Date / Year of birth: 17th December 1972

Position: Striker

Season of first appearance: 2000/01

Season of last appearance: 2005/06

Also played for: Charlton Athletic (0), Leyton-Wingate, Collier Row, West Ham United (0), Bishop's Stortford, Exeter City (44+30,9), Welling United, St.Patrick's Athletic (Ireland), Dagenham & Redbridge, Fisher Athletic (London), Ilford, Erith & Belvedere, Great Wakering Rovers, Enfield Town, Redbridge and Heybridge Swifts

5' 11" tall lightning-quick striker born in Hackney who was a schoolboy trialist at Charlton before starting his senior career with Leyton Wingate.

Leon joined Collier Row for the 1991/92 campaign and had a trial at West Ham during that season.

He spent 1992/93 with Leyton and the rejoined Collier Row in the summer of 1993.

Leon went back to Leyton for the 1994/95 campaign before linking up with Bishop's Stortford for 1995/96.

In November 1995 he moved into the Football League when Exeter signed him and Leon went on to make 77 appearances for the Devon club, scoring nine goals. In December 1997 he was loaned to Conference club Welling and scored on his debut as the Wings beat Hereford 3-0 on 20.12.97. He made a total of five appearances without scoring again and Leon then briefly returned to Exeter before signing a permanent deal with Dublin-based Irish club St.Patrick's in January 1998.

He made a good impression in Ireland and won the National League's 'Player of the Month' award for February 1998, just weeks after joining St.Patrick's. In July 1998 Leon played as St.Pat's pulled off a famous 0-0 draw at Celtic in the 1st leg of a Champions League Preliminary Round tie in front of over 54,000 spectators and he also played in the home leg as Celtic edged to a 2-0 win in Dublin. In total he scored twice in 19 appearances for St.Pat's before returning to England in August 1999 to rejoin Welling.

Leon scored eight goals for the Wings during 1999/00 but couldn't prevent them from being relegated from the Conference.

In June 2000 he signed for Margate and manager Chris Kinnear said "he's an experienced player and has played at several clubs. He's very mobile and very athletic"

Leon made his debut in an attacking midfield role on 19.8.00 as Margate lost 1-0 to Moor Green at Hartsdown Park and the Thanet Times said he "performed well". He was soon pushed forward into Margate's attack where he played alongside the prolific Phil Collins and on 2.9.00 Leon scored his first goal for the club in a 2-0 win at Stafford Rangers. It was his fifth appearance and the Thanet Times' report on the match was headlined 'Leon's Wonder Goal Is Worth The Wait'. The paper said it was a "spectacular strike" as he used his pace to pick up a 60-yard pass from Bill Edwards near the right-hand corner flag then turned outside a defender before curling a left-footed shot into the far top corner. A few days later Chris Kinnear told the Isle of Thanet Gazette "Leon could have had more goals and I think he will be a great signing". He started each of Margate's first seven matches but in the last of them - a 3-1 home defeat against Burton on 9.9.00 - Leon picked up an ankle injury and had to go off after 30 minutes. He missed the next five games before returning as a substitute in a 1-0 win over Havant & Waterlooville at Hartsdown Park on 21.10.00. The Thanet Times said he "tormented the visitors" and Leon then had a run of games where he came off the substitutes bench as a replacement for young striker Mo Takalobighashi who'd temporarily moved ahead of him in Chris Kinnear's pecking order. The Isle of Thanet Gazette said he "impressed again, using his pace and strength to confront the Fisher defence" after coming on in a 1-0 defeat at the London club on 24.10.00 and on 31.10.00 Leon scored after replacing Takalobighashi in a 6-0 home win over Sittingbourne in the Kent Senior Cup. It was his first goal at Hartsdown Park. Leon made another impressive cameo appearance as a sub in a 3-2 home win over Merthyr on 18.11.00 and the Thanet Times reported that "the Merthyr defence couldn't adapt to his pace and skill".

Exactly three months after his last start Leon wore the number nine shirt as Margate lost 1-0 at Tamworth on 9.12.00 and from then on he was a regular once again. On 23.12.00 he scored for the first time since 2.9.00 when he found the net in a 2-0 win over Clevedon at Hartsdown Park and on 13.1.01 Leon was on target in a famous 2-1 win at Working in the FA Trophy. He scored again in a 2-0 win at Merthyr Tydfil on 27.1.01 and on 30.1.01 Leon was one of the marksmen for an FA X1 as they beat the Combined Services 6-1 at Bishop's Stortford. The match was a trial for the England semi-professional team and his Margate strike partner Phil Collins also scored, as did future Margate players Nick Roddis and Lee Shearer.

Although Leon endured a barren run in front of goal over the next two months his monumental work rate amply compensated and the Thanet Times said his "pace worried the Newport back line all afternoon" in a 0-0 draw in Wales on 31.3.01. By then Margate were closing in on the Southern League Premier Division title and promotion to the Conference and on 16.4.01 Leon broke his 13 game scoring duck with a goal in a 3-0 home win over Crawley. He fired home after only six minutes and the Isle of Thanet Gazette said his "early strike gave him a timely confidence boost". He found the net once more before the end of the season - in a 3-2 win over Dorchester at Hartsdown Park on 24.4.01 - and finished what was a triumphant campaign for Margate having scored seven times in 43 appearances (eight as sub). Leon's elder brother Darren had helped out with speed work during Margate's training sessions throughout the season and he was well-qualified for the role having run at the Olympics for Great Britain.

Leon enjoyed a dream start to the 2001/02 campaign when his penalty earned Margate a 1-0 win at Boston on 18.8.01. It was the club's first-ever Conference game and the Thanet Times hailed his "magnificent effort as the lone striker". Leon's next two goals came in consecutive matches and after scoring in a 2-1 home defeat against Leigh on 25.8.01 he clinched a 1-0 win at Scarborough on 27.8.01. His performance in a 2-2 draw with Hereford at Hartsdown Park on 1.9.01 impressed The Non-League Paper who said Leon's "pace astounded Hereford" whilst the Thanet Times said he "again gave a tireless display up front". In its report on a 3-1 home win over Telford on 8.9.01 The Non-League Paper described Leon as "one of the fastest men in non-league football". He kept up his good form and during September and October 2001 Leon enjoyed a spell where he scored in six of the eight Conference games Margate played, getting one goal each time. His run included strikes in three consecutive games - a 2-1 win at Southport on 15.9.01, a 2-1 home win over Stevenage on 18.9.01 and a 2-2 draw at Stalybridge on 22.9.01. In its report on the Stevenage win the Nationwide football website said Leon's "pace caused countless problems" and future Margate icon Sam Sodje was sent off for bringing him down after just 17 minutes had been played. Towards the end of September 2001 there were rumours that Notts County were interested in Leon and a possible fee of £75,000 was mentioned in press reports but nothing came of the stories. He continued on his scoring spree and finished it with back-to-back efforts - the only goal to secure a 1-0 home win over Hayes on 2.10.01 and another in a 3-0 win at Chester on 6.10.01. The Isle of Thanet Gazette praised Leon's "boundless energy".

On 3.11.01 he scored his tenth goal of the season in a 3-3 draw at Forest Green and shortly afterwards Chris Kinnear told the Isle of Thanet Gazette "Leon has really matured this season." He then endured a run of seven games without a goal but on 20.11.01 Leon played for an FA X1 against a Southern League X1 at Crawley. The match ended 3-3 and it was effectively a trial for the England semi-professional team. Leon's pace often caused problems for linesmen and in its report on a 2-2 draw at Leigh on 8.12.01 the Thanet Times said the linesman's flag was "a nemesis" for him as he was repeatedly incorrectly pulled up for being offside.

Leon ended his barren run with a goal in a 2-1 win over Farnborough at Hartsdown Park on 5.1.02 and the Thanet Times said he was "ever hard-working and popular". Similarly The Non-League Paper praised Leon's "willingness to run and chase all afternoon" in its report on a 1-0 defeat at Doncaster on 16.2.02. The Isle of Thanet Gazette said his "tireless running really tested the home defence" as Margate won 2-1 at Braintree in the FA Trophy on 5.3.02 and Leon blasted an injury time penalty out of the ground shortly after having to swap one of his boots for one belonging to defender Lee Williams. Leon then had a great game as Margate beat visitors Woking 4-3 on 9.3.02 and the Thanet Times said he "showed blistering pace and immense power". His form resulted in a call-up to the England semi-professional squad and on 20.3.02 Leon played alongside team-mate Nick Roddis as England beat the USA 2-1. They were the first-ever Margate players to be capped by England's non-league side whilst playing for the club.

On 27.4.02 Leon's car broke down en route to Margate's last Conference game of the season - a match against Stalybridge at Hartsdown Park - and he only arrived in time to take to the field as a half-time substitute. It turned out to be a great 45 minutes for Leon as he struck twice in an emphatic 8-0 win to round off a great campaign that saw him score a career best 15 goals. He made a total of 49 appearances (one as sub) and deservedly won both the Players' and Supporters' 'Player of the Year' awards. In its end of season round-up the Isle of Thanet Gazette said Leon was "by miles the Blues' most improved player compared to last year...his pace still frightens defences, and even though he has often been playing as the lone striker, his scoring rate has improved".

Leon was a fixture in the side for the first few months of the 2002/03 campaign and started Margate's first 18 matches. He got his first goal of the new season on 26.8.02 in a 3-0 win over Forest Green at Margate's adopted home ground at Dover. On 3.9.02 Leon scored twice in a 2-2 draw with Barnet at Dover and the Isle of Thanet Gazette described his second as a "rare headed goal". The paper also said it was "difficult to stress exactly how impressive Braithwaite and (Charlie) MacDonald looked" as a striking partnership. Leon was on target again in Margate's next game - scoring a solo goal that the Thanet Times said was a "stunning equaliser". The Nationwide football website described how Leon "chased a lost cause near the corner flag and went on a mazy run which ended with him burying the ball into the corner of the net". A few days later Stevenage made an approach for him but were informed that Leon wasn't for sale.

On 17.9.02 Leon scored the first hat-trick of his senior career within the opening 17 minutes of a 5-1 win at Woking. The Isle of Thanet Gazette described him as "outstanding" and said that Woking "had no answer to Braithwaite's pace". His next goal came from the penalty spot in a match at Burton on 28.9.02 and Leon's strike, two minutes into stoppage time, was enough to secure a 1-0 win. Soon after the Burton game there were more rumours of clubs showing an interest in him and Margate's chairman Jim Parmenter told the Thanet Times "Leon is not for sale under any circumstances. He wants to stay and we definitely want him to stay. Margate are ambitious and we are about building a squad to win the Conference, not selling our best players. We are delighted that he is a Margate player through and through and wants to stay at the club." After scoring eight goals from his first 12 outings of the season Leon endured a barren run of six matches without finding the net from a 1-0 defeat against Chester at Dover on 5.10.02 through to a 3-2 defeat at Scarborough on 2.11.02.

A few days after the Scarborough game Leon suffered head injuries in what was at first thought to be a motorbike accident. He couldn't remember anything about what happened but it later transpired that Leon had been mugged and his bike was stolen. He had to have two metal plates inserted into his jaw and as a result Leon missed Margate's next ten games. During his near two month absence he lost around two stones in weight due to being unable to eat properly because of the plates in his jaw.

Leon finally returned to action on 11.1.03 when he came on as a substitute in a 2-0 win at Dulwich in the FA Trophy. He also came off the bench in Margate's next match against Northwich at Hartsdown Park on 18.1.03 and scored with a header. It was his first touch in an epic encounter that ended as a 4-4 draw. Leon made two more sub appearances before making his first start for almost three months as Margate beat Sittingbourne 3-1 in a Kent Senior Cup tie at Hartsdown on 28.1.03. From then on Leon was a regular starter once more and scored his tenth goal of the season from the penalty spot as Margate won 2-0 at Worcester in an FA Trophy tie on 1.2.03. After a run of four games without a goal he scored in a 2-1 win over Woking at Dover on 1.3.03 but then endured another barren spell of six matches without finding the net up to and including a 3-2 win at Hereford on 29.3.03. After that Leon missed three games altogether due to injury before featuring as a substitute in a 0-0 draw with Farnborough at Dover on 19.4.03. He made his first start for almost a month as Margate beat visitors Scarborough 3-1 at their adopted home on 26.4.03 and marked the occasion with a goal. Leon then rounded off his stop-start campaign by playing in the Kent Senior Cup Final at Welling on 30.4.03 and his extra time goal gave Margate a 2-1 win. He finished the season having scored 13 goals from 39 outings (six as sub).

In June 2003 Leon joined fellow Conference side Dagenham & Redbridge on a free transfer after his Margate contract expired and he got his first goal for the Daggers in their 4-0 home win over Margate on 7.10.03. Leon went on to score a total of seven goals from 41 appearances (16 as sub) for the Essex outfit before being released in May 2004 when his contract expired.

In June 2004 he was linked with a return to Margate and Chris Kinnear told the Isle of Thanet Gazette "It's no secret that I still talk to Leon. He's always said that he wishes he had never left Margate. We'll have to see what happens."

Later in June 2004 Leon signed for Southern League Division 1 East club Fisher Athletic and scored on his debut in a 5-2 win at Maldon on 14.8.04. He then scored a hat-trick on his home debut as Fisher routed Tilbury 9-2 on 21.8.04. His strike partner was former Margate loanee Steve Watts and Leon ended 2004/05 having scored a career best 22 goals.

In the summer of 2005 Leon featured in some of Ilford's pre-season friendlies and then scored for Margate in a friendly at Burgess Hill on 9.8.05 before confirming a hugely popular return to the club in time for the first season back at Hartsdown Park following three seasons of ground-sharing. He'd just started a new job as a fireman in East London and Margate manager Chris Kinnear told the KM Extra newspaper "Leon had his best years with us, and I kept in touch."

On 20.8.05 Margate played their first match back at Hartsdown against Maldon in the Isthmian League Premier Division and Leon rounded off a hugely impressive return by scoring the only goal of the game. Chris Kinnear told the Kentish Football website "Leon is pleased to be back. He's done great for us and to be fair hasn't lost any of it has he ? He worked very hard and he wants us, and himself, to do well." The Thanet Times said Leon had "formed a promising partnership with Darren Watson" and Chris Kinnear told the paper "Everyone could see how much Leon wants to play for Margate Football Club."

He started the next two matches as well but after featuring in a 0-0 draw at Harrow on 27.8.05 Leon missed two games due to work commitments. Chris Kinnear told the Thanet Times "To be fair, we knew Leon's situation with work but it'll be fine." He returned to the side for a 1-1 draw with his old club Fisher at Hartsdown Park on 6.9.05 but Leon had to go off with a calf problem towards the end and then missed the next three matches due to the injury. He made his comeback as a substitute in a 1-0 win over visitors Carshalton in an FA Cup tie on 24.9.05 and Leon then started Margate's next two games before sitting out a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Cray in the FA Cup on 8.10.05.

He was back in the side for an FA Trophy tie at Bashley on 15.10.05 and Leon scored twice, once from the penalty spot, in a 3-0 win. They turned out to be his last goals for Margate. Leon played twice more but suffered a knee injury in the first half of a 2-1 defeat against Fisher at Dulwich on 24.10.05 and had to go off at half-time. He'd sustained ligament damage and didn't play again before being released early in December 2005. Chris Kinnear explained Leon's departure to the Isle of Thanet Gazette by saying "Leon hadn't played much either through injury or work...we're training three times this week and you need players to be available." He'd scored three goals from ten appearances (one as sub) during his second spell at Hartsdown Park.

Shortly after leaving Margate Leon joined Ilford and scored from the penalty spot on his debut to secure a 1-0 win over Stamford on 17.12.05.

Towards the end of January 2006 Leon joined Kent League club Erith & Belvedere as player-assistant manager to new boss Wayne Brown and again notched a debut goal as the Deres beat Sporting Bengal 3-2 on 28.1.06. By the end of the 2005/06 season Leon had scored nine times in just 12 appearances.

He started the 2006/07 campaign with the Deres too and managed five goals from 16 outings before leaving the club at the end of October 2006 when Wayne Brown resigned. Shortly before his departure Leon had filled in at centre-back on a couple of occasions.

A few days after leaving Erith Leon signed for Essex club Great Wakering who were managed by his old Margate team-mate Iain O'Connell and he made his debut in a 2-0 home win over Burnham Ramblers in the Essex Senior Cup on 8.11.06. Later in November Leon played for the English National Fire Brigade Team in a match against their Scottish counterparts that took place in Newcastle. He scored once in five appearances for Great Wakering before moving on to Enfield Town in December 2006.

Leon only made two sub appearances for Enfield and at the end of March 2007 he linked up with Redbridge. On 7.4.07 he scored a remarkable six minute hat-trick after coming on as a second half substitute for them in an Isthmian League Division 1 North game at his old club Ilford. Leon's goals secured a 3-0 win and he finished the 2006/07 season having scored five times in seven outings (five as sub) for Redbridge.

Leon then had a spell out of football but resurfaced at the end of March 2008 when he joined Isthmian League Premier Division club Heybridge Swifts. He only played twice for them (once as sub) but one of his appearances came in a remarkable 5-4 defeat at Margate on 5.4.08. Leon started that match and the Thanet Times said "the biggest cheer of the afternoon was reserved for Blues hero Leon Braithwaite". He was replaced in the second half and fittingly it was the final game of his senior career as he retired at the end of the 2007/08 campaign aged 35.

During his initial spell with Margate Leon worked as a teacher in London and he was also involved with West Ham's 'Football in Community' section as well as with Exeter's academy.

In 2009 Leon started taking part in veterans sprinting for the Bedford & County athletic club and in 2011 he was the fastest veteran in the UK over 150 metres. Leon's time of 17.77 was also the second best ever by a British over-35 sprinter at the time and the one man ahead of him in the rankings was Linford Christie. Leon's best time over the classic 100 metres distance in 2011 was 11.41 seconds.

On 12.5.12 he returned to Hartsdown Park to take part in Bill Edwards' testimonial match and looked as fit as ever, and almost as quick, at the age of 39.