Leighton Clarkson
English footballer (born 2001)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Leighton Owen Clarkson (born 19 October 2001) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Blackpool.
|
Clarkson in 2019 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Leighton Owen Clarkson[1][2] | ||
| Date of birth | 19 October 2001[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Blackburn, England[3] | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[4] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Blackpool | ||
| Number | 7 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2019 | Liverpool | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019–2023 | Liverpool | 0 | (0) |
| 2021–2022 | → Blackburn Rovers (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | → Aberdeen (loan) | 34 | (5) |
| 2023–2026 | Aberdeen | 83 | (7) |
| 2026– | Blackpool | 13 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2021–2022 | England U20 | 5 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 18:02, 12 May 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 10:44, 30 March 2022 (UTC) | |||
Career
Clarkson made his professional debut for Liverpool on 17 December 2019, coming on as a substitute in a match at Aston Villa in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup.[5]
He played in the FA Cup fourth-round replay against Shrewsbury Town, on 4 February 2020, which Liverpool won 1–0 with the youngest-ever side in their history.[6]
On 24 July 2020, Clarkson signed a long-term contract with Liverpool.[7]
Leighton was named in the starting eleven for a Champions League group stage game against Danish side FC Midtjylland on 9 December 2020.[8]
On 16 August 2021, it was announced that Clarkson would join hometown club Blackburn Rovers on a season-long loan deal.[9] His loan was cut short in January 2022.[10]
Clarkson join Aberdeen on 15 June 2023, on a four-year deal for an undisclosed fee. He scored on his Aberdeen debut in a 4–1 victory over St Mirren.[11]
He joined Blackpool on 2 February 2026, signing a two-and-a-half-year contract, with an option to extend[12]
International career
On 6 September 2021, Clarkson made his debut for the England U20s in a 6–1 victory over Romania U20s at St. George's Park.[13]
Career statistics
Club
- As of end of 2025–26 season
| Club | Season | League | National Cup[a] | League Cup[b] | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Liverpool | 2019–20[15] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2020–21[16] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2021–22[17] | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2022–23 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Liverpool U21 | 2020–21[16] | – | – | – | 3[d] | 1 | 3 | 1 | ||||
| Blackburn Rovers (loan) | 2021–22[17] | Championship | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | |
| Aberdeen (loan) | 2022–23[18] | Scottish Premiership | 34 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | 38 | 6 | |
| Aberdeen | 2023–24[19] | Scottish Premiership | 36 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5[e] | 0 | 49 | 4 |
| 2024–25[20] | Scottish Premiership | 34 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 3 | – | 45 | 7 | ||
| 2025–26[21] | Scottish Premiership | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6[f] | 0 | 22 | 1 | |
| Total | 83 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 116 | 12 | ||
| Blackpool | 2025–26[21] | League One | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Career total | 137 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 16 | 6 | 15 | 1 | 180 | 19 | ||
- Includes FA Cup, Scottish Cup
- Includes EFL Cup, Scottish League Cup
- Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
- Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy
- Two appearances in UEFA Europa League and three appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
- Two appearances in UEFA Europa League and four appearances in UEFA Conference League
