Lee James Stephen Hodson (born 2 October 1991) is a professional footballer who plays for Partick Thistle on loan from Kilmarnock. Hodson is a defender, and plays primarily as a right-back, but has had spells at left back and as a wingback during his career. He made his first team debut for Watford in May 2009 against Derby County, before playing in the majority of Watford's games in the 2009–10 season, during which he earned a three-year professional contract. Hodson was born in England and was eligible to play for Northern Ireland through his grandmother. He has represented the latter country at youth, under-19 and under-21 levels, and in November 2010 was called up to the senior Northern Ireland team for the first time. Early life Hodson was born in Hertfordshire, and grew up in Borehamwood, near Watford. He was involved with "Borehamwood 2000", a football scheme run by Boreham Wood, before joining Watford's youth system. Hodson progressed through the academy, playing 26 times for the under-18 side in 2007–08 despite still being a schoolboy. He also started nine times for the club's reserve team. Hodson signed for the club as an academy scholar in June 2008, and continued to play for the club's reserve and under-18 teams in the 2008–09 season. Club career Watford and Brentford loan Hodson was named on Watford's substitute bench for the first time on 3 May 2009, in a home game against Derby County. He was brought in the 65th minute, as a substitute for Arsenal loanee Gavin Hoyte. The match finished as a 3–1 Watford win. Following two separate injuries to club captain Jay DeMerit early in the 2009–10 season, Adrian Mariappa moved to central defence, and Hodson started to play regularly in the Championship at right back. Hodson played in every Watford first team game in September and October 2009, and by November he had earned himself a three-year professional contract with the club. He went on to play 34 first-team matches that season—31 in the Championship—and picked up 2 yellow cards. Although primarily used at right-back, he deputised at left-back when Lloyd Doyley sustained an injury towards the end of the season. Hodson was named the Championship's Apprentice of the Month for November 2009, and was nominated for the division's Apprentice of the Year award; the other nominees were Adam Matthews and Nathan Modest. Matthews, an under-21 international for Wales, eventually