Leon Best
| Date of birth | 19 September 1986 |
| Place of birth | Nottingham, England |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Weight | 80 kg |
| Height | 1.86 m |
| Position | Forward |
Leon Best played for Notts County during his youth career.
He joined Coventry City in July 2007 with a three-year contract.
Leon joined Newcastle United in February 2010 with a contract to June 2013.
After signing from Championship rivals Coventry City, Leon missed Newcastle's return to the Premier League after picking up a cruciate ligament injury in pre-season.
He was made available for transfer by Blackburn Rovers in May 2014 before it was cancelled in July 2015.
Leon joined Rotherham United in November 2015 with a contract to June 2016.
He joined Ipswich Town in August 2016 with a one-year contract.<
Leon joined Charlton Athletic in November 2017 with a two-month contract.
In addition to the yellow cards totals shown below, whilst an unused sub, Leon was booked after 86 minutes of Blackburn Rovers' League Championship game at Blackpool on 26 October 2013 for unsporting behaviour.
Club history
| Team | Joined | Left | Loan / Trialist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southampton | 21 Sep 2004 | 30 Jun 2007 | |
| Queens Park Rangers | 17 Dec 2004 | 17 Jan 2005 | L |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 04 Aug 2005 | 10 Aug 2005 | L |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 31 Jan 2006 | 31 May 2006 | L |
| AFC Bournemouth | 03 Aug 2006 | 03 Nov 2006 | L |
| Yeovil Town | 23 Nov 2006 | 23 Feb 2007 | L |
| Coventry City | 06 Jul 2007 | 01 Feb 2010 | |
| Newcastle United | 01 Feb 2010 | 02 Jul 2012 | |
| Blackburn Rovers | 02 Jul 2012 | 08 Jul 2015 | |
| Sheffield Wednesday | 14 Feb 2014 | 31 May 2014 | L |
| Derby County | 04 Aug 2014 | 06 Jan 2015 | L |
| Brighton and Hove Albion | 20 Jan 2015 | 31 May 2015 | L |
| Rotherham United | 16 Nov 2015 | 30 Jun 2016 | |
| Ipswich Town | 30 Aug 2016 | 30 Jun 2017 | |
| Charlton Athletic | 28 Nov 2017 |
Club stats
| Season | Team | Competition | Apps | Subs | Goals | Y | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-05 | Queens Park Rangers | League Championship | 2 | 3 |
|||
| 2004-05 | Southampton | League Cup | 1 | 1 |
|||
| 2004-05 | Southampton | Premier League | 1 | 2 |
|||
| 2005-06 | Sheffield Wednesday | League Championship | 5 | 8 |
2 |
1
|
|
| 2005-06 | Southampton | League Championship | 1 | 2 |
|||
| 2006-07 | AFC Bournemouth | Johnstones Paint Trophy | 1 | ||||
| 2006-07 | AFC Bournemouth | League Cup | 1 | ||||
| 2006-07 | AFC Bournemouth | League One | 12 | 3 |
3 |
5
|
|
| 2006-07 | Southampton | League Championship | 6 | 3 |
4 |
1
|
|
| 2006-07 | Southampton | League Championship Play-Offs | 1 | 1 |
|||
| 2006-07 | Yeovil Town | League One | 14 | 1 |
10 |
2
|
|
| 2007-08 | Coventry City | FA Cup | 2 | 1 |
|||
| 2007-08 | Coventry City | League Championship | 29 | 5 |
8 |
10
|
|
| 2007-08 | Coventry City | League Cup | 3 | 1 |
1
|
||
| 2008-09 | Coventry City | FA Cup | 3 | 1 |
2 |
1
|
|
| 2008-09 | Coventry City | League Championship | 16 | 15 |
2 |
2
|
|
| 2009-10 | Coventry City | FA Cup | 1 | 1 |
1 |
||
| 2009-10 | Coventry City | League Championship | 25 | 2 |
9 |
4
|
|
| 2009-10 | Newcastle United | League Championship | 6 | 7 |
3
|
||
| 2010-11 | Newcastle United | FA Cup | 1 |
1
|
|||
| 2010-11 | Newcastle United | Premier League | 9 | 2 |
6 |
||
| 2011-12 | Newcastle United | FA Cup | 2 |
1
|
|||
| 2011-12 | Newcastle United | League Cup | 1 | ||||
| 2011-12 | Newcastle United | Premier League | 16 | 2 |
4 |
2
|
|
| 2012-13 | Blackburn Rovers | FA Cup | 2 |
1
|
|||
| 2012-13 | Blackburn Rovers | League Championship | 4 | 2 |
1
|
1
|
|
| 2013-14 | Blackburn Rovers | League Championship | 5 | 3 |
2 |
3
|
|
| 2013-14 | Sheffield Wednesday | FA Cup | 1 | 1 |
1
|
||
| 2013-14 | Sheffield Wednesday | League Championship | 12 | 3 |
4 |
||
| 2014-15 | Brighton and Hove Albion | League Championship | 6 | 7 |
|||
| 2014-15 | Derby County | FA Cup | 1 | ||||
| 2014-15 | Derby County | League Championship | 15 |
||||
| 2014-15 | Derby County | League Cup | 2 | 2 |
|||
| 2015-16 | Rotherham United | League Championship | 10 | 6 |
4 |
1
|
1
|
| 2016-17 | Ipswich Town | FA Cup | 1 | ||||
| 2016-17 | Ipswich Town | League Championship | 5 | 6 |
|||
| 2017-18 | Charlton Athletic | FA Cup | 1 |
||||
| 2017-18 | Charlton Athletic | Football League Trophy | 1 | ||||
| 2017-18 | Charlton Athletic | League One | 2 | 3 |
Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
Club matches
| Date | Match | Result | Competition | Round | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 Aug 2007 | Barnsley v Coventry City | W | 1-4 | League Championship | |
| 14 Aug 2007 | Coventry City v Notts County | W | 3-0 | League Cup | 1st round |
| 18 Sep 2007 | Crystal Palace v Coventry City | D | 1-1 | League Championship | |
| 22 Sep 2007 | Ipswich Town v Coventry City | L | 4-1 | League Championship | |
| 26 Sep 2007 | Manchester United v Coventry City | W | 0-2 | League Cup | 3rd round |
| 29 Sep 2007 | Coventry City v Charlton Athletic | D | 1-1 | League Championship | |
| 02 Oct 2007 | Coventry City v Blackpool | W | 3-1 | League Championship | |
| 06 Oct 2007 | Wolverhampton Wanderers v Coventry City | L | 1-0 | League Championship | |
| 23 Oct 2007 | Coventry City v Watford | L | 0-3 | League Championship | |
| 27 Oct 2007 | Coventry City v Colchester United | W | 1-0 | League Championship | |
| 30 Oct 2007 | Coventry City v West Ham United | L | 1-2 | League Cup | 4th round |
| 03 Nov 2007 | Stoke City v Coventry City | W | 1-3 | League Championship | |
| 06 Nov 2007 | Queens Park Rangers v Coventry City | W | 1-2 | League Championship | |
| 12 Nov 2007 | Coventry City v West Bromwich Albion | L | 0-4 | League Championship | |
| 04 Dec 2007 | West Bromwich Albion v Coventry City | W | 2-4 | League Championship | |
| 15 Dec 2007 | Coventry City v Southampton | D | 1-1 | League Championship | |
| 22 Dec 2007 | Blackpool v Coventry City | L | 4-0 | League Championship | |
| 26 Dec 2007 | Coventry City v Crystal Palace | L | 0-2 | League Championship | |
| 01 Jan 2008 | Bristol City v Coventry City | L | 2-1 | League Championship | |
| 05 Jan 2008 | Blackburn Rovers v Coventry City | W | 1-4 | FA Cup | 3rd round |
| 12 Jan 2008 | Leicester City v Coventry City | L | 2-0 | League Championship | |
| 26 Jan 2008 | Coventry City v Millwall | W | 2-1 | FA Cup | 4th round |
| 29 Jan 2008 | Hull City v Coventry City | L | 1-0 | League Championship | |
| 02 Feb 2008 | Coventry City v Barnsley | W | 4-0 | League Championship | |
| 09 Feb 2008 | Preston North End v Coventry City | L | 1-0 | League Championship | |
| 12 Feb 2008 | Coventry City v Cardiff City | D | 0-0 | League Championship | |
| 16 Feb 2008 | Coventry City v West Bromwich Albion | L | 0-5 | FA Cup | 5th round |
| 23 Feb 2008 | Coventry City v Leicester City | W | 2-0 | League Championship | |
| 26 Feb 2008 | Burnley v Coventry City | L | 2-0 | League Championship | |
| 01 Mar 2008 | Scunthorpe United v Coventry City | L | 2-1 | League Championship | |
| 05 Mar 2008 | Coventry City v Queens Park Rangers | D | 0-0 | League Championship | |
| 08 Mar 2008 | Coventry City v Norwich City | W | 1-0 | League Championship | |
| 11 Mar 2008 | Sheffield United v Coventry City | L | 2-1 | League Championship | |
| 15 Mar 2008 | Coventry City v Sheffield Wednesday | D | 0-0 | League Championship | |
| 22 Mar 2008 | Southampton v Coventry City | D | 0-0 | League Championship | |
| 05 Apr 2008 | Watford v Coventry City | L | 2-1 | League Championship | |
| 12 Apr 2008 | Coventry City v Stoke City | L | 1-2 | League Championship | |
| 19 Apr 2008 | Colchester United v Coventry City | W | 1-5 | League Championship | |
| 26 Apr 2008 | Coventry City v Wolverhampton Wanderers | D | 1-1 | League Championship | |
| 04 May 2008 | Charlton Athletic v Coventry City | L | 4-1 | League Championship | |
| 30 Aug 2008 | Doncaster Rovers v Coventry City | L | 1-0 | League Championship | |
| 13 Sep 2008 | Coventry City v Preston North End | D | 0-0 | League Championship | |
| 16 Sep 2008 | Sheffield United v Coventry City | D | 1-1 | League Championship | |
| 20 Sep 2008 | Coventry City v Queens Park Rangers | W | 1-0 | League Championship | |
| 27 Sep 2008 | Blackpool v Coventry City | D | 1-1 | League Championship | |
| 30 Sep 2008 | Cardiff City v Coventry City | L | 2-1 | League Championship | |
| 04 Oct 2008 | Coventry City v Southampton | W | 4-1 | League Championship | |
| 18 Oct 2008 | Wolverhampton Wanderers v Coventry City | L | 2-1 | League Championship | |
| 21 Oct 2008 | Coventry City v Burnley | L | 1-3 | League Championship | |
| 25 Oct 2008 | Coventry City v Derby County | D | 1-1 | League Championship | |
| 28 Oct 2008 | Southampton v Coventry City | D | 1-1 | League Championship | |
| 03 Nov 2008 | Birmingham City v Coventry City | W | 0-1 | League Championship | |
| 08 Nov 2008 | Coventry City v Crystal Palace | L | 0-2 | League Championship | |
| 15 Nov 2008 | Coventry City v Plymouth Argyle | L | 0-1 | League Championship | |
| 22 Nov 2008 | Sheffield Wednesday v Coventry City | W | 0-1 | League Championship | |
| 01 Dec 2008 | Reading v Coventry City | L | 3-1 | League Championship | |
| 06 Dec 2008 | Coventry City v Nottingham Forest | D | 2-2 | League Championship | |
| 09 Dec 2008 | Charlton Athletic v Coventry City | W | 1-2 | League Championship | |
| 13 Dec 2008 | Watford v Coventry City | L | 2-1 | League Championship | |
| 26 Dec 2008 | Swansea City v Coventry City | D | 0-0 | League Championship | |
| 28 Dec 2008 | Coventry City v Sheffield Wednesday | W | 2-0 | League Championship | |
| 03 Jan 2009 | Coventry City v Kidderminster Harriers | W | 2-0 | FA Cup | 3rd round |
| 10 Jan 2009 | Queens Park Rangers v Coventry City | D | 1-1 | League Championship | |
| 07 Feb 2009 | Coventry City v Wolverhampton Wanderers | W | 2-1 | League Championship | |
| 14 Feb 2009 | Blackburn Rovers v Coventry City | D | 2-2 | FA Cup | 5th round |
| 17 Feb 2009 | Burnley v Coventry City | D | 1-1 | League Championship | |
| 21 Feb 2009 | Coventry City v Birmingham City | W | 1-0 | League Championship | |
| 24 Feb 2009 | Coventry City v Blackburn Rovers | W | 1-0 | FA Cup | 5th round replay |
| 28 Feb 2009 | Norwich City v Coventry City | W | 1-2 | League Championship | |
| 07 Mar 2009 | Coventry City v Chelsea | L | 0-2 | FA Cup | 6th round |
| 10 Mar 2009 | Bristol City v Coventry City | L | 2-0 | League Championship | |
| 21 Mar 2009 | Coventry City v Doncaster Rovers | W | 1-0 | League Championship | |
| 04 Apr 2009 | Coventry City v Reading | D | 0-0 | League Championship | |
| 07 Apr 2009 | Crystal Palace v Coventry City | D | 1-1 | League Championship | |
| 03 May 2009 | Ipswich Town v Coventry City | L | 2-1 | League Championship | |
| 09 Aug 2009 | Coventry City v Ipswich Town | W | 2-1 | League Championship | |
| 15 Aug 2009 | Barnsley v Coventry City | W | 0-2 | League Championship | |
| 18 Aug 2009 | Doncaster Rovers v Coventry City | D | 0-0 | League Championship | |
| 22 Aug 2009 | Coventry City v Swansea City | L | 0-1 | League Championship | |
| 29 Aug 2009 | Blackpool v Coventry City | L | 3-0 | League Championship | |
| 12 Sep 2009 | Coventry City v Bristol City | D | 1-1 | League Championship | |
| 15 Sep 2009 | Coventry City v Sheffield United | W | 3-2 | League Championship | |
| 19 Sep 2009 | Preston North End v Coventry City | L | 3-2 | League Championship | |
| 26 Sep 2009 | Coventry City v Middlesbrough | D | 2-2 | League Championship | |
| 29 Sep 2009 | Watford v Coventry City | W | 2-3 | League Championship | |
| 03 Oct 2009 | Coventry City v Leicester City | D | 1-1 | League Championship | |
| 17 Oct 2009 | Sheffield Wednesday v Coventry City | L | 2-0 | League Championship | |
| 20 Oct 2009 | Cardiff City v Coventry City | L | 2-0 | League Championship | |
| 31 Oct 2009 | Coventry City v Reading | L | 1-3 | League Championship | |
| 06 Nov 2009 | Derby County v Coventry City | L | 2-1 | League Championship | |
| 21 Nov 2009 | Coventry City v Crystal Palace | D | 1-1 | League Championship | |
| 28 Nov 2009 | Queens Park Rangers v Coventry City | D | 2-2 | League Championship | |
| 06 Dec 2009 | Scunthorpe United v Coventry City | L | 1-0 | League Championship | |
| 09 Dec 2009 | Coventry City v Newcastle United | L | 0-2 | League Championship | |
| 12 Dec 2009 | Coventry City v Peterborough United | W | 3-2 | League Championship | |
| 19 Dec 2009 | Plymouth Argyle v Coventry City | W | 0-1 | League Championship | |
| 26 Dec 2009 | Coventry City v Doncaster Rovers | W | 1-0 | League Championship | |
| 28 Dec 2009 | Nottingham Forest v Coventry City | L | 2-0 | League Championship | |
| 02 Jan 2010 | Portsmouth v Coventry City | D | 1-1 | FA Cup | 3rd round |
| 09 Jan 2010 | Coventry City v Barnsley | W | 3-1 | League Championship | |
| 12 Jan 2010 | Coventry City v Portsmouth | L | 1-2 | FA Cup | 3rd round replay |
| 16 Jan 2010 | Ipswich Town v Coventry City | L | 3-2 | League Championship | |
| 26 Jan 2010 | Swansea City v Coventry City | D | 0-0 | League Championship | |
| 30 Jan 2010 | Coventry City v Blackpool | D | 1-1 | League Championship | |
Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
International stats
| Season | Team | Competition | Apps | Subs | Goals | Y | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-09 | Republic of Ireland | FIFA World Cup | 1 |
||||
| 2008-09 | Republic of Ireland | International Friendly | 1 | ||||
| 2009-10 | Republic of Ireland | FIFA World Cup | 3 |
1
|
|||
| 2009-10 | Republic of Ireland | International Friendly | 2 |
Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
International matches
| Date | Match | Result | Competition | Round | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 May 2009 | Republic of Ireland v Nigeria | D | 1-1 | International Friendly | |
| 06 Jun 2009 | Bulgaria v Republic of Ireland | D | 1-1 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 8 |
| 08 Sep 2009 | Republic of Ireland v South Africa | W | 1-0 | International Friendly | |
| 10 Oct 2009 | Republic of Ireland v Italy | D | 2-2 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 8 |
| 14 Oct 2009 | Republic of Ireland v Montenegro | D | 0-0 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 8 |
| 14 Nov 2009 | Republic of Ireland v France | L | 0-1 | FIFA World Cup | Europe play-off |
| 02 Mar 2010 | Republic of Ireland v Brazil | L | 0-2 | International Friendly | |
Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.