Lee Hills was one of many signings in summer 2012 as boss Gary Smith set about the first major rebuild of a Boro’ squad for some years. The player signed a three-year deal  after completing his switch from Crystal Palace; a club at which he had turned pro back in 2007. After his contract expired at Palace, he left the club. Stevenage provided his next port of call; a chance that saw the left back form part of a new dawn breaking at Boro’.

Lee Hills: Before Boro’

Before Palace, Hills spent time at Arsenal and Wimbledon as a youth player. During his five-year stay at Selhurst Park, he made nearly 50 appearances in all competitions and scored once; netting in a 1-1 draw against Bristol City in 2008. That year, he also earned England U18 and U19 honours. First team action also came about thanks to a handful of loan spells; first at Colchester United and then at Oldham Athletic. But neither spells yielded much game time.

Injury struck in April 2010, keeping him out of football for a prolonged period of time. On his return, Hills went to Southend United on loan in 2012 and made several appearances for the club.