Greg Leigh

Gregory Alex Leigh (born 30 September 1994) is a professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Oxford United. Born in England, he represents the Jamaica national team.

Greg Leigh
Personal information
Full name Gregory Alex Leigh[1]
Date of birth (1994-09-30) 30 September 1994
Place of birth Sale, England
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
 Oxford United
Number 22
Youth career
Sale United
2004–2014 Manchester City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2015 Manchester City 0 (0)
2014–2015 → Crewe Alexandra (loan) 38 (1)
2015–2016 Bradford City 6 (1)
2016–2018 Bury 86 (2)
2018–2020 NAC Breda 16 (1)
2019–2020 → Aberdeen (loan) 18 (1)
2020–2021 Aberdeen 8 (0)
2021–2022 Morecambe 36 (2)
2022–2023 Ipswich Town 15 (0)
2023– Oxford United 7 (5)
International career‡
2013 England U19 4 (0)
2020– Jamaica 8 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:25, 21 October 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15:29, 24 August 2023 (UTC)

Having come through the Manchester City Academy, Leigh has previously played for Crewe Alexandra, Bradford City, Bury, Aberdeen, Dutch club NAC Breda, Morecambe and Ipswich Town.

Club career

Manchester City

Born in Sale, Greater Manchester, Leigh joined Manchester City Academy in 2004 at age nine, after he was spotted by scouts whilst playing for Sale United.[3] Initially, he joined the club as a striker before converting into a left–back position and progressed through the youth ranks for the side.[4] He was also nominated for the 2012–13 Academy player of the season award.[5]

Leigh was included in Manchester City's squad for the pre-season friendly tour and appeared in several friendly matches.[6] Afterwards, it was announced on 12 August 2014, Leigh joined League One club Crewe Alexandra on loan initially until January 2015,[7] later extended to the end of the 2014–2015 season.[8] Leigh made his professional debut in the League Cup against Barnsley on 12 August 2014; he started the match but was substituted by Jon Guthrie in the 62nd minute.[9] He scored his first league goal, opening the scoring in a 2–0 win over Scunthorpe on 7 March 2015.[10] This goal was voted the goal of the season for Crewe Alexandra as voted for by the fans.[11]

After his loan spell at Crewe Alexandra was concluded, making forty-two appearances in all competitions, Leigh was released by Manchester City[12] Following this, Crewe Manager Steve Davis was keen to sign Leigh on a permanent basis,[13] but he turned down the offer of a deal.[14]

During his time at Manchester City, despite lack of first team opportunities, Leigh reflected his time at the club, progressing through the new ownership and the club's development.[15]

Bradford City

After Crewe Alexandra's attempts to sign him failed, Leigh went on trial at Bradford City.[16] Following a successful trial with the club, he signed a one-year deal on 6 August 2015.[17]

However, Leigh struggled to fight for his first team place and spent most of the season as an unused substitute.[18] Leigh then got his first team breakthrough when his fellow team-mate James Meredith was absent, due to international commitments[18] and made his Bradford City debut on 13 October 2015, in the second round of the Football League Trophy, in a 2–1 loss against Barnsley.[19] After continuously spending time on the substitutes bench, Leigh made his league debut for the club on 14 November 2015 against his former club, Crewe Alexandra, following Meredith's absence and Bradford City won 2–0.[20] He then scored his first Bradford City goal five days later in an FA Cup first round replay, in a 2–0 win over Aldershot Town.[21] Three days later on 21 November 2015, Leigh scored his first league goal for the club, in a 2–0 win over Scunthorpe United.[22] Following Merderith's return to the first team, Leigh lost his first team place once again and because of this, only made six league appearances for the club.[23]

Bury

Despite being offered a new contract by Bradford City,[24] Leigh opted to move to Bury on 1 July 2016, signing a two-year contract and joining his team-mate Ben Williams.[25] Upon joining the club, Leigh was given the number 3 shirt ahead of the new season.[26]

Leigh made his Bury debut, in the opening game of the season, playing in the left-back position and playing 90 minutes, in a 2–0 win over Charlton Athletic.[27] Since making his Bury debut, he quickly established himself in the left–back position in the starting eleven.[28] He played in a 5–3–2 formation under the management of Lee Clark.[29] He started in every match since joining the club until he was sent–off for a second bookable offence, in a 1–0 loss against Sheffield United on 22 November 2016.[30] After serving a one match suspension, he returned to the first team, regaining his place, in a 4–2 loss against Bristol Rovers on 10 December 2016.[31] In a match against Oxford United on 17 December 2016, he scored an own goal, in a 3–2 loss.[32] It wasn't until 14 March 2017 that Leigh scored his first goal for the club, as well as, setting up two goals, including a penalty, in a 3–0 win over Bristol Rovers.[33] At the end of the 2016–17 season, having made 51 appearances and scoring once in all competitions, Leigh was named the disabled supporters' player of the year after a strong season at Bury.[34]

At the start of the 2017–18 season, Leigh continued to establish himself in the starting eleven, regaining his place in the left–back position.[4][35] He then set up a goal for Nicky Ajose to score the club's second goal in the game, in a 3–2 loss against Bristol Rovers on 19 August 2017.[36] Despite the club's poor results, which resulted in Clark's sacking, Leigh remained a standout for the side throughout the season.[37] He then scored his first goal of the season, in a 3–1 win over Stoke City U23 on 8 November 2017.[38] Then, on 21 November 2017, Leigh scored again, in a 1–0 win over Shrewsbury Town.[39] However, despite suffering from an injury; he returned to the first team, as Bury were relegated from League One after finishing in 24th place at the end of the season.[40]

Leigh was offered a new contract by Bury at the end of the 2017–18 season[41]

NAC Breda

Leigh moved abroad for the first time in his career when he opted to join Eredivisie side NAC Breda on a three-year-deal in June 2018.[42]

Aberdeen

Leigh was loaned to Scottish Premiership club Aberdeen in June 2019.[43] After he negotiated his release from NAC Breda, Leigh signed a short-term contract with Aberdeen in October 2020.[44] He extended the contract in January to stay until the end of the season,[45] but he suffered a hamstring injury in February 2021 that ruled him out for the remainder of the season.[46] He was released by Aberdeen at the end of the season.[47]

Morecambe

In July 2021, Leigh signed for League One side Morecambe on a one-year deal.[48] At the end of the season Leigh was released by the club.[49]

Ipswich Town

On 20 June 2022, Leigh signed a two-year contract with Ipswich Town and in the 2–2 draw on with Sheffield Wednesday on 17 September 2022 he broke his leg.[50]

Oxford United

On 24 August 2023, Leigh joined League One side Oxford United for an undisclosed fee.[51] He made his debut on 26 August as a 78th-minute substitute in a 2–1 home victory over Charlton Athletic.[52] Across September, he scored three goals for his new club, being awarded with the EFL League One Player of the Month award for his efforts.[53]

International career

Leigh is eligible to represent England or Jamaica internationally.

On 17 January 2013, Leigh was called up by England U19 for the first time.[54] Weeks later on 5 February 2013, Leigh made his England U19 debut, playing 90 minutes, in a 3–1 win over Denmark U19.[55]

Leigh debuted with the Jamaica national team in a 3–0 friendly loss to Saudi Arabia on 14 November 2020.[56]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 4 October 2023
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Manchester City 2014–15[57] Premier League 0000000000
Crewe Alexandra (loan) 2014–15[57] League One 381202000421
Bradford City 2015–16[58] League One 6121001[lower-alpha 1]092
Bury 2016–17[59] League One 45120103[lower-alpha 2]0511
2017–18[60] League One 41120105[lower-alpha 2]1492
Total 8624020811003
NAC Breda 2018–19[61] Eredivisie 161000000161
2019–20[62] Eerste Divisie 0000000000
Total 161000000161
Aberdeen (loan) 2019–20[62] Scottish Premiership 18110203[lower-alpha 3]1242
Aberdeen 2020–21[63] Scottish Premiership 8000100090
Morecambe 2021–22[64] League One 362302000412
Ipswich Town 2022–23[65] League One 14030102[lower-alpha 2]1201
2023–24[52] Championship 100010—20
Total 150302021221
Oxford United 2023–24[52] League One 5400001064
Career total 2281215111015326916
  1. Appearance in Football League Trophy
  2. Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
  3. Appearances in UEFA Europa League

International
As of match played 31 March 2022[66]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Jamaica 202020
202110
202250
Total80

Honours

Ipswich Town

Individual

References
  1. Greg Leigh at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  2. "G. Leigh". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  3. "Rising star: Manchester City youngster Greg Leigh on life, football and the pursuit of first team games". Mancunianmatters. 11 August 2013. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  4. "Bury full-back Greg Leigh: Why I had to fly the Etihad nest". The Bury Times. 24 August 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  5. "Get your votes in now for the 2012/13 Goal of the Season and Academy Player of the Year!". MCFC. Archived from the original on 26 July 2013. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  6. "Manchester City profile: Greg Leigh". BBC Sport. 29 July 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  7. "Greg Leigh: Crewe Alexandra sign Manchester City full-back". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  8. Prescott, Jack (6 January 2015). "Manchester City youngster Greg Leigh extends Crewe Alexandra loan". Sportsmole. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  9. "Teenager Billy Waters scored his first senior goal as Crewe Alexandra beat fellow League One club Barnsley 2–0 in the first round of the League Cup". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  10. "Crewe 2–0 Scunthorpe". BBC Sport. BBC. 7 March 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  11. "Award Winners 2014/15". Crewe Alexandra F.C. 4 May 2015. Archived from the original on 6 August 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  12. "Premier League player released list for 2014/15 season". Sky Sports. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  13. "Steve Holds Talks With Greg Leigh". Crewe Alexandra F.C. 12 May 2015. Archived from the original on 12 May 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  14. "Leigh Unlikely To Return To Crewe". Crewe Alexandra F.C. 23 June 2015. Archived from the original on 6 August 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  15. "Fast learner Greg Leigh hoping to make name for himself at Bradford City". The Yorkshire Post. 9 October 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  16. Simon Parker (11 July 2015). "Trialists get Bantams run-out at Farsley". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  17. "Greg Leigh: Bradford City sign former Man City full-back". BBC Sport. 6 August 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  18. "Leigh's plea to make belated start for Bantams". The Yorkshire Post. 9 October 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  19. "Bantams crash to first home cup defeat of manager's reign". Telegraph & Argus. 13 October 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  20. "Hanson confident in-form City will continue to rise". Telegraph & Argus. 13 November 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  21. "Bradford City 2 – 0 Aldershot Town". BBC Sport. 18 November 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  22. "Scunthorpe United 0–2 Bradford City". BBC Sport. 21 November 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  23. "Meredith expects no Leigh-way in fight to win back Bantams spot". Telegraph & Argus. 26 November 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  24. "CLUB CONFIRM RELEASED LIST". Bradford City A.F.C. 31 May 2016. Archived from the original on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  25. "Greg Leigh: Bury sign ex-Bradford City full-back on a two-year deal". BBC Sport. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
    "CONFIRMED: Left Back Leigh signs for Bury". Bury F.C. 1 July 2016. Archived from the original on 1 July 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  26. "CONFIRMED: The Squad List". Bury F.C. 19 July 2016. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  27. "FULL TIME: Bury 2 Charlton Athletic 0". The Bury Times. 6 August 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  28. "Bury winger Danny Mayor: I'm never going to be predictable". The Bury Times. 1 September 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
    "Bury full-back Leigh is up for the survival scrap". The Bury Times. 16 February 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  29. "Bury boss Clark 'disappointed' after Fleetwood stalemate". The Bury Times. 27 March 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  30. "Shakers heartbreak as Blades finally find their cutting edge". The Bury Times. 23 November 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  31. "Chris Brass: Let's show the Gigg Lane faithful what we can do". The Bury Times. 25 November 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
    "VERDICT AND PICTURES: Bury head coach Brass asks for patience after Oxford United defeat". The Bury Times. 19 December 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  32. "Bury 2 – 3 Oxford United". BBC Sport. 17 December 2016. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  33. "Bury 3 – 0 Bristol Rovers". BBC Sport. 14 March 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  34. "Players vote means a lot, says Vaughan after awards double". The Bury Times. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  35. "MATCH REPORT: Bury 1 Walsall 0". The Bury Times. 5 August 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
    "Bury performance was an embarrassment to the badge, says Clark after Rochdale hammering". The Bury Times. 21 September 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  36. "Bury 2 – 3 Bristol Rovers". BBC Sport. 19 August 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  37. "Lee Clark hails 'terrific' Bury display as they end seven-month wait for an away win". The Bury Times. 4 October 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
    "SHAKERS MATCH VERDICT: Bury 2–3 Fleetwood Town". The Bury Times. 9 January 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  38. "FULL-TIME: Bury 3 Stoke U21s 1". The Bury Times. 8 November 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  39. "FULL TIME: Bury 1 Shrewsbury Town 0". The Bury Times. 21 November 2017. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  40. "Bury boss Lowe already looking to the future". The Bury Times. 12 April 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
    "Bury 2 – 3 Northampton Town". BBC Sport. 14 April 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
    "Bury 1 – 0 Portsmouth". BBC Sport. 28 April 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2018.
  41. "Neil Danns: Bury offer new contract to veteran midfielder". BBC Sport. 11 May 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2018.
  42. "NAC versterkt zich met Gregory Leigh" [NAC reinforces itself with Gregory Leigh] (in Dutch). NAC Breda. 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  43. "Greg Leigh joins Aberdeen on loan from NAC Breda". BBC Sport. 25 June 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2019.
  44. "Greg Leigh: Aberdeen re-sign defender after NAC Breda exit". BBC Sport. BBC. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  45. "Greg Leigh extends deal until end of season". afc.co.uk. Aberdeen FC. 7 January 2021.
  46. Wallace, Sean. "Aberdeen defender Greg Leigh out for the season with a hamstring injury". Evening Express. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  47. "Aberdeen release Ash Taylor, Tommie Hoban, Greg Leigh and Shay Logan". Press Association. Retrieved 4 July 2021 – via BT.com.
  48. "SIGNING: Greg Leigh". www.morecambefc.com. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  49. "Retained List announced". www.morecambefc.com. 2 May 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  50. Watson, Stuart (20 June 2022). "'I'm a physical player with speed and agility' – Leigh signs for Town". East Anglian Daily Times. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  51. "Oxford United Seal Signature of Greg Leigh". Oxford United F.C. 24 August 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  52. "Games played by Greg Leigh in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  53. "Greg Leigh Wins Sky Bet League 1 Player of the Month". www.oufc.co.uk. 13 October 2023. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  54. "SQUAD NAMED FOR DANISH TEST". The FA Official Website. 17 January 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  55. "England U19s 3–1 Denmark U19s: Akpom Brace Sinks Denmark Ship". The Youth Radar. 6 February 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  56. "Saudi Arabia vs. Jamaica – 14 November 2020 – Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com.
  57. "Games played by Greg Leigh in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  58. "Games played by Greg Leigh in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  59. "Games played by Greg Leigh in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  60. "Games played by Greg Leigh in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 July 2017.
  61. "Games played by Greg Leigh in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  62. "Games played by Greg Leigh in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 26 June 2019.
  63. "Games played by Greg Leigh in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  64. "Games played by Greg Leigh in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  65. "Games played by Greg Leigh in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  66. "Leigh, Greg". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  67. "Fleetwood Town 2 – 2 Ipswich Town". BBC Sport. 7 May 2023. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
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