| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Paul Andrew Lake | ||
| Date of birth | 28 October 1968 | ||
| Place of birth | Manchester, England | ||
| Position(s) | Defender, midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1977–1980 | Denton Youth | ||
| 1980–1983 | Blue Star | ||
| 1983–1986 | Manchester City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1986–1996 | Manchester City | 110 | (7) |
| International career | |||
| 1988–1989 | England U21 | 5 | (0) |
| 1990 | England B | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Paul Andrew Lake (born 28 October 1968) is an English former professional footballer who played for Manchester City and represented England at under-21 and B team level.
He had an excellent early career with Manchester City, winning the FA Youth Cup in 1986 and helping the club to win promotion out of the Second Division in 1988–89. However a ruptured Anterior cruciate ligament in September 1990 would lead to several seasons struggling with knee injuries, and he would only play four further games from that point before announcing his retirement in January 1996. Despite his career effectively ending at the age of 21 he was later inducted into the Manchester City Hall of Fame, and was seen as a player who would have been a key first team player for many years had it not been for his injury problems.
Lake went on to spend ten years as a physiotherapist in the game, working with Macclesfield Town and Bolton Wanderers. In 2008 he was recruited by Manchester City as its City in the Community Ambassador, helping to forge links with local charities. In 2013, he joined the Premier League as a Club Support Manager, liaising with various football academies across the north of England. He also works as a match day co-commentator for BBC Radio Manchester.