Ian Leigh

Leigh was born in Ilfracombe, Devon on 11 June 1962.[1][2] After retiring as a professional footballer, Leigh later became a double-glazing salesman in Southampton.[2]

Leigh began his career in non-League football with Swaythling, leaving them as a seventeen-year-old in October 1979 to join Football League team Bournemouth.[2] Leigh made his professional debut for Bournemouth in 1981 after replacing the injured Kenny Allen in an away game against Peterborough United, a game in which Bournemouth lost 1–0.[3] Over the next five seasons, Leigh made 123 appearances in the Football League for Bournemouth.[4] While playing in the FA Cup against defending champions Manchester United in January 1984, Leigh kept a clean sheet in a 2–0 victory, and was rewarded with a lifetime supply of pizzas from a local Italian restaurant.[2][5] The deal stayed in place for over a year, until Bournemouth's then manager Harry Redknapp bought the restaurant, citing the fact that Leigh was getting, "a bit fat, a little bit lumpy."[2][5] He also played as Bournemouth won the inaugural Associate Members' Cup by beating Hull City in the final.[6] Towards the end of his Bournemouth career, Leigh spent brief loan spells at Bristol City and Torquay United, making one and four appearances respectively.[7][8] After Leigh left Bournemouth in 1986, he briefly played non-League football for Bashley, before moving to Malta to play with Hamrun Spartans, where he spent a further six seasons.[1] Leigh was renowned for his powerful long shots, and became Ħamrun Spartans' penalty taker.[1]