Growing up as the son of a Newcastle United legend can shape an entire identity, but Elliot Lee has reached a remarkable point in his own career where the spotlight has shifted completely. For years, he was mostly known as the son of Rob Lee, one of the greatest midfielders ever to play at St James’ Park.
Now, he says his dad gets asked more about him than his own achievements, and the family can’t help but laugh about the role reversal.
Rob Lee, who made more than 300 appearances for Newcastle between 1992 and 2002, remains a beloved figure on Tyneside. Signed from Charlton Athletic for just £700,000, he became one of Kevin Keegan’s finest additions during the era that shaped modern Newcastle United.
He earned respect not only for his performances but also for his connection with the supporters. For many fans, he is still part of the club’s golden memories. But as big as his name is in Newcastle’s history, his son’s rise has created a new kind of attention that even he didn’t expect.
Since joining Wrexham in 2022, Elliot Lee has become one of the main faces of the club’s extraordinary journey under the Hollywood ownership of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. Wrexham’s story has captured global attention, and Elliot has been right at the centre of it, scoring goals, creating magic on the pitch, and contributing to three straight promotions that lifted the club from the National League all the way to the Championship.
His performances, personality and the worldwide reach of the Welcome to Wrexham documentary have turned him into a recognisable figure far beyond Wales or even the UK.
Elliot admitted that the shift in fame has become a running joke within the family. Speaking on That Wrexham Podcast, he shared how his dad gets teased about it after public appearances.
According to Elliot, Rob sometimes comes home from events expecting to talk about his England caps or his Newcastle memories. Instead, the questions almost always turn to Wrexham’s progress, what the dressing room is like, and how Elliot is doing.
Elliot says his dad laughs and complains that people don’t talk about him anymore, and the pair enjoy taking digs at each other over it. For most of Elliot’s life, he was introduced as “Rob Lee’s son.” Now, when Rob visits Wrexham, people greet him as “Elliot’s dad,” something Elliot admits makes him quietly proud.
Despite his father’s huge football career, Elliot says there was never any pressure to follow the same path. Rob Lee’s approach to parenting was simple: enjoy football, and if it ever stops being fun, walk away.
Elliot says this mindset helped him fall in love with the game naturally. Even when West Ham’s academy where he spent his youth career wanted him to stop playing with his schoolmates, his dad refused to allow it.
Rob felt strongly that Elliot should play with friends, enjoy every moment and grow in his own way. That freedom helped shape him into the player he is today, someone who still carries the joy of his childhood football into his professional life.
Elliot’s journey took him from West Ham to Luton and eventually to Wrexham, where everything finally clicked. He has scored 41 goals in more than 150 appearances, including crucial strikes that have pushed the club up the leagues. He says having his dad in the stands when possible adds something special to every big moment.
One memory he shared was a late winner he scored against Sutton in League Two. After the game, he spoke with his dad about the adrenaline rush and how nothing compares to that feeling.
Rob told him that, even though he can never relive scoring in front of thousands of fans, watching his son do it takes him as close as possible to that old thrill. For Elliot, that bond is priceless.
The story of the Lees has now shifted from a well-known father and an upcoming son to two men with their own identities in football. Rob’s legacy remains untouched, but Elliot’s rise has added a new chapter to the family name one built on work, resilience and a sense of enjoyment that started long before fame found him. Elliot may have spent many years introduced as “the son of a Newcastle legend,” but now he stands on his own platform, proving that sometimes the next generation can write a story just as powerful as the one that came before.
