{{Short description|Australian soccer player}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}} {{Use Australian English|date=September 2014}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Daniel Leach | image = | fullname = Daniel James Leach | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|1|5|df=y}} | birth_place = Redcliffe, Australia | height = {{height|ft=6|in=2}} | position = Defender | currentclub = | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = 2002-2003 | youthclubs1 = Queensland Academy of Sport | youthyears2 = | youthclubs2 = Brisbane Toro | youthyears3 = | youthclubs3 = Brisbane Strikers | youthyears4 = 2005–2008 | youthclubs4 = Oregon State Beavers | years1 = 2004 | clubs1 = North Star | years2 = 2004 | clubs2 = Brisbane Strikers | years3 = 2009 | clubs3 = Portland Timbers U23s | caps3 = 10 | goals3 = 2 | years4 = 2009–2012 | clubs4 = Barnet | caps4 = 37 | goals4 = 2 | years5 = 2010 | clubs5 = → Dover Athletic (loan) | caps5 = 12 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2011 | clubs6 = | caps6 = 1 | goals6 = 0 | totalcaps = 59 | totalgoals = 4 | nationalyears1 = | nationalteam1 = Australia U17 Pool| nationalcaps1 =| nationalgoals1 = }} '''Daniel Leach''' (born 5 January 1986) is an Australian former footballer who last played for Football League Two club Barnet as a defender.
==Career== He attended St. Joseph's Nudgee College in Virginia, Queensland, and played state football for Queensland. He moved on to the Queensland Academy of Sport Football Program, and also played for Brisbane Strikers. During this time he was also called up to the Australia under-17 pool after winning the u16 national championships with Queensland.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.osubeavers.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/leach_daniel00.html |title=Player Bio: Daniel Leach - Oregon State official athletic site |access-date=22 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120507020338/http://www.osubeavers.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/leach_daniel00.html |archive-date=7 May 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He then took an extended break from football, moving to London, England, and later to the United States, where he joined Oregon State University.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.osubeavers.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/leach_daniel00.html |title=Player Bio: Daniel Leach - Oregon State official athletic site |access-date=22 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120507020338/http://www.osubeavers.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/leach_daniel00.html |archive-date=7 May 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He also played amateur football for Portland Timbers U23.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.osubeavers.com/sports/m-soccer/spec-rel/093008aaa.html |title=Everyday Champion - Daniel Leach - Oregon State official athletic site |access-date=22 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301010806/http://www.osubeavers.com/sports/m-soccer/spec-rel/093008aaa.html |archive-date=1 March 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In July 2009, he played in Barnet's friendly against Arsenal, and signed for the Bees on a one-year deal a few days later. In February 2010, he joined Conference South side Dover Athletic on a one-month loan deal. Leach was released by Barnet at the end of the 2009–10 season, but remained on trial at the club under new manager Mark Stimson and signed a new contract in July 2010. He scored his first goal for Barnet against Crewe Alexandra in a 2–1 victory. In January 2012, he was forced to retire from playing due to a knee injury.
==After football== After his retirement from football, Leach studied at the University of the Arts in London, where he earned a Masters degree in documentary film.
==Career statistics== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|FA Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="4"|Barnet |2009–10<ref>{{soccerbase season|51777|2009|access-date=26 June 2025}}</ref> |League Two |13||0||1||0||1||0||1<ref group=lower-alpha name="FLT">Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy</ref>||0||16||0 |- |2010–11<ref>{{soccerbase season|51777|2010|access-date=26 June 2025}}</ref> |League Two |14||1||0||0||1||0||0||0||15||1 |- |2011–12<ref>{{soccerbase season|51777|2011|access-date=26 June 2025}}</ref> |League Two |10||1||0||0||0||0||1<ref group=lower-alpha name="FLT">Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy</ref>||0||11||1 |- !colspan="2"|Total !37!!2!!1!!0!!2!!0!!2!!0!!42!!2 |- |Dover Athletic (loan) |2009–10{{cn|date=June 2025}} |Conference South |12||0||0||0||0||0||0||0||12||0 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !49!!2!!1!!0!!2!!0!!2!!0!!54!!2 |} {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{Soccerbase}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leach, Daniel}} Category:1986 births Category:Living people Category:Men's association football defenders Category:Australian men's soccer players Category:Oregon State Beavers men's soccer players Category:Capital FC players Category:Barnet F.C. players Category:Dover Athletic F.C. players Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England Category:USL League Two players Category:English Football League players Category:National League (English football) players Category:Brisbane Strikers FC players Category:People from the City of Moreton Bay Category:Soccer players from Queensland Category:People educated at St Joseph's College, Nudgee Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen