Leighton O'Brien

Personal information
Full name	Leighton O'Brien
Date of birth	March 14, 1976 (1976-03-14) (age 33)
Place of birth	Tacoma, Washington, United States
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Playing position	Midfielder
Club information
Current club	N/A
Youth career
1994–1998	University of San Diego
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps (Gls)†
1999	San Jose Clash	04 0(0)
1999	→ MLS Pro-40 (loan)
2000	San Diego Flash
2001–2005	Seattle Sounders	53 (14)
2001	→ Sacramento Knights (loan - indoor)
2002	→ San Jose Earthquakes (loan)	00 0(0)
2002–2004	→ Milwaukee Wave (loan - indoor)	36 (19)
2003–2004	→ Bodens BK (loan)	23 0(9)
2005	Real Salt Lake	06 0(0)
2005	→ Seattle Sounders (loan)	14 0(2)
2006–2008	Seattle Sounders	50 (10)
2009	Tacoma Tide	12 0(0)
2009	Montreal Impact	07 0(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22 October, 2009. † Appearances (Goals).

Leighton O'Brien (born March 14, 1976 in Tacoma, Washington) is an American soccer player, currently without a club.

[edit] Career

[edit] Youth and College

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, redshirting his freshman season after an early season injury sidelined him.

[edit] Professional

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.^[1] 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.^[2] At some point, he also played for the Sacramento Knights of the World Indoor Soccer League.^[3]

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.^[4] 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.^[5] He then signed on loan from the Sounders with the Milwaukee Wave of Major Indoor Soccer League for the 2002-2003 season.^[6] He played two winter indoor seasons, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 with the Wave.^[7][8] 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.^[9] 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.^[10]

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.^[11] 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 signed back on with Seattle for the 2006 season, and played for them for three more seasons, appearing in 50 USL1 games and scoring 10 goals, until the team folded at the end of 2008 due to Seattle Sounders FC joining Major League Soccer.

Having been unable to secure a professional contract, O'Brien signed with Tacoma Tide of the USL Premier Development League for the 2009 season.^[12]

On August 7th, 2009 O'Brien signed a contract for the remainder of the season with the Montreal Impact, joining his brother Ciaran O'Brien who was on loan with the same team.^[13] On September 29th, O'Brien was released by Impact.^[14]

[edit] Personal

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.

[edit] Honors

[edit] Seattle Sounders

• USL First Division Championship (1): 2007
• USL First Division Commissioner's Cup (1): 2007

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• 2007 Sounders Media Guide