 Leighton in 2009 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | James Leighton[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 24 July 1958 | ||
| Place of birth | Johnstone, Scotland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Eastercraigs Boys Club[3] | |||
| Dalry Thistle | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1977–1988 | Aberdeen | 301 | (0) |
| 1977–1978 | → Deveronvale (loan) | ||
| 1988–1992 | Manchester United | 73 | (0) |
| 1991 | → Arsenal (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 1991–1992 | → Reading (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 1992–1993 | Dundee | 21 | (0) |
| 1993 | → Sheffield United (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 1993–1997 | Hibernian | 151 | (0) |
| 1997–2000 | Aberdeen | 82 | (0) |
| Total | 636 | (0) | |
| International career | |||
| 1982 | Scotland U21[4] | 2 | (0) |
| 1982–1998 | Scotland | 91 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
James Leighton MBE (born 24 July 1958) is a Scottish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Leighton started his career with Aberdeen, where he won seven domestic trophies and the 1982–83 European Cup Winners' Cup under the management of Alex Ferguson. Ferguson then signed Leighton for Manchester United in 1988, but dropped him after he conceded three goals in the 1990 FA Cup Final. Leighton then had spells with Arsenal, Reading, Dundee and Sheffield United, and rebuilt his career after joining Hibernian in 1993. He returned to Aberdeen in 1997, leading to a career total of over 600 appearances in the league alone.
Leighton played in 91 international matches for Scotland. He was chosen for Scotland's FIFA World Cup squads in 1982, 1986, 1990 and 1998, playing in the latter three of those tournaments.
- ^ "Jim Leighton". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- ^ Jim Leighton, AFC Heritage Trust
- ^ Pattullo, Alan (14 April 2012). "Interview: Jim Leighton, former Aberdeen and Hibs goalkeeper". The Scotsman. Archived from the original on 7 September 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
- ^ "Scotland U21 profile". Fitbastats.com. Archived from the original on 7 September 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2017.