An interview with Lee Camp, by Callum McFadden for WFi.
You began your professional journey at Derby County, spending around five years with the senior team while also gaining experience through various loan spells. Looking back, how do you reflect on your time at the club, both in terms of your development as a player and your overall experience?
“Really positively. I was there from the age of 12 or 13, training with the old School of Excellence, as it was called then. Then it transitioned into an academy when I was around 15. I have nothing but fond memories. It was a club that gave me a chance.
“I’m from Derby, so it was my hometown team. It was a great experience. I met a lot of good people who instilled a lot of fundamentals in me that set me up well for the rest of my career. The standards and behaviours that I think gave me longevity and consistency were all engrained in me early on at Derby.”
When you were coming through at Derby as a youngster, who were the goalkeeping coaches that really helped you improve your game the most?
“Eric Steele was the main goalkeeping coach. I think he initially worked for the club on a part-time basis, and then when the club became an academy around 1998, he went full-time with the first team and became the academy coach as well.
“We trained twice a week with him while we were still at school. He really helped me believe in myself, more than anything, as a 14- or 15-year-old. He went above and beyond what a coach typically does for a player, giving me a real chance to progress. He was the first person at Derby who really believed in me.”
After a few loan spells, you joined QPR permanently in 2007. How do you reflect on your time at QPR overall?
“I’d had a previous loan spell, so I already had a good feeling about the club and a good relationship with the fans. Going back there felt natural. I’d had two loan spells before signing permanently, so it was an easy decision. It was difficult to leave Derby, but it was time for something fresh.
“When I first arrived at QPR, there wasn’t much money at the club. We were a close-knit group of players fighting to stay in the Championship, and we knew the challenge we had ahead. Then, soon after I signed permanently, Flavio Briatore came in, and with him came the money and a bit of a circus. The club changed overnight.
“Flavio and Bernie take a bit of criticism for that time, but they did put in a lot of infrastructure behind the scenes that people probably don’t appreciate. However, with new players and managers coming in all the time, it became a revolving door, and things got messy.
“My time there ended on a bit of a sour note with the ownership, but I had a great 12 months there. We had some success, like the promotion in ’04, which was one of my career highlights. I really loved my time at QPR and have nothing but fond memories of the club and the fans.”
During your time at Nottingham Forest, you played under Billy Davies in a dynamic and ambitious squad that consistently challenged for promotion. How do you look back on that era, both in terms of the team’s potential and your personal experience within such a competitive environment?
“Yeah, it was. Billy came in and saved the club. I was actually on loan when he first came in, and we knew each other from my time at Derby.
“When I returned, he had kept Forest up, and then he built a really good team—a young, hungry, talented side with great experience from players like Paul McKenna, Dele Adebola, and Robert Earnshaw.
“We had two years where we came so close. Looking back, I think we overachieved. Both seasons, we played without a recognised left-back. We had players like Nicky Shorey, Paul Konchesky, and others filling in, but we never had a stable left-back.
“Despite that, we did really well. I believe if that group had stayed together a bit longer, with the younger players maturing and gaining experience, we could have eventually won the league and achieved promotion. But after two years of just missing out, the team was quickly broken up.”
You got a taste of the Premier League during a short spell with Norwich City under Chris Hughton, where the club finished 11th. How was that experience of working with Chris and playing in the Premier League?
“It was great. It was short and sweet, and I knew my role. I thought I might get a chance to play, but Mark Bunn was in goal at the time and did fantastically well, so I couldn’t break into the side.
“But I had no complaints; it was great to experience the Premier League. The league was already its own beast back then, and it’s only grown in stature since.
“Overall, I enjoyed those three or four months at Norwich, even if I would have liked to play a bit more.”
Next, you joined Bournemouth under Eddie Howe and were part of the squad that won promotion to the Premier League for the first time. What was it like to work with Eddie Howe?
“It was really special. Eddie’s a genius. Bournemouth had just been promoted when I joined, and they were looking for experience. I was at a stage in my career where I was considered an experienced player, and I think I helped stabilise things initially.
“The following year, the team took off and won the league. Eddie and his coaching staff were ahead of their time. We played out from the back and dominated possession, which you see more commonly now. Training was fantastic, and everything, from recovery methods to training techniques, was top-notch.
“Working with Eddie was an invaluable experience, and it’s something I cherish moving forward in my career.”
You were involved in Rotherham’s great escape from Championship relegation under Neil Warnock. What was he like to work with?
“He was brilliant. Neil was the reason we stayed up. He brought experience, knew how to handle situations, and managed to turn things around. His first meeting was incredible—he spoke in third person, which left us wondering if he was losing it or was just a genius.
“He brought the squad together, helped lift the morale, and instilled belief in us. Neil knew which games to target for points, and after some tough matches, he adjusted formations and personnel. He knew exactly what he was doing, and it was all down to him that we managed to stay up.”
I want to ask you briefly about Sunderland. You joined during a tough time for the club, with the documentary being made as well. What was that experience like from a player’s perspective?
“It wasn’t the fondest period of my career. I didn’t play particularly well, and I’d just come back from injury.
“The documentary didn’t really interfere too much; it wasn’t overly intrusive. Compared to when I was at Wrexham and there was a film crew, Sunderland’s documentary team was pretty respectful.
“There were a few GoPros around the training facilities, but it wasn’t in-your-face. The real issue was what was happening on the pitch, with the club being relegated. It wasn’t great for fans or for those involved, but the documentary itself didn’t impact us much.”
You mentioned Wrexham, where you ended your career. What are your memories of that period, and what do you think of what they’re achieving now?
“I was pretty much retired by the time I joined Wrexham. They were in a tough spot and needed some reinforcements before the deadline.
“I had a relationship with Phil Parkinson, and I thought it would be interesting to see what all the fuss was about with the Hollywood owners. You could see they were serious and had genuine intentions.
“Although we didn’t get promoted, I’m glad they eventually did. They’ve done fantastic things, and I think more clubs might follow their model in the future.”
Finally, Lee, you represented Northern Ireland internationally. How proud are you of that achievement?
“Very proud. I qualified through my granddad, and although he wasn’t around to see it, I’m sure he would have been proud.
“Representing any country at international level is something to take seriously, and I have great memories. Windsor Park was special, with passionate fans. I didn’t get as many caps as I’d have liked, but I have no regrets.”
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