Leighton O'Brien

Football player infobox
playername= Leighton O'Brien
fullname =


dateofbirth = birth date and age|1976|3|14
cityofbirth = Tacoma, Washington
countryofbirth = United States
height = height|ft=5|in=10
currentclub = Seattle Sounders
clubnumber = 7
position = Midfielder
youthyears = 1994-1998
youthclubs = University of San Diego
years = 1999
2000
2001-2003
2001
2002
2002-2004
2003-2004
2005
2005
2005-2008
clubs = San Jose Clash
San Diego Flash
Seattle Sounders
→ Sacramento Knights (loan - indoor)
→ San Jose Earthquakes (loan)
→ Milwaukee Wave (loan - indoor)
→ Bodens BK (loan)
Real Salt Lake
→ Seattle Sounders (loan)
Seattle Sounders
caps(goals) = 04 0(0)
53 (14)
00 0(0)
36 (19)
23 0(9)
06 0(0)
14 0(2)
50 (10)
manageryears =
managerclubs =
pcupdate = September 27, 2008
ntupdate =

Leighton O'Brien (b. March 14 1976, Tacoma, Washington) is an American soccer midfielder who currently plays for the Seattle Sounders of the USL First Division. He has also spent time in Major League Soccer and the Swedish Second Division.

Youth

O’Brien is the son of former Republic of Ireland international player Fran O'Brien, and the brother of fellow professional soccer player Ciaran O'Brien. He grew up in the Pacific Northwest, graduating from Federal Way High School in 1994. He played college soccer at the University of San Diego. He redshirted his freshman season after an early season injury sidelined him.

Professional

In February 1999, O'Brien was drafted by the New England Revolution in the third round of the 1999 MLS College Draft. He never played for the Revs before being waived on March 31, 1999. On April 5, 1999 the San Jose Clash claimed O'Brien in the waiver draft. [ [http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19990609&slug=2965427 Sounders -- Youth Movement Might Help Midfield] ] He spent most of the season on loan with MLS Pro-40 and only four games with the Clash first team before being released at the end of the season. In 2000, he signed with the San Diego Flash of the USL A-League. [ [http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20010710&slug=soun10 Notebook: O'Brien tempers anger and converts it to goals] ] At some point, he also played for the Sacramento Knights of the World Indoor Soccer League. [ [http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/soccer/20030108-9999_mz1s8man.html Former USD standout O'Brien has put his career on the soccer map] ] On April 30, 2001, Leighton signed with the Seattle Sounders. Following the completion of the USL season, he signed with the Sacramento Knights of the World Indoor Soccer League for the remainder of their season. [ [http://www.a-league.com/news/2001/news,2001,0712.shtml 2001 Sounder MVP Leighton O’Brien Loaned To Sacramento Knights Of World Indoor League] ] In 2002, the Sounders loaned him to the Clash. In 2002, he tied for the league lead in assists with 11 and was named the USL A-League MVP. [ [http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/2002.html#usl The Year in American Soccer - 2002] ] He then signed on loan from the Sounders with the Milwaukee Wave of Major Indoor Soccer League for the 2002-2003 season. [ [http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20020928&slug=sounder28 Sounders' O'Brien voted A-League MVP] ] He played two winter indoor seasons, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 with the Wave. [ [http://www.howesportsdata.com/howesportsdata/stats/soccer/misl/misl03.txt MAJOR INDOOR SOCCER LEAGUE FINAL OFFICIAL REPORT - 2002-2003] ] [ [http://www.howesportsdata.com/howesportsdata/stats/soccer/misl/misl04.txt MAJOR INDOOR SOCCER LEAGUE FINAL OFFICIAL REPORT - 2003-2004] ] The Sounders signed O'Brien to a three year contract before the 2003 season, but he played only three games in Seattle before moving on loan to Bodens BK in the Swedish Second Division. He played 23 games, scoring six goals and adding nine assists. [ [http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20040207&slug=sounders07 Notebook: O'Brien to play again for Swedish pro club] ] In 2004, he returned to Bodens for the 2004 season, but lost most of the season with a groin injury. On November 14, 2005, the Wave traded O'Briens rights to the California Cougars in exhange for Pat White, but did not play for the Cougers. [ [http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=370560 Panthers hit road for first round] ] On March 29, 2005, he signed with the expansion Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer. At the time, he was still under contract with the Sounders. The Sounders released him to Salt Lake in exchange for the team to play an exhibition against Seattle. [ [http://www.seattlesounders.net/cgi-bin/pressrelease.cgi?ID=226 Seattle Sounder’s Leighton O’Brien Signs with Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer] ] Salt Lake loaned O'Brien back to Seattle several times during the season before releasing him on August 19, 2005. O'Brien immediately signed with the Sounders. His free kick in the 2005 USL-1 Final started what would become Seattle Sounders tying goal. His kick was redirected twice before Maykel Galindo scored Seattle's goal in a 1-1 draw with Richmond Kickers. O'Brien then scored one of four penalty kicks for Seattle as they won the 2005 Championship in penalty kicks. Leighton has signed back on with Seattle for the 2006 season.

References

External links

* [http://goalseattle.com/gallery/2007SeattleSoundersMediaGuide/2007_7 2007 Sounders Media Guide]