Jim Leighton
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | James Leighton | ||
| Date of birth | 24 July 1958 | ||
| Place of birth | Johnstone, Scotland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1.5 in (1.87 m) | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –1977 | Dalry Thistle | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1977–1988 | Aberdeen | 300 | (0) |
| 1977–1978 | → Deveronvale (loan) | ||
| 1988–1991 | 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 | 635 | (0) | |
| National team | |||
| 1982–1998 | Scotland | 91 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
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James "Jim" Leighton MBE (born 24 July 1958 in Johnstone, Renfrewshire) is a Scottish former football goalkeeper. Among the clubs he played for are Aberdeen (two spells), Manchester United, Arsenal, Dundee and Hibernian.
Leighton joined Aberdeen from Scottish junior club Dalry Thistle in 1977. Before breaking into the Aberdeen first team he was loaned out for one season to Banff, Highland Football League club, Deveronvale FC. Leighton achieved his greatest success under the management of Alex Ferguson in the early to mid-1980s. Ferguson's Aberdeen side won the Scottish Cup four times, the Scottish League Cup twice, as well as the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1983 and three Premier Division titles in 1980, 1984 and 1985.
Leighton's reliability and terrific will to win gained respect from players and pundits everywhere. English keeper Peter Shilton said of him: "Scotland have solved their goalkeeper problem." Even the outspoken Brian Clough said: "Jim Leighton is a rare bird – a Scottish goalkeeper that can be relied on."
Alex Ferguson had departed to Manchester United in 1986, and two years later Ferguson brought him from Pittodrie to Old Trafford for £500,000. His first season at Old Trafford was successful, even though United finished 11th in the league, as he conceded just 35 league goals and kept 14 clean sheets, only conceding more than two goals on one occasion in all competitions. However, 1989–90 was a difficult season for player and club, as United finished 13th in the league, although they did reach the FA Cup final – their first major final in five years.
His erratic form in the league was particularly evident when United were defeated 5–1 by newly promoted neighbours Manchester City, as well as a number of errors in other games as the season went on, although he remained as United's regular goalkeeper. This culminated in him being dropped in favour of Les Sealey for the 1990 FA Cup Final replay against Crystal Palace. Leighton had conceded three goals in the first match as United drew, 3–3, and Sealey made a series of saves as United won the replay, 1–0.
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