The Missing Three Lions

Male lions are found in prides, but some are forced out by more dominant males and spend their life as nomads. Nomads wonder in the wilderness, sometimes joining up with other prides for short periods of time, continuously searching for their previous dominants.

England's National Football team has had its fair share of lions roaming the hallow Wembley turf. Some have been more successful than others. There’s been times in England's National team's history when a player could get a call-up to the national squad easier than picking up some fish and chips at his local "chippy."

There are three currently playing ex-Three Lions that have literally fell off the "Serengeti."

Steve Guppy, Leicester City, remember him? The days of Martin O’Neill and the miracles he performed at the foxes. Guppy played for England on the 10th of October 1999

versus Belgium.

Guppy followed Martin O’Neill up to Scotland, where he joined Celtic, later returning to the foxes. In 2005, he crossed the "pond" to play along side teenage sensation Freddy Adu at D.C. United in the MLS. 

The less said about his time there the better.

He returned to Stevenage Borough, where he became the first ever person to win medals at both the old and new Wembley Stadium. Guppy achieved league cup honours with Leicester city at the old Wembley and won the FA Trophy with Stevenage Borough in the new Wembley in 2007.

Where is Steve Guppy today?

You can find him donning the No. 7 shirt for the Rochester Rhinos as their player and assistant coach. Rochester Rhinos are a New York team that play in the USL First Division, the second tier of the American soccer pyramid.

Seth Johnson hit his hights in November 2000, when he played against Italy for England. Jonhnson was a Derby County player at this time, and the sudden rise to fame was noted by Leeds United, who signed Johnson in 2001 for ₤7 million.

Johnson returned to Derby County in 2005 after a dismal time at Leeds United. Where is Johnson today? He is currently without a club after being released by Derby County on the 1st of June 2007.

So after roaming the lonely plains of football, Johnson age 29, will probably announce his retirement with no one even batting an eyelid.

Michael Gray was a player that made some history on his debut for the Three Lions. As a First Division player, Gray was picked by Kevin Keegan to make his international debut for England as a substitute in the match against Hungary on the 28th of April 1999.

Gray was having a very successful stint for Sunderland, as they won promotion to the premiership that campaign as champions of the then First Division. After being plagued by injury and poor form, Gray has since played for Celtic, Blackburn Rovers, and Leeds United.

Gray has now reunited with his former Sunderland manager Mick McCarthy at Wolverhampton Wanderers. The closest he has got to an England player since is a disagreement he had with Wayne Rooney in 2006 at a restaurant. Gray not being the dominant male in the pride anymore, was "kicked out" the restaurant.

Lions begin to age and weaken if they have not already been critically injured whilst defending their pride. Once ousted from a pride by rival males, male lions rarely manage a second take-over.