AN ex-Premier League star went on Dragons' Den for a laugh was stunned to receive £150,000 from Duncan Bannatyne.
Richard Lee, 40, played in goal for a number of clubs including Blackburn Rovers, Watford and Fulham over a 14 year career.
Despite playing against Manchester United in an FA Cup semi-final, it was a surprise appearance on the hit TV show that really saw him start to rake in the big bucks.
Back in 2006, Lee – who was turning out for Brentford at the time – appeared on BBC's Dragons' Den.
He offered the five investors a stake in his business, Dr Cap, a company specialising in selling sports headwear, in exchange for some investment and expertise.
Lee told EFL news: "My business partner applied [for Dragons' Den] for a bit of fun without telling me a few years ago.
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"We were asked to go to Manchester to meet their production team and explain our concept. A month later we were told we'd made the show and were invited to London.
"I remember it well. At the time I was playing for Blackburn Rovers and we had a big game the night before we were due in London. I travelled down after the match and got there at about 4am. I had to be up three hours later for filming of the show, I was shattered.
"It was great, though, and because it wasn't my main source of income there was no pressure."
And he recalls the moment one of the investors made the leap to splash the cash.
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Lee continued: "We prepared as well as we could and although we got caught out on one or two small bits, we gave a good presentation and one of the Dragons, Duncan Bannatyne, invested.
"It was crazy. As soon as it happened we all shook hands and went downstairs for the interview afterwards. When the show eventually came out it coincided with a big match for me, so it was a really good time in my life.
"In the end, the investment didn't actually go through, but it certainly gave us a bit of a boost at the time. It taught me a lot of lessons."
He was capped by England at U18 and U20 level but never made a senior appearance for the Three Lions.
In more recent years, Lee has also been making a name for himself as the go-to agent for goalkeepers.
The former Prem ace spotted the gap in the football-agent market from his experience as a player.
Few clubs have specialist goalkeeper recruitment teams, meaning Lee can offer advice as well as players to solve issues between the sticks.
And he cited his business experience on Dragons' Den as a huge help into his rewarding new career move.
Lee said: “I just wanted it to be done a bit more professionally when it came to goalkeepers, because it’s not like other departments.
“I’ve got Google alerts set up on over 300 goalkeepers in the UK and around the world.
“I’m in contact with every single goalkeeper coach to understand their needs and keep spreadsheets so that I know where the gaps are — and where they may appear.”
Speaking to The Athletic in 2022 he said: “Probably the last four years, I made the decision to focus solely on one thing and blend various skills from what I’ve done before.
“Becoming a master practitioner in neurolinguistic programming, writing a book on goalkeeping, playing a few hundred times in the Premier League and Championship, having a business background — including appearing on Dragons’ Den — it all feeds into being a goalkeeping agent and mentor.
“As an agent, you get a real buzz when things like this come together."
Given the niche he’s found for himself, it’s no exaggeration when Lee says: “I do believe I’m the best in the world at what I do now.”
Former Watford and England goalkeeper turned YouTuber Ben Foster has backed up his claims and described Lee as a "super goalkeeper agent".
Lee divides his time between London and Dubai, and being abroad can sometimes enable him to watch more live games than when he is in England.
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“I’ve got six iPads so I can watch all the 3pm kick-offs at once — and I’m only watching the goalies. I’m really a geek when it comes to this stuff.
“Your regular agent, who also has to cover outfield players, can’t compete, because I know just to be on top of everything to do with goalkeepers takes me 18 hours a day."
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