Leanne Crichton (born 6 August 1987) is a Scottish football coach, a media pundit (for BBC Scotland's football coverage on radio and television)[2] and a retired player whose position was midfielder. At club level she played for Hibernian, Celtic, Whitehill Welfare/Edinburgh Ladies, Glasgow City (three spells) and Motherwell in Scotland and for Notts County in the English FA WSL, and appeared 72 times for the Scotland national team.

Leanne Crichton
Crichton playing for Scotland in 2014
Personal information
Date of birth (1987-08-06) 6 August 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth Glasgow, Scotland
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Glasgow City
Assistant coach
Youth career
Cumbernauld Cosmos
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Whitehill Welfare/Edinburgh Ladies
2007 Glasgow City
2007–2011 Celtic
2011–2012 Hibernian 18 (11)
2012–2014 Glasgow City 36+ (4+)
2015–2017 Notts County 28 (0)
2017–2021 Glasgow City
2021–2023 Motherwell 8+ (0+)
International career
2006–2020 Scotland[1] 72 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 1 May 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 8 February 2021

Playing career

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Club

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Crichton started her career with Cumbernauld Cosmos before moving to Whitehill Welfare.[3][4] She had a short spell with Glasgow City in 2007 before moving on to Celtic later the same year, scoring a penalty on her debut against then reigning league champions Hibernian.[5][6] Crichton went on to join Hibernian in 2011 for one season before returning for her second spell at Glasgow City in January 2012.[7][8]

After winning a clean sweep of domestic honours with City in 2012, including a league campaign in which the club finished undefeated,[9][10] Crichton made her bow in the UEFA Women's Champions League against ŽNK Osijek in the qualifying round of the 2012–13 competition. She went on to play in all five matches in City's run to the round of 32.[11]

Crichton signed for FA WSL side Notts County in January 2015.[12] In April 2017, she joined Glasgow City for a third spell with the club.[13] She moved to Motherwell in 2021 to combine a playing and coaching role,[14][15] leaving in November 2024 to become assistant to Leanne Ross at Glasgow City following the departure of Scott Booth.[16]

International

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Crichton was part of Tony Gervaise's Scotland youth squad which qualified for the finals of the 2005 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship in Hungary.[3][4] While playing for the Edinburgh Ladies, she earned her first call up to the senior Scotland women's squad in August 2006 and made her debut in a challenge match against Belgium the following month.[17][18]

National coach Anna Signeul recalled Crichton for Scotland's two challenge matches against the United States in February 2013.[19] Crichton helped Scotland qualify for Euro 2017 and the 2019 World Cup, which was their first appearances in those major tournaments.[20] She announcement her retirement from international football in January 2021, having made 72 international appearances in total.[20]

International goals

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Results list Scotland's goal tally first.[1]
# Date Venue Opponent Result Competition Scored
1 1 June 2013 Laugardalsvöllur, Reykjavík   Iceland 3–2 Friendly 1
2 5 April 2014 Fir Park, Motherwell   Poland 2–0 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qual. 1
3 13 September 2014 Fir Park, Motherwell   Faroe Islands 9–0 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup qual. 1

References

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  1. ^ a b "Leanne Crichton – Women's A Squad". Scottish FA. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  2. ^ BBC Scotland's Leanne Crichton reveals 'anxiety and stress' of sexist online abuse, BBC Sport, 1 March 2021
  3. ^ a b "Advance guard for Moldova". Scottish FA. 22 September 2004. Archived from the original on 14 December 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  4. ^ a b "Gervaise predicts Scottish success". UEFA. 17 July 2005. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  5. ^ "City top table on day one". Spartans WFC. 12 August 2007. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  6. ^ Kayleigh Cameron (25 November 2007). "Celtic Ladies stun champions with victory". Spartans WFC. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  7. ^ "Liverpool give Scots trio debuts". Shekicks.net. 1 March 2011. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  8. ^ Katy McCloskey (4 January 2012). "New year movements for Glasgow City Ladies". stv Glasgow. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  9. ^ Glasgow City lift the Scottish Cup to complete the treble, Glasgow City FC, 11 November 2012
  10. ^ Glasgow City FC raise a treble with Scottish Cup triumph, Daily Record, 12 November 2012
  11. ^ "Leanne Crichton". UEFA. 9 November 2012. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  12. ^ "Leanne Crichton: Notts County Ladies sign Scotland midfielder". BBC Sport. 30 January 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  13. ^ "Glasgow City sign Leanne Crichton". Glasgow City FC. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  14. ^ Leanne Crichton, Motherwell F.C.; retrieved 3 May 2022
  15. ^ Motherwell benefitting from Leanne Crichton quality says boss, Daily Record, 19 October 2021
  16. ^ Crichton to return to Glasgow City as assistant coach, BBC Sport, 2 November 2024
  17. ^ "Pair given their chance". The Herald. 1 August 2006. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  18. ^ "Women's Football". The Pink. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  19. ^ "Women's squad to face USA". Scottish FA. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
  20. ^ a b "Scotland: Midfielder Leanne Crichton retires after 72 caps". BBC Sport. 29 January 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
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