Jamie Lawrence

Early life Lawrence was born in Balham, London, before moving first to Totteridge House in Battersea for a year before settling more permanently on the Latchmere Estate and attending John Burns Primary School.

Club career He began his career in non-league with Cowes Sports in 1992, before turning professional with Sunderland in 1993.

In 1993 Jamie Lawrence was handed his first professional football contract with Sunderland by manager Terry Butcher. Within days of signing for the Roker Park club, he made his debut as a substitute in a televised match against Middlesbrough. Although Middlesbrough beat Sunderland 4–1, Lawrence had made enough of an impression to be selected to start in the following match against Luton Town.

Terry Butcher was sacked a month later and replaced by Mick Buxton where Lawrence was not part of the new managers' plans and he was sold to Doncaster Rovers for £20,000 on 17 March 1994. He also played professionally for Doncaster Rovers, Leicester City, Bradford City, Walsall, Wigan Athletic, Grimsby Town and Brentford. While playing with Leicester he appeared as a substitute in the 1997 Football League Cup Final replay.

He later played non-league football with Fisher Athletic, Worthing, Harrow Borough, Margate, Ashford Town, Banstead Athletic and Cobham.

International career Lawrence earned 24 caps for Jamaica between 2000 and 2004, scoring one goal.

Coaching career Lawrence was player-manager of Ashford Town between November 2009 and June 2011.

In December 2014 he signed a six-week contract with the Ghana national team, to be their fitness coach for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, having previously worked in a similar role with Sutton United.

Lawrence was appointed first-team coach at National League South Whitehawk in September 2017. He then had a spell as assistant manager at Kingstonian, leaving in February 2019.

As of March 2023 he was a fitness coach for the Zambia national team.

Personal life His autobiography From Prison to Premiership was released in 2006.

In May 2020 Lawrence began a charity online workout to raise funds during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Honours Leicester City Football League Cup: 1996–97