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Leon Knight

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Leon Knight
Personal information
Full name Leon Leroy Knight[1]
Date of birth (1982-09-16) 16 September 1982 (age 42)[2]
Place of birth Hackney, England
Height 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m)[3]
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Chelsea
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2003 Chelsea 0 (0)
2001 → Queens Park Rangers (loan) 11 (0)
2001–2002 → Huddersfield Town (loan) 31 (16)
2002–2003 → Sheffield Wednesday (loan) 24 (3)
2003 → Brighton & Hove Albion (loan) 2 (4)
2003–2006 Brighton & Hove Albion 106 (32)
2006–2007 Swansea City 25 (19)
2006–2007 → Barnsley (loan) 9 (0)
2007–2008 Milton Keynes Dons 33 (5)
2008 Wycombe Wanderers 20 (5)
2008–2009 Rushden & Diamonds 12 (4)
2009 Thrasivoulos Fylis 3 (0)
2009–2010 Hamilton Academical 6 (0)
2010 Queen of the South 6 (0)
2010–2012 Coleraine 43 (20)
2012 Glentoran 9 (1)
2014–2016 Barnton
International career
2000–2001 England U18 10 (2)
England U19
2002 England U20 5 (0)
Managerial career
2015–2016 Barnton
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Leon Leroy Knight (born 16 September 1982) is an English footballer who plays as a striker. A journeyman player, he has played for fifteen different clubs spanning five countries; England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Greece.

Having begun his career with Chelsea, he spent time on loan with Queens Park Rangers, Huddersfield Town, Sheffield Wednesday and Brighton & Hove Albion before joining the latter permanently in 2003. Knight spent three years with Brighton, scoring 30 goals in 106 league matches. He was transferred to Swansea City in 2006 and had a loan spell with Barnsley before joining Milton Keynes Dons and then Wycombe Wanderers.

Knight signed for Rushden & Diamonds in 2008, but left the club five months later when he was sacked for misconduct. Rushden retained his registration and would not release it to another English club unless they were compensated, which prevented Knight from playing in England for three years. He subsequently played in Greece for Thrasivoulos Fylis, Scotland for Hamilton Academical and Queen of the South and Northern Ireland for Coleraine, before joining Glentoran in January 2012. He was released by Glentoran in June 2012 after a probationary clause in his contract was invoked by the club.[4]

Playing career

[edit]

Knight began his career as a trainee at Chelsea (where he made one appearance in the UEFA Cup against Levski Sofia),[5] before spending loan periods at Queens Park Rangers, Huddersfield Town, Sheffield Wednesday and Brighton & Hove Albion before joining Brighton on a permanent contract in August 2003.[6] During his spell at Huddersfield, he reignited the Terriers' play-off push and formed an unlikely partnership with local hero Andy Booth, earning himself the nickname 'Neon Light'.[7] Unfortunately, he was sent off in the penultimate game of the season and was suspended for the play-off games.[5] Although his transfer was initially free, £50,000 was to be paid if Brighton were promoted. It was Knight himself who secured Brighton's promotion with his penalty against Bristol City in the play-off final at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff in 2004.[8]

Knight moved to Swansea City shortly afterwards and scored a hat-trick on his debut against Milton Keynes Dons.[9][10] His stay at the Liberty Stadium was short-lived and he was placed on the transfer list in October 2006, due to a poor attitude.[11] After a short spell on loan with Barnsley, he joined Milton Keynes Dons in January 2007.[6] In January 2008, Knight signed for Wycombe Wanderers, just one year after joining MK Dons.[12] On 19 August 2008, Knight's contract was "terminated by mutual consent",[13] after he scored five goals in 20 appearances during his short stay with Wycombe.[6]

Knight signed for Rushden & Diamonds on a three-year contract on 24 August 2008.[14] but was transfer listed on 29 October, along with Lee Tomlin, Curtis Woodhouse, Andy Burgess, Phil Gulliver, Sagi Burton, Lee Phillips and Dean McDonald, after the club's poor start to the season. On 12 December, Rushden & Diamonds confirmed that Knight had been sacked after continual breaches of conduct between November and December 2008. Despite his contract having been terminated, Rushden & Diamonds retained the player's registration, preventing Knight from joining another English club until the term of his contract had expired, unless £30,000 in compensation was paid to the club.[7] The FA confirmed and validated the retaining of the registration, meaning Knight could not play at any level of English football until the contract had expired.[7] The contract had initially been due to expire following the 2009–10 season, but Rushden & Diamonds invoked a clause allowing them to extend the contract by a further year.[7]

On 13 January 2009, Knight joined Greek club Thrasivoulos Filis on a six-month contract.[7] He made his Super League debut on 25 January as a second half sub playing 20 minutes against Skoda Xanthi.[2] Knight made only 2 subsequent appearances as a sub, his last appearance coming on 8 February 2009.[2] Knight had not been involved in any game for the club in over 3 months and looked certain to leave Thrasivoulos when his contract expired at the end of the season. After his contract expired he went on trial with Major League Soccer side San Jose Earthquakes.[7]

Knight joined Scottish side Hamilton Academical on 21 August 2009 and he made his SPL debut against Aberdeen as a second-half substitute the following day.[6][15] He made one start and six substitute appearances for the Lanarkshire side.[2] He was sent off for his role in a tunnel brawl after a win over Heart of Midlothian, having been an unused substitute during the game.[16][17] Knight was later released by Hamilton on 14 January 2010.[18] The next day, Knight joined Dumfries club Queen of the South until the end of the season.[19][20] He made his debut in a 1–1 draw with Dundee on 23 January.[15] He was released at the end of the 2009–10 season, having made six league appearances for the club.[6] In September 2010, Knight was set to return to English football with Conference side Darlington after a successful trial,[21] but his transfer was blocked by previous club Rushden, who had held onto his registration and demanded £30,000 for the deal to be completed.[22][23] Knight responded by criticising Rushden & Diamonds on his Twitter account, saying that he has chosen not to buy-out his contract as a matter of principle. "Rushden have said they don't want the money from Darlington, they want it from me – I refuse to pay them out of principle. If I wanted I could raise the money and pay them but I don't want to give them the satisfaction."[22][24]

The following month, Knight elected to continue his career outside England by signing for Northern Irish side Coleraine.[25] He scored twice on his debut in a 2–1 win away to Glenavon on 16 October 2010.[2] He agreed an 18-month contract extension with the club in January 2011,[26] and finished the 2010–11 season with 15 goals from 25 matches.[2] In June, he went on trial with Swindon Town, but was released after two days because of insufficient fitness levels. "He's not the player for us. It's not his fault, we tried, but his fitness at the moment is not good," said Swindon manager Paolo Di Canio. "We are not in a position where we can wait for a player to be fit, we need a player to be ready and fit in the next two weeks, to compete and challenge during the season."[27] Two weeks later, Knight was transfer-listed and suspended by Coleraine for failing to appear for training and matches. He also breached club rules by stating his desire to return to England and play for another IFA Premiership club.[28][29] However, a fortnight later, Knight signed a new two-year contract with the club.[30] "I said things about wanting to leave and at the time I felt it was right for me, but things change," he said. "I've spoken at great length with the manager over the last three or four days and I came back to him wanting to work something out. Agreeing a new two-year deal shows my commitment to the club and that I'm eager to put the last few weeks behind me."[31]

In January 2012 however, Coleraine asked Knight to either live in Northern Ireland or pay his own travel costs, as he was still living in London and had to travel over to Northern Ireland for each game, which was costing Coleraine £1,000–£1,500 per month.[32] An agreement could not be reached, and Knight joined Glentoran on 30 January 2012.[33] His stay at Glentoran was relatively short lived, as the club released him in June 2012 when they invoked a probationary clause in his contract after he allegedly made homophobic comments on Twitter.[4]

On 21 August 2014, Knight sign for North West Counties League First Division side Barnton.[34]

Coaching career

[edit]

On 18 March 2015, Knight was appointed Barnton's first team manager, also continuing to play for the club. On 15 February 2016, Knight resigned as manager of Barnton.[35]

International career

[edit]

Knight played for England at under 18, under 19 and under 20 level.[36][37][38]

Personal life

[edit]

Knight was born in Hackney, London, to a Jamaican mother and St. Lucian father, and was educated at Raine's Foundation School, Bethnal Green,[39][40] He has three sisters,[40] and is the cousin of former Bolton Wanderers defender Zat Knight.[39][41] He is the cousin of Grime MC Trim. Knight was a good all-around sportsman and a third dan black belt in karate as a child.[40] He played schoolboy football for his school, the Hackney & Tower Hamlets District team and Senrab, and had trials with Charlton Athletic and Tottenham Hotspur before joining Chelsea as a trainee.[39]

Knight's use of Twitter in May 2012 caused condemnation after he posted remarks opposing US President Barack Obama's support for same sex marriage.[42] Knight was suspended by Glentoran on 10 May 2012, pending investigation into the aforementioned remarks.[43] This later led to his release by the club in June 2012.[4]

Knight's use of Twitter has also come under criticism, including in the national press, as he regularly engages in misogynistic tirades against women's football. In September 2018, he used several expletives while condemning the use of female pundits, thought to be in response to Alex Scott's appearance on Sky Sports during an England men's game against Switzerland, saying men and women were "nowhere near equal" and that female players "can't kick a ball".[44][45] In June 2019, he came to public attention again for repeatedly making sexist tweets[citation needed] during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup. It provoked a response from West Ham midfielder Kate Longhurst whom he asked "how many headers can you do?" In response he then demanded a preseason friendly with a team made up of some his Twitter followers called Men United.[46][47] Knight received no response from West Ham.

As of August 2014, Knight has appeared regularly via Facetime on the YouTube channel "Filthy Fellas" where he and fans of clubs Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Liverpool discuss the events of the latest Premier League weekend.

Knight is engaged to his fiancé Natasha, with whom he has 4 children.

Career statistics

[edit]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Chelsea 2000–01[48] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2001–02[5] Premier League 0 0 ― 0 0 1[a] 0 ― 1 0
Total 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
Queens Park Rangers (loan) 2000–01[48] First Division 11 0 0 0 0 0 ― ― 11 0
Huddersfield Town (loan) 2001–02[5] Second Division 31 16 2 1 ― ― 4[b] 1 37 18
Sheffield Wednesday (loan) 2002–03[49] First Division 24 3 1 0 2 0 ― ― 27 3
Brighton & Hove Albion 2003–04[8] Second Division 46 26 1 0 2 0 ― 6[c] 2 55 28
2004–05[50] Championship 39 4 1 0 1 0 ― ― 41 4
2005–06[10] Championship 25 5 0 0 1 0 ― ― 26 5
Total 110 35 2 0 4 0 ― 6 2 122 37
Swansea City 2005–06[10] League One 17 8 ― ― ― 7[d] 4 24 12
2006–07[51] League One 11 7 0 0 0 0 ― 0 0 11 7
Total 28 15 0 0 0 0 ― 7 4 35 19
Barnsley (loan) 2006–07[51] Championship 9 0 ― ― ― ― 9 0
Milton Keynes Dons 2006–07[51] League Two 16 0 ― ― ― 2[e] 0 18 0
2007–08[52] League Two 18 0 0 0 1 1 ― 0 0 19 1
Total 34 0 0 0 1 1 ― 2 0 37 1
Wycombe Wanderers 2007–08[52] League Two 22 5 ― ― ― 2[e] 0 24 5
Rushden & Diamonds 2008–09[53] Conference Premier 12 4 1 0 ― ― ― 13 4
Thrasivoulos Filis 2008–09[2] Super League Greece 3 0 ― ― ― ― 3 0
Hamilton Academical 2009–10[15] Scottish Premier League 6 0 0 0 1 0 ― ― 7 0
Queen of the South 2009–10[15] Scottish First Division 6 0 ― ― ― ― 6 0
Coleraine 2010–11[2] IFA Premiership 23 14 2 1 ― 0 0 0 0 25 15
2011–12[2] IFA Premiership 20 6 2 1 ― 0 0 3[f] 2 25 9
Total 43 20 4 2 ― 0 0 3 2 50 24
Glentoran 2011–12[2] IFA Premiership 9 1 ― ― ― ― 9 1
Career total 348 99 10 3 8 0 1 0 24 9 391 111
  1. ^ Appearance in UEFA Cup
  2. ^ Appearances in Football League Trophy
  3. ^ Three appearances in Second Division play-offs; three appearances, one goal in Football League Trophy
  4. ^ Four appearances, two goals in Football League Trophy; three appearances, two goals in League One play-offs
  5. ^ a b Appearances in League Two play-offs
  6. ^ Appearances in Setanta Sports Cup

Honours

[edit]

Brighton & Hove Albion

Swansea City

Individual

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Leon Knight". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Leon Knight at Soccerway. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
  3. ^ "Leon Knight". Brighton & Hove Albion. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
  4. ^ a b c "Glentoran release Leon Knight with immediate effect". BBC Sport. 22 June 2012. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
  5. ^ a b c d "Games played by Leon Knight in 2001/2002". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  6. ^ a b c d e Leon Knight at Soccerbase
  7. ^ a b c d e f Louise Taylor (21 September 2010). "Leon Knight twitters fury at Rushden & Diamonds over blocked move". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  8. ^ a b c "Games played by Leon Knight in 2003/2004". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  9. ^ "Knight quits Brighton for Swansea". BBC Sport. 6 January 2006. Retrieved 6 January 2008.
  10. ^ a b c d "Games played by Leon Knight in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  11. ^ "Knight transfer-listed by Swans". BBC Sport. 16 October 2006. Retrieved 6 January 2008.
  12. ^ "Wycombe sign Dons striker Knight". BBC Sport. 6 January 2008. Retrieved 6 January 2008.
  13. ^ "Knight and Sutton leave the Blues". Wycombe Wanderers' official website. Archived from the original on 15 April 2012. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  14. ^ "Leon Knight Signs for Diamonds". Rushden & Diamonds official website.
  15. ^ a b c d "Games played by Leon Knight in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  16. ^ Hamilton 2–1 Hearts BBC Sport, 6 December 2009
  17. ^ Hamilton play down tunnel fracas with Hearts BBC Sport, 7 December 2009
  18. ^ Hamilton release Leon Knight and Kevin Welsh BBC Sport, 14 January 2010
  19. ^ Queens sign ex-Accies man Knight BBC Sport, 19 January 2010
  20. ^ "Leon Knight: I'll get a fair shot with Queens after Accies misery". Daily Record. 22 January 2010. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
  21. ^ Stoddart, Craig (14 September 2010). "Striker Knight agrees to Darlington switch". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
  22. ^ a b Stoddart, Craig (21 September 2010). "Knight won't be joining Quakers". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  23. ^ "Leon Knight voices Rushden & Diamonds frustration". BBC Sport. 21 September 2010. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
  24. ^ "Leon Knight launches furious Twitter attack on Rushden & Diamonds". The Guardian. 21 September 2010. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  25. ^ "Coleraine snap up much-travelled striker Leon Knight". BBC Sport. 12 October 2010. Retrieved 12 October 2010.
  26. ^ "Leon Knight agrees new deal with Coleraine". BBC Sport. 28 January 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
  27. ^ "Fitness problems end Leon Knight's Swindon Town trial". BBC Sport. 1 July 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
  28. ^ "Knight suspended by Coleraine". UTV. 13 July 2011. Archived from the original on 14 October 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
  29. ^ "Leon Knight transfer-listed and suspended by Coleraine". BBC Sport. 13 July 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
  30. ^ "Knight pens new deal". Coleraine Times. 28 July 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
  31. ^ "Striker Leon Knight to remain with Bannsiders". BBC Sport. 25 July 2011. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
  32. ^ "Coleraine striker Leon Knight given travel costs ultimatum". BBC Sport. 1 January 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  33. ^ "Coleraine striker Leon Knight seals move to Glentoran". BBC Sport. 30 January 2012. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  34. ^ "Press Release – News – Barnton FC". www.barntonfc.co.uk. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  35. ^ "Leon Knight resigns". Barnton A.F.C. 15 February 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2016.
  36. ^ "England U20 squad from 2001..." www.northstandchat.com. 3 August 2010. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  37. ^ "UTV Sport - Coleraine sign striker Knight". Archived from the original on 15 October 2010. Retrieved 18 July 2012.
  38. ^ "Leon Knight". 11v11.com. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  39. ^ a b c Harvey, Tom (22 February 2007). "New dawn as Knight aims for promotion". Hackney Gazette. Retrieved 15 July 2009. The chance to play against his cousin – Fulham's Zat – is just one of the reasons [Leon] Knight wants to get back to the big time. He added: "Zat is my lanky cousin. He tries to give me advice from time to time but after seeing him letting in goals on Match of the Day every week I tend to avoid it!
  40. ^ a b c "Leon has spring in his step". The Angus. 4 December 2003. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2008.
  41. ^ "Brighton move pays off for hitman Knight". Coventry Evening Telegraph (England). 31 May 2004. Retrieved 15 July 2009. [Leon] Knight is the younger cousin of Fulham defender Zat Knight and received a good luck message from his relative before playing a leading part the [play-off] final, in which he also hit the crossbar with a first-half free-kick.
  42. ^ "Knight sparks Twitter outrage" The Newsletter 10 May 2012
  43. ^ "Glentoran look into Knight comments". www.newsletter.co.uk. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  44. ^ Livesey, Jon (13 September 2018). "Leon Knight called 'sexist pig' after telling women pundits to 'f*** right off'". mirror.
  45. ^ "Ex Brighton striker launches astonishing tirade against female pundits". Evening Standard. 13 September 2018.
  46. ^ Knight, Leon (12 June 2019). "Men United". Twitter.
  47. ^ Knight, Leon (12 June 2019). "Kate longhurst running her lips". Twitter.
  48. ^ a b "Games played by Leon Knight in 2000/2001". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  49. ^ "Games played by Leon Knight in 2002/2003". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  50. ^ "Games played by Leon Knight in 2004/2005". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  51. ^ a b c "Games played by Leon Knight in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  52. ^ a b "Games played by Leon Knight in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  53. ^ "Leon Knight". rdfc1992. 26 October 2017. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  54. ^ "Henry retains PFA crown". BBC Sport. 25 April 2002. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
[edit]
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