Leon King

Leon King
Leon King in action for Rangers 2022
Personal information
Full name Leon Thomson King
Date of birth (2004-01-14) 14 January 2004
Place of birth Barrhead, Scotland
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position Defender
Team information
Current team
 Ayr United
Youth career
Rangers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2026 Rangers 27 (0)
2025 → Queen's Park (loan) 9 (0)
2025-2026 → Ayr United (loan) 27 (2)
2026- Ayr United 0 (0)
International career‡
2018 Scotland U16 2 (0)
2019 Scotland U17 4 (0)
2022–2024 Scotland U21 12 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 21:37, 28 December 2025 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 25 May 2025

Leon Thomson King (born 14 January 2004) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Ayr United.[1]

Club career

Rangers

King joined Rangers in his early years,[2] soon appearing to be one of the club's brightest prospects.[3][4] He made his Rangers Under-20s debut aged only 14 under the management of Graeme Murty in November 2018.[5][6] At the end of the 2018–19 season, he was also part of the squad that won the Scottish Youth Cup against Celtic.[7]

King made his Rangers debut on 29 November 2020 in a League Cup match against Falkirk.[8] He made his Scottish Premiership debut for on 12 May 2021, replacing Joe Aribo in the 86th minute of a 3–0 away win against Livingston.[9][10][11]

On 5 January 2022, King signed a contract extension until the summer of 2024 and was subsequently promoted to the first-team squad on a full time basis.[12]

On 7 September 2022, King made his debut for Rangers in the UEFA Champions League group stage, coming on as a half time substitute vs Ajax. He made his full starting debut in the competition on 4 October 2022 against Liverpool at Anfield. Due to injuries to other defenders, King would feature in all Rangers Champions League fixtures that campaign.

On 7 September 2025, King joined Scottish Championship side Ayr United on loan until the end of the season.[13] Whilst with the club he won multiple of their end of season awards including Men's Player of the Year. [14]

Ayr United

On 16 July 2026, it was confirmed that King had signed a two year deal to join Ayr United permanently. [1]

International career

King was selected for the Scotland under-21 squad in May 2022.[15]

Career statistics

As of match played 19 January 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Rangers 2020–21[16] Scottish Premiership 1000100020
2021–22[17] 4020000060
2022–23[18] 15000206[a]0230
2023–24[19] 5010000060
2024–25 2010000030
Total 270403060410
Rangers B 2021–22[20] ———2[b]020
Rangers B 2022–23[21] ———1[c]010
Career total 270403090430
  1. ↑ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  2. ↑ Appearances in Scottish Challenge Cup
  3. ↑ Appearance in Scottish Challenge Cup

Honours

Rangers

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 "Leon King Signs 2-year Deal". Ayr United FC. Ayr United FC. 16 July 2026. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
  2. ↑ "Introducing... Leon King". Rangers F.C. Youtube. 10 March 2020. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  3. ↑ Campbell, Jordan (9 November 2019). "Chelsea and Liverpool among those looking at Rangers' 15-year-old defender King". The Athletic. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  4. ↑ Wright, Angus (9 November 2019). "Rangers face fight to keep hold of 15-year-old defender as English and European giants circle". The Scotsman. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  5. ↑ "Rangers Academy continues to go from strength to strength". Rangers News. 26 November 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  6. ↑ "Rangers U20s 6-1 Partick Thistle U20s". Rangers F.C. Youtube. 27 November 2018. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  7. ↑ "Rangers crowned Scottish Youth Cup winners". SFA. 25 April 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  8. ↑ Elgott, Jordan (29 November 2020). "Falkirk 0–4 Rangers". BBC Sport.
  9. ↑ McDougall, Mark (12 May 2021). "Livingston 0 Rangers 3 as Steven Gerrard's men edge closer to 100 point mark". Glasgow Live. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  10. ↑ Campbell, Andy (12 May 2021). "Rangers win to stay unbeaten in league". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 May 2021.
  11. ↑ Black, James (13 May 2021). "Rangers veteran delighted after landmark appearance for Ibrox prodigy in Livi win". HITC. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  12. ↑ "LEON KING SIGNS NEW RANGERS CONTRACT". Rangers.co.uk. Rangers Football Club. 5 January 2022.
  13. ↑ "Rangers defender King joins Ayr United on loan". BBC. 7 September 2025. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 "Player of the Year Winners". Ayr United. 27 April 2026. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
  15. ↑ "Rangers' Alex Lowry one of five new call-ups by Scotland Under-21s". BBC Sport. 19 May 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  16. ↑ "Games played by Leon King in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  17. ↑ "Games played by Leon King in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  18. ↑ "Games played by Leon King in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  19. ↑ "Games played by Leon King in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  20. ↑ "Games played by Leon King in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  21. ↑ "Games played by Leon King in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  22. ↑ "Rangers top-flight champions for first time since 2011 after Celtic drop points". BBC Sport. 7 March 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  23. ↑ "Rangers 2-0 Hearts". BBC Sport. 21 May 2022. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  24. ↑ McPheat, Nick (17 December 2023). "Rangers 1-0 Aberdeen". BBC Sport. BBC.
  25. ↑ "Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 Rangers". BBC Sport. 18 May 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.


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