Greg Leigh

Greg Leigh
Personal information
Date of birth (1994-09-30) 30 September 1994
Place of birth Manchester, England
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position Left Back
Club information
Current team
 Bury
Number 3
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– Bury 19 (0)
National team‡
2013 England U19 4 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20:55, 21 November 2015 (UTC).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 08:41, 4 October 2014 (UTC)

Gregory "Greg" Leigh (born 30 December 1994) is an English professional footballer who plays as a left back for Bury. He has previously played for Crewe Alexandra whilst on loan from Manchester City.

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.[1] He was also nominated for the 2012–13 Academy player of the season award.[2]

Leigh was included in Manchester City's squad for the pre-season friendly tour and appeared in several friendly matches.[3] Afterwards, it was announced on 12 August 2014, Leigh joined League One club Crewe Alexandra on loan initially until January 2015,[4] later extended to the end of the 2014/2015 season.[5] 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.[6] He scored his first league goal, opening the scoring in a 2–0 win over Scunthorpe on 7 March 2015.[7] This goal was voted the goal of the season for Crewe Alexandra as voted for by the fans.[8]

After his loan spell at Crewe Alexandra was concluded, making forty-two appearance in all competitions, Leigh was released by the club.[9] Following this, Manager Steve Davis was keen to sign Leigh on a permanent basis,[10] but Leigh turned down the offer of a deal.[11]

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.[12]

Bradford City

After Crewe Alexandras attempts to sign him failed, Leigh went on trial at Bradford City.[13] But following a successful trial with the club, Leigh signed a one-year deal for Bradford City on 6 August 2015.[14]

However, Leigh struggled to fight for his first team place and spent most of the season as an un-used substitute bench.[15] Leigh then got his first team breakthrough his fellow team-mate James Meredith was absent, due to international commitment[15] and made his Bradford City debut on 13 October 2015, in the second round of Football League Trophy, in a 2-1 loss against Barnsley.[16] After continuously spending time on the substitute 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.[17] Leigh then scored his first Bradford City goal five days later in the first round of FA Cup replay, in a 2-0 win over Aldershot Town.[18] Three days later on 21 November 2015, Leigh scored his first league goal for the club, in a 2-0 win over Scunthorpe United.[19] Following Merderith's return to the first team, Leigh lost his first team place once again and because of this, Leigh made six appearance for the club.[20]

Bury

Despite being a new contract by Bradford City,[21] Leigh opted to move to Bury on 1 July 2016, signing a two-year contract and joining his team-mate Ben Williams.[22] Upon joining the club, Leigh was given number three shirt ahead of a new season.[23]

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.[24]

International career

On 17 January 2013, Leigh was called up by England U19 for the first time.[25] Weeks later on 5 February 2013, Leigh made his England U19 debut, playing 90 minutes, in a 3–1 win over Denmark U19.[26] Leigh went on to make four appearance for the national team.

Career statistics

As of match played 21 November 2015
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Crewe Alexandra 2014–15[27] League One 381202000421
Bradford City 2015–16[28] League One 2111001042
Career totals 402312010463

References

  1. ↑ "Rising star: Manchester City youngster Greg Leigh on life, football and the pursuit of first team games". Mancunianmatters. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  2. ↑ "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.
  3. ↑ "Manchester City profile: Greg Leigh". BBC Sport. 29 July 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  4. ↑ "Greg Leigh: Crewe Alexandra sign Manchester City full-back". BBC. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  5. ↑ Prescott, Jack (6 January 2015). "Manchester City youngster Greg Leigh extends Crewe Alexandra loan". Sportsmole. Retrieved 6 February 2015.
  6. ↑ "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. Retrieved 27 August 2014.
  7. ↑ "Crewe 2–0 Scunthorpe". BBC Sport. BBC. 7 March 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2015.
  8. ↑ "Award Winners 2014/15". Crewe Alexandra F.C. 4 May 2015. Archived from the original on 6 August 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  9. ↑ "Premier League player released list for 2014/15 season". Sky Sports. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  10. ↑ "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.
  11. ↑ "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.
  12. ↑ "Fast learner Greg Leigh hoping to make name for himself at Bradford City". The Yorkshire Post. 9 October 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  13. ↑ Simon Parker (11 July 2015). "Trialists get Bantams run-out at Farsley". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  14. ↑ "Greg Leigh: Bradford City sign former Man City full-back". BBC Sport. 6 August 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  15. 1 2 "Leigh's plea to make belated start for Bantams". The Yorkshire Post. 9 October 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  16. ↑ "Bantams crash to first home cup defeat of manager's reign". The Telegraph and Argus. 13 October 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  17. ↑ "Hanson confident in-form City will continue to rise". The Telegraph Argus. 13 November 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  18. ↑ "Bradford City 2 - 0 Aldershot Town". BBC Sport. 18 November 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  19. ↑ "Scunthorpe United 0-2 Bradford City". BBC Sport. 21 November 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  20. ↑ "Meredith expects no Leigh-way in fight to win back Bantams spot". The Telegraph Argus. 26 November 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  21. ↑ "CLUB CONFIRM RELEASED LIST". Bradford City A.F.C. 31 May 2016. Archived from the original on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  22. ↑ "Greg Leigh: Bury sign ex-Bradford City full-back on a two-year deal". BBC Sport. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  23. ↑ "CONFIRMED: The Squad List". Bury F.C. 19 July 2016. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  24. ↑ "FULL TIME: Bury 2 Charlton Athletic 0". The Bury Times. 6 August 2016. Retrieved 17 August 2016.
  25. ↑ "SQUAD NAMED FOR DANISH TEST". The FA Official Website. 17 January 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  26. ↑ "England U19s 3–1 Denmark U19s: Akpom Brace Sinks Denmark Ship". The Youth Radar. 6 February 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  27. ↑ "Games played by Greg Leigh in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  28. ↑ "Games played by Greg Leigh in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
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