PLAYER PROFILE

Lee Naylor

Position: Defence

Height: 5'8

Weight: 11st 8lbs

Date of Birth: 1980-03-19 Bloxwich, England

Lee Naylor

When Celtic added Lee Naylor to their squad in the summer 2006 they brought a player regarded by many as one of the most underrated players in England to a wider audience.

In many ways, Naylor's relatively low profile was a consequence of his loyalty. Having grown up in nearby Bloxwich Naylor signed for local side Wolverhampton Wanderers as a schoolboy and rose through the ranks, from trainee to a mainstay of the side. In all he made 334 appearances for Wolves in nine years with the club and his departure was a blow; despite his experience Naylor was just 26 years old.

However, the lure of Champions League football was too much and Naylor agreed a three-year contract with Gordon Strachan's side. Though disappointed to see his left-back depart, Wolves manager Mick McCarthy accepted the decision, saying: "When you've got a player who has done great for the club, if someone comes in for him and he gets the opportunity, I fully understand his desire to move on to fresh pastures."

At those new pastures Naylor took the no.3 shirt and has quickly established himself as a first-team regular in his favoured left-back position. A good reader of the game and dangerous coming forward, particularly with his ability from dead ball situations, Naylor has proved an important figure in Celtic's team. Capped at under-21 level for England, he is thought to be on a 'long-list' of players Steve McClaren regularly monitors for the full England squad.

He had such a good campaign in 2006/07 that he was named on the shortlist for the Scottish Professional Footballers' Association's Player of The Year award, and continued these fine displays in 2007/08.