The once-capped England midfielder became a West Ham United player for the second time when he returned to the Boleyn Ground from Newcastle United in June 2006.
Raised in nearby Poplar, Lee had previously made eleven appearances for the club after signing on a short-term contract from Leeds United in January 2003. By the end of an injury-blighted few months, he had been unable to help the club avoid relegation from the Premiership.
Growing up as a West Ham United fan, Bowyer's boyhood hero was Billy Bonds and just like the Hammers legend he also started his career as a schoolboy at Charlton Athletic. He made impressive progress at youth level, before going on to score 14 goals in 58 league and cup outings for the Addicks. He had made his debut as a 17-year-old substitute in a League Cup second round second-leg defeat by Swindon Town in September 1994.
In July 1996, Leeds United swooped with a bid of £2.8m to make Bowyer the most expensive teenager in English football and, after immediately scoring on his Premiership debut at Derby County just a few weeks later, he went on to repay manager George Graham's faith with a 55-goal haul in 265 league and cup outings for the Yorkshiremen.
The free-scoring midfielder's Elland Road highlights comprised a Champions League semi-final against Valencia in 2001 and an England cap in a 1-1 draw with Portugal at Villa Park just over a year later.
But following manager David O'Leary's departure in the summer of 2002, Lee refused to sign a new deal and he came close to joining Liverpool for £9m. With his contract due to expire at the end of the 2002/03 campaign, though, Leeds eventually agreed a cut-price £100,000 transfer with Glenn Roeder's Hammers. However, the combative midfielder was plagued by ankle problems during that brief, eleven-match spell at relegation-bound West Ham United.
Upon leaving Upton Park, Bowyer signed for Newcastle United on a Bosman free transfer and, ironically he made his Magpies' debut in a 2-2 draw back at Elland Road, before going on to score 11 times in 98 league and cup outings for the Tynesiders.
On returning to the Boleyn Ground in June 2006 - in a deal that guaranteed Newcastle United a share of any future sell-on fee - Bowyer capped a great second debut by creating all three goals in a 3-1 win against former club Charlton on the opening day of the 2006/07 campaign.
However, after suffering a hernia in October and a dislocated shoulder in the 6-0 defeat at Reading on New Year's Day he was restricted to just 22 league and cup outings. He returned to start the 2007/08 term in good shape, bouncing back to score his first goal for West Ham in the 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic on 25 August. He would score a further three times before a groin injury hampered the second half of the season.