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.
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.
[13] Following an injury to David White, Lake was given his first-team debut by manager Jimmy Frizzell on 24 January 1987 in a 0–0 draw with Wimbledon at Plough Lane.
[15] New manager Mel Machin gave him more of a run in the first team early in the 1987–88 season after centre-half Kenny Clements picked up an injury.
[17] He became a regular first team player, but missed the last three games of the season with a knee injury he picked up against Bradford City.
[18] On 11 March 1989, he came close to death when he was knocked unconscious during a match against Leicester City and subsequently suffered with a blocked airway whilst lying on the ground.
[34] He started the opening Premier League game of the 1992–93 season on 17 August, a 1–1 draw with Queens Park Rangers, but was substituted 60 minutes in after feeling pressure in his knee.
[38] Before going on the trip he told The Sunday People that the club and chairman Peter Swales had not handled his injury in the correct manner and left him feeling like "a piece of meat" as players at other clubs received specialist treatment straight away and received appearance and bonus pay during long-term absences.
He made brief reserve team appearances in early 1994, but was unable to participate beyond the spring as he was fitted with a knee brace to aid with his recovery.
[45][46] After years of operations his knee had numerous screws inserted and he needed surgery to re-straighten his leg; he remained on a lifelong prescription for anti-inflammatory painkillers.
[47] He retired from football in January 1996, after a struggle against injury which went on for more than five years,[48] and was granted a testimonial game against Manchester United in October 1997.
"With my confidence shot and my career in tatters, I found myself trapped in a world of pain where, in the words of that old Sad Cafe song, every day hurt.
[56] He won a cap for the England B team against Ireland B in March 1990, playing in an unfamiliar role of wide-left in a 4–1 defeat.
[57] He was angered by manager Dave Sexton's decision to play him as a winger, feeling the game did not give a good chance to make a case for his inclusion in Robson's final World Cup squad.
He began working on the Manchester City medical team in 1997, and helped Richard Edghill to recover from the same injury that had claimed his own career.
[69] In 2001 he married Joanne Parker in Prestbury village, and in June 2003 the couple had a son, Edward, followed three years later by a second child, Han.
[71] Lake is patron of Jump Space, a Stockport-based charity that provides specialist trampolining and rebound therapy to disabled children and young people.