stay at Conference club Stevenage Borough (2004).

A prolific goalscorer at reserve team level, Barnard turned professional with Spurs in July 2002. He went on to bag 17 goals in 17 starts for the reserves in 2004/05 season, including successive hat-tricks against Arsenal and Derby.

Maintaining his form for the White Hart Lane side's second string in 2005/06, Lee scored 18 goals in 19 appearances, capping the season with three first team matches at the end of the year.

Season 2006/07 did not prove such a memorable one for the striker as an ankle injury sustained in pre-season kept him out for most of the campaign.

He did return in time to score two goals in three reserve appearances and win a place in a number of first team squads.

However, at the start of last season Barnard was loaned out to Crewe in August, with things looked to be going well at Gresty Road until he damaged his ankle in a heavy tackle against Luton in October.

Having recovered from that set-back he returned to Crewe in December to score on his second appearance to make it three goals in nine games before signing permanently for Steve Tilson's side.

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