Born: Croydon, London, 10 June 1984
Nationality: English
Position: Centre back; right back; central midfield
Signed: Fulham academy, 2000.
Fulham debut: Wigan Athletic 1-0 Fulham, League Cup, 4 December 2002.
Fulham appearances: 13
Fulham goals: 0
Sold: 10 August 2016 to Derby County (£375,000).
The Croydon-born Dean Leacock came through Fulham’s academy as a highly-regarded centre back. He made his professional debut in a League Cup tie at Wigan aged eighteen in 2002 and, following another appearance against the Latics in the League Cup early in the next campaign, Leacock’s league bow came in a 2-0 win at Blackburn Rovers. By now able to slot seamlessly in at right back, the youngster made four league appearances in succession before cruelly damaging his knee ligaments in the warm-up ahead of Fulham’s famous 3-1 win at Manchester United in October 2003.
The injury ended his season but Chris Coleman had seen enough to extend Leacock’s contract. He joined Coventry on loan the following season and then made seven appearances in 2005/06 before opting to join Derby for £375,000 in August 2006. Leacock went onto play Premier League football with the Rams and is still playing now: plying his trade with Lowestoft Town.
