Leon King

Leon King
Leon King in action for Rangers 2022
Personal information
Full name Leon Thomson King
Date of birth (2004-01-14) 14 January 2004 (age 20)
Place of birth Barrhead, Scotland
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Rangers
Number 38
Youth career
Rangers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020– Rangers 25 (0)
International career‡
2018 Scotland U16 2 (0)
2019 Scotland U17 4 (0)
2022- Scotland U21 8 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 January 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 June 2023

Leon Thomson King (born 14 January 2004) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Scottish Premiership club Rangers.[1]

Career

Club

King joined Rangers in his early years,[2] soon appearing to be one of the club's brightest prospects.[3][4] He made his Rangers Under-20s debut aged only 14 under the management of Graeme Murty in November 2018.[5][6] At the end of the 2018–19 season, he was also part of the squad that won the Scottish Youth Cup against Celtic.[7]

King made his Rangers debut on 29 November 2020 in a League Cup match against Falkirk.[8] He made his Scottish Premiership debut for on 12 May 2021, replacing Joe Aribo in the 86th minute of a 3–0 away win against Livingston.[9][10][11]

On 5 January 2022, King signed a contract extension until the summer of 2024 and was subsequently promoted to the first-team squad on a full time basis.[12]

International

King was selected for the Scotland under-21 squad in May 2022.[13]

Career statistics

As of match played 27 May 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Rangers 2020–21[14] Scottish Premiership 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0
2021–22[15] 4 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
2022–23[16] 15 0 0 0 2 0 6[a] 0 23 0
2023–24[17] 3 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
Total 23 0 3 0 3 0 6 0 35 0
Rangers B 2021–22[18] — — — 2[b] 0 2 0
Rangers B 2022–23[19] — — — 1[c] 0 1 0
Career total 23 0 3 0 3 0 9 0 38 0
  1. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  2. ^ Appearances in Scottish Challenge Cup
  3. ^ Appearance in Scottish Challenge Cup

Honours

Rangers

References

  1. ^ Leon King at Soccerway
  2. ^ "Introducing... Leon King". Rangers F.C. Youtube. 10 March 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  3. ^ Campbell, Jordan (9 November 2019). "Chelsea and Liverpool among those looking at Rangers' 15-year-old defender King". The Athletic. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  4. ^ Wright, Angus (9 November 2019). "Rangers face fight to keep hold of 15-year-old defender as English and European giants circle". The Scotsman. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Rangers Academy continues to go from strength to strength". Rangers News. 26 November 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  6. ^ "Rangers U20s 6-1 Partick Thistle U20s". Rangers F.C. Youtube. 27 November 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  7. ^ "Rangers crowned Scottish Youth Cup winners". SFA. 25 April 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  8. ^ Elgott, Jordan (29 November 2020). "Falkirk 0–4 Rangers". BBC Sport.
  9. ^ McDougall, Mark (12 May 2021). "Livingston 0 Rangers 3 as Steven Gerrard's men edge closer to 100 point mark". Glasgow Live. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  10. ^ Campbell, Andy (12 May 2021). "Rangers win to stay unbeaten in league". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  11. ^ Black, James (13 May 2021). "Rangers veteran delighted after landmark appearance for Ibrox prodigy in Livi win". HITC. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  12. ^ "LEON KING SIGNS NEW RANGERS CONTRACT". Rangers.co.uk. Rangers Football Club. 5 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Rangers' Alex Lowry one of five new call-ups by Scotland Under-21s". BBC Sport. 19 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  14. ^ "Games played by Leon King in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  15. ^ "Games played by Leon King in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  16. ^ "Games played by Leon King in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  17. ^ "Games played by Leon King in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  18. ^ "Games played by Leon King in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  19. ^ "Games played by Leon King in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  20. ^ "Rangers top-flight champions for first time since 2011 after Celtic drop points". BBC Sport. 7 March 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  21. ^ "Rangers 2-0 Hearts". BBC Sport. 21 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  22. ^ McPheat, Nick (17 December 2023). "Rangers 1-0 Aberdeen". BBC Sport. BBC.
  23. ^ "Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 Rangers". BBC Sport. 18 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.


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