Leon James Britton is an English professional football player, who plays for Swansea City.
Having joined Swansea on a permanent transfer in 2003, Britton went on to make 270 appearances
for the club over a seven-year span.
Britton joined Sheffield United in the summer of 2010, but transferred back to Swansea in
January 2011.
Britton instantly became a central figure in Swansea's successful promotion campaign.
He remains one of a handful of players to have represented any club in all four professional
divisions of the English footballing pyramid, along with Brett Ormerod, Alan Tate and Garry
Monk.
Club career Youth career
A member of the England Development School at Lilleshall where he was a year behind Joe
Cole, Britton began his career as an Arsenal trainee at the age of nine.
When he signed for West Ham United for £400,000 in 1998, he attracted the highest transfer
fee ever paid for a 16-year-old at that time.
Unable to break into the first team at West Ham, Britton joined Swansea City on loan in
December 2002, helping the club to avoid relegation from the Football League.
He was named PFA Fans' Player of the Year for the Third Division in the 2002–03 season.
Swansea manager Brian Flynn was impressed enough to sign him permanently after he was
released by West Ham.
Swansea A diminutive but skilful midfielder, Britton
won Player of the Year awards from an online supporters' group in both 2002–03 and 2005–06
seasons.
Including his appearances whilst on loan with the club, to the end of the 2005–06 season,
Britton had played 137 times for Swansea City in all competitions and had scored nine goals.
On 9 February 2008, Britton played his 200th game for Swansea City.
In January 2010, Swansea rejected an £750,000 offer for Britton from Wigan Athletic but
at the end of that season Britton refused the offer of a new contract and became a free
agent.
Sheffield United Despite interest from the Premier League,
Britton signed for Sheffield United in June 2010.
He was handed a regular role in the centre of the Blades midfield but failed to really
show the form he had displayed at Swansea.
A difficult period for the club, Britton played under four managers within the space of five
months and eventually asked to return to his former employer, stating that his previous
transfer had been a "mistake" and that he "should never have left Swansea".
The Blades admitted that he had never settled in South Yorkshire and agreed to let him return
to Wales after only 26 appearances for the club.
Return to Swansea Britton re-signed for Swansea City for what
the Blades described as an "undisclosed fee" during the January transfer window despite
the Swans insisting no fee was involved.
The fee was clause based and included up to £400,000 depending on appearances and Swansea's
promotion to the Premier League.
Britton's second Swansea City debut came in a draw with Barnsley on 20 January 2011.
He scored his first goal of the season against his former employers Sheffield United in the
final game of the regular season.
The 2010–11 season ended with Swansea City being promoted to the Premier League for the
first time in their history following a 4–2 victory over Reading in the Championship Play-off
Final at Wembley Stadium.
Britton started the match at Wembley and completed 77 minutes before being substituted by Mark
Gower.
Following Swansea's promotion, Britton made his Premier League debut in a 4–0 loss against
Manchester City on 15 August 2011 where he played in the central midfield.
Britton stated he would like to finish his career with the club and admits he cannot
imagine playing elsewhere.
On 30 March 2012, Britton signed a contract extension at Swansea City, contracting him
until the end of the 2015 campaign.
On 5 February 2013, Britton signed a one-year contract extension on improved terms with
Swansea City, keeping at the club until June 2016.
Later that month, Britton won the first major trophy of his career as Swansea beat Bradford
City 5-0 in the 2013 League Cup Final at Wembley Stadium.
Personal life Britton was born in Merton, Greater London
and played a young Ryan Giggs in a road safety advertisement in the 1990s.
Britton also appeared in a Walkers Crisps advert with former England international Gary
Lineker.
Career statistics As of 26 April 2014
^a The 2005-06 and 2010–11 League totals both include three play-off appearances.
Honours Swansea City
Football League Championship play-offs: 2010–11 Football League One: 2007–08
Football League Cup: 2012–13 Football League Trophy: 2005-06
FAW Premier Cup: 2004–05, 2005–06 References
External links Leon Britton career stats at Soccerbase
England profile at the FA