Leighton Clarkson

Leighton Clarkson

Clarkson in 2019
Personal information
Full name	Leighton Owen Clarkson [1] [2]
Date of birth	(2001-10-19) 19 October 2001 (age 24) [2]
Place of birth	Blackburn, England [3]
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) [4]
Position	Midfielder
Team information
Current team	Blackpool
Youth career
0000–2019	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	0	(0)
International career‡
2021–2022	England U20	5	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 1 February 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 10:44, 30 March 2022 (UTC)

Leighton Owen Clarkson (born 19 October 2001) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Blackpool.

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 match played 6 June 2023

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition ^[14]

Club	Season	League			National Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Liverpool [5]	2019–20	Premier League	0	0	1	0	1	0	—		2	0
	2020–21		0	0	0	0	0	0	1 [a]	0	1	0
	Total		0	0	1	0	1	0	1	0	3	0
Blackburn Rovers (loan)	2021–22	EFL Championship	7	0	0	0	0	0	—		7	0
Aberdeen (loan)	2022–23	Scottish Premiership	34	5	1	0	3	1	—		38	6
Aberdeen	2023-24	Scottish Premiership	36	3	4	0	4	1	5	0	49	4
Total			77	8	6	0	8	2	6	0	97	10

1. Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League

Honours

Liverpool Academy

• FA Youth Cup: 2018–19
• Lancashire Senior Cup: 2021-22 ^[15]

Aberdeen

• Scottish Cup: 2024–25 ^[16]

References

1. "Updated squad lists for 2022/23 Premier League". Premier League. 4 February 2023. Archived from the original on 6 February 2023. Retrieved 11 February 2023.
2. Leighton Clarkson at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
3. "Leighton Clarkson". Liverpool . Retrieved 17 December 2019.
4. "Leighton Clarkson". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
5. Leighton Clarkson at Soccerway
6. "Liverpool 1 Shrewsbury 0". BBC Sport. 4 February 2020. Retrieved 23 September 2020.
7. "Leighton Clarkson signs new long-term Liverpool contract". Liverpool FC. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
8. Carroll, James (9 December 2020). "Team news: Confirmed Liverpool line-up v Midtjylland". Liverpool FC. Retrieved 9 December 2020.
9. https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2021/august/Leighton-joins-on-loan-/, Leighton joins on loan, Blackburn Rovers FC, 16 August 2021
10. Coates, Charlotte. "'It's hurting him' - Blackburn Rovers send midfielder back to Liverpool as loan cut short". Liverpool Echo . Retrieved 17 January 2022.
11. "Aberdeen FC - Clarkson Commits Future to AFC". Aberdeen FC. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
12. "Leighton Clarkson signs for the Pool". Blackpool FC. Retrieved 2 February 2026.
13. "Six at SGP for MU20s". EnglandFootball.com. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
14. "AFC Heritage Trust - Leighton Clarkson". afcheritage.org. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
15. "LFC U23s beat Burnley to lift Lancashire FA Senior Cup". Liverpool F.C. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
16. Aberdeen 1-1 Celtic, Martin Dowden, BBC Sport, 24 May 2025

External links

• Leighton Clarkson – UEFA competition record ( archive )