Liam McCarron

Liam McCarron
Personal information
Full name Liam James McCarron[1]
Date of birth (2001-03-07) 7 March 2001 (age 23)[2]
Place of birth Preston, England[3]
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[4]
Position(s) Left winger; left wing-back
Team information
Current team
 Northampton Town
Number 17
Youth career
2014–2018 Carlisle United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2019 Carlisle United 16 (0)
2019–2022 Leeds United 1 (0)
2022–2024 Stoke City 0 (0)
2022–2023 → Port Vale (loan) 2 (0)
2024– Northampton Town 11 (1)
International career
2020 Scotland U19 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:30, 26 November 2024 (UTC)

Liam James McCarron (born 7 March 2001) is a professional footballer who plays as a left winger or left wing-back for EFL League One club Northampton Town. Born in England, McCarron has represented Scotland at under-19 level.

McCarron turned professional at Carlisle United in September 2018 and played twenty first-team games before he was sold to Leeds United in July 2019. He made his Premier League debut in December 2021 and was sold on to Stoke City in June 2022. He was loaned out to Port Vale for the 2022–23 season. He signed with Northampton Town in August 2024.

Club career

Carlisle United

McCarron was born in Preston and grew up in Appleby-in-Westmorland.[5][6] After coming through the academy at Carlisle United, McCarron broke into the first-team under manager John Sheridan, making his first-team debut in the EFL Trophy on 4 September 2018, coming on as an 83rd-minute substitute for Ashley Nadesan in a 3–2 win over Morecambe at Brunton Park.[7] He made his debut in League Two eleven days later, in a 2–0 home defeat to Tranmere Rovers.[8] Later that month he signed an 18-month contract, with the option of a further year.[6][9] He was given his first start in a 3–1 defeat at Sunderland in an EFL Trophy group stage game on 9 October.[10] He was handed his first league start by caretaker-managers Tommy Wright and Paul Murray on 12 January, in a 3–0 defeat at Northampton Town, and retained his place in the starting eleven for the next two matches under new manager Steven Pressley.[11][3] He ended the 2018–19 season with four starts and sixteen substitute appearances to his name.[12] He turned down an improved contract offer from the club.[13]

Leeds United

McCarron signed for Leeds United for an undisclosed fee on 1 July 2019,[14] agreeing a three-year deal at the club.[15][16] He signed a new two-year contract with the club in September 2021.[17][18] Marcelo Bielsa gave McCarron his Premier League debut at Elland Road on 18 December, sending him on as a second-half substitute in a 4–1 defeat to Arsenal.[19][20] This proved to be his only first-team appearance for the club, in addition to three EFL Trophy appearances for the under-21s.[2]

Stoke City

On 29 June 2022, McCarron joined Stoke City on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[21][22] He was told by manager Michael O'Neill that he "would be given a chance to play in the first team", however, O'Neill was sacked on 25 August.[23][24] On 1 September, McCarron joined League One side Port Vale on loan for the 2022–23 season; he became the first Stoke player to be loaned directly to Potteries derby rivals Port Vale since March 1978.[25][26] He played two league and two cup games for Port Vale.[27] McCarron made his Stoke debut one and a half years after signing for the club in a FA Cup match against Brighton & Hove Albion on 6 January 2024.[28] New manager Steven Schumacher said that "the door isn't shut for anyone at this club... and I actually thought he did really well".[29] It remained McCarron's only appearance of the 2023–24 season.[30]

Northampton Town

On 1 August 2024, McCarron signed a one-year deal (with an optional further year) at League One side Northampton Town after being bought for an undisclosed fee.[31][32] He had impressed manager Jon Brady during a two-week trial.[33] He scored his first goal in senior football on 24 August, in a 2–2 draw at Barnsley.[34]

International career

McCarron was added to the Scotland under-19 squad in February 2020 and won one cap.[35][36] On 21 August 2020, McCarron was called up to the Scotland under-21 squad for the first time.[37]

Style of play

Carlisle academy manager Darren Edmondson described McCarron as a "pacey" winger with "a high work rate".[38] He is also able to play at left-back or left-wing-back.[39][26] McCarron describes his main strength as "running with the ball".[5]

Career statistics

As of match played 26 November 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup EFL Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Carlisle United 2018–19[12] League Two 16 0 1 0 0 0 3[a] 0 20 0
Leeds United 2019–20[40] Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
2020–21[41] Premier League 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
2021–22[19] Premier League 1 0 0 0 0 0 — 1 0
Total 1 0 0 0 0 0 — 1 0
Leeds United U21 2020–21[41] — — — 1[a] 0 1 0
2021–22[19] — — — 2[a] 0 2 0
Total — — — 3 0 3 0
Stoke City 2022–23[27] Championship 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
2023–24[30] Championship 0 0 1 0 0 0 — 1 0
Total 0 0 1 0 0 0 — 1 0
Port Vale (loan) 2022–23[27] League One 2 0 1 0 0 0 1[a] 0 4 0
Northampton Town 2024–25[42] League One 11 1 1 0 1 0 2[a] 1 15 2
Career total 30 1 4 0 1 0 9 1 44 2
  1. ^ a b c d e Appearances in the EFL Trophy.

References

  1. ^ "Club list of registered players: As at 18th May 2019: Carlisle United" (PDF). English Football League. p. 73. Retrieved 8 March 2020.
  2. ^ a b Liam McCarron at Soccerbase
  3. ^ a b Liam McCarron at Soccerway. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Liam McCarron". Stoke City F.C. Archived from the original on 19 August 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
  5. ^ a b Nixon, Amy (18 July 2017). "YOUTH: Meet the 2017/18 youth squad". www.carlisleunited.co.uk. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Carlisle Utd hand top youth prospect Liam McCarron his first professional deal". News & Star. 28 September 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  7. ^ "Papa Johns Trophy (Sky Sports)". Sky Sports. 4 September 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  8. ^ "Carlisle United 0-2 Tranmere Rovers". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  9. ^ "Hard work starts now for Liam McCarron, says Carlisle Utd boss John Sheridan". News & Star. 1 October 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  10. ^ "Papa Johns Trophy (Sky Sports)". Sky Sports. 9 October 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  11. ^ "Northampton Town 3-0 Carlisle United". BBC Sport. 12 January 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  12. ^ a b "Games played by Liam McCarron in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  13. ^ Colman, Jon (1 July 2019). "Carlisle Utd pledge to reinvest Liam McCarron fee in squad after Leeds sign teenager". News and Star. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  14. ^ Urquhart, Joe (1 July 2019). "Leeds United confirm capture of Carlisle United youngster Liam McCarron". Yorkshire Evening Post. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  15. ^ "Leeds United capture Liam McCarron". www.leedsunited.com. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  16. ^ "Leeds sign White, Harrison and McCarron". BBC Sport. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  17. ^ "Liam McCarron signs new contract". www.leedsunited.com. 23 September 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  18. ^ "Liam McCarron commits to Leeds with new two-year deal". The Independent. 23 September 2021. Archived from the original on 14 June 2022.
  19. ^ a b c "Games played by Liam McCarron in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  20. ^ Mallows, Thomas (18 December 2021). "Martinelli double helps Arsenal win at Leeds". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  21. ^ Cope, Nial (29 June 2022). "McCarron checks in". Stoke City FC. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  22. ^ "Stoke sign versatile winger McCarron from Leeds". BBC Sport. 29 June 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  23. ^ Cope, Niall (29 June 2022). "First Word: Liam McCarron". Stoke City FC. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  24. ^ "Stoke sack manager O'Neill after poor start". BBC Sport. 25 August 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  25. ^ "Port Vale sign McCarron, Politic and Butterworth". BBC Sport. 1 September 2022. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  26. ^ a b Baggaley, Michael (1 September 2022). "Port Vale sign Stoke City's Liam McCarron on loan". StokeonTrentLive. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  27. ^ a b c "Games played by Liam McCarron in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  28. ^ Smith, Peter. "Steven Schumacher press conference notes: Welcome surprises and Liam McCarron's call to arms". Stoke Sentinel. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  29. ^ "Stoke City: Schumacher on the surprise return of Liam McCarron". BBC Sport. 17 January 2024. Retrieved 14 May 2024.
  30. ^ a b "Games played by Liam McCarron in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
  31. ^ "Liam McCarron: Northampton Town sign Stoke City winger after trial". BBC Sport. 1 August 2024.
  32. ^ Colman, Jon (17 July 2024). "Former Carlisle United prospect McCarron's League One chance". News and Star. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  33. ^ Heneghan, James (1 August 2024). "Brady signed ex-Leeds man McCarron after being impressed by his performances while on trial with Cobblers". Northampton Chronicle. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
  34. ^ "Barnsley 2-2 Northampton Town". BBC Sport. 24 August 2024. Retrieved 26 August 2024.
  35. ^ @ScotlandNT (17 February 2020). "#SCO19s Squad update: OUT: Dean Campbell & Scott Robertson. IN: Liam McCarron & Sonny Blu Lo-Everton. #YoungTeam" (Tweet). Retrieved 17 February 2020 – via Twitter.
  36. ^ "Liam McCarron | Scotland | Scottish FA". scottishfa.co.uk. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  37. ^ "Patterson & McCarron get U21 call-ups". BBC Sport. 21 August 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  38. ^ Kyle, Fiona; Mewis, Joe (1 July 2019). "'Pace, hard worker, no ego' New Leeds United signing Liam McCarron profiled". LeedsLive. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  39. ^ Hay, Phil (29 June 2022). "Leeds left-back Liam McCarron joins Stoke". The Athletic. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
  40. ^ "Games played by Liam McCarron in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 July 2019.
  41. ^ a b "Games played by Liam McCarron in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  42. ^ "Games played by Liam McCarron in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 18 December 2021.