Leon Best

Southampton

As a young player, Best started his career at Notts County before being signed as a trainee by then Premier League club Southampton. He made his professional debut against Newcastle United on his 18th birthday in 2004. A loan spell at Queens Park Rangers followed later in the 2004–05 season. He was a member of Southampton's youth team that reached the final of the FA Youth Cup in 2005, losing on aggregate to Ipswich Town. Best also had two loan spells at Sheffield Wednesday in the 2005–06 season, scoring his first professional goal and Wednesday's first of the season on 9 August 2005 at Hillsborough against Hull City. The first loan spell was cut short in the same match when Best broke his foot and returned to St. Mary's after only 5 days in Sheffield. After recovering with Southampton, Best then returned to Hillsborough at the end of the January transfer window (though there was also speculation he would go to Crystal Palace) where he remained until the end of the season, scoring Wednesday's last goal of the season at Derby County on 30 April 2006. On 3 August 2006 Best joined Football League One club AFC Bournemouth on a month-long loan deal with an option to extend his stay. He returned to Southampton at the end of October at the end of the maximum 3-month loan spell, having made 15 league appearances, scoring 3 goals. On 23 November 2006, he joined his teammate Martin Cranie on loan to Yeovil Town until 22 February 2007. After his loan spells, Best…

Best qualifies to play for the Republic of Ireland through his mother, who is from Bluebell, Dublin. He also lived in Dublin from the age of seven. He played for Lourdes Celtic before returning to Nottingham. Having already represented the Republic of Ireland firstly at under-17 level in 2002 and later at under-21 level in 2008, Best was called up to the Republic of Ireland senior squad for the first time for the games against Nigeria and then the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Bulgaria in May 2009. He made his debut on 29 May against Nigeria in a match that finished in a 1–1 draw.

Best was born on 19 September 1986 in Nottingham, England. He opted to play football for his mother's country, Ireland, while in his teens.

Best's sister had a baby with Jamaica international footballer, Wes Morgan.