Kallum Higginbotham
{{Short description|English footballer (born 1989)}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Kallum Higginbotham
| image = Kallum Higginbotham Celebration.jpg
| upright = 0.9
| caption = Higginbotham with Partick Thistle in 2014
| fullname = Kallum Michael Higginbotham{{Cite book | editor-first = Barry J. | editor-last = Hugman | title = The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2009–10 | year = 2009 | publisher = Mainstream Publishing | isbn = 978-1-84596-474-0 | page = 193 }}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1989|6|15}}
| birth_place = Salford, England
| height = {{height|ft=5|in=11}}
| currentclub = East Fife
| clubnumber = 18
| years1 = {{0|0000}}–2006
| clubs1 = Salford City
| caps1 =
| goals1 =
| years2 = 2006–2007
| clubs2 = Oldham Athletic
| caps2 = 0
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2007–2010
| clubs3 = Rochdale
| caps3 = 72
| goals3 = 7
| years4 = 2008
| clubs4 = → Accrington Stanley (loan)
| caps4 = 5
| goals4 = 0
| years5 = 2009
| clubs5 = → Accrington Stanley (loan)
| caps5 = 7
| goals5 = 0
| years6 = 2010–2012
| clubs6 = Falkirk
| caps6 = 50
| goals6 = 7
| years7 = 2012–2013
| clubs7 = Huddersfield Town
| caps7 = 4
| goals7 = 0
| years8 = 2012
| clubs8 = → Barnsley (loan)
| caps8 = 5
| goals8 = 0
| years9 = 2012
| clubs9 = → Carlisle United (loan)
| caps9 = 10
| goals9 = 0
| years10 = 2013
| clubs10 = → Motherwell (loan)
| caps10 = 10
| goals10 = 1
| years11 = 2013–2015
| clubs11 = Partick Thistle
| caps11 = 66
| goals11 = 10
| years12 = 2015–2016
| clubs12 = Kilmarnock
| caps12 = 27
| goals12 = 5
| years13 = 2016–2019
| clubs13 = Dunfermline Athletic
| caps13 = 86
| goals13 = 19
| years14 = 2019–2020
| clubs14 = Real Kashmir
| caps14 = 15
| goals14 = 2
| years15 = 2020–2023
| clubs15 = Kelty Hearts
| caps15 = 54
| goals15 = 17
| years16 = 2023–2024
| clubs16 = Tranent
| caps16 = 31
| goals16 = 8
| years17 = 2024
| clubs17 = Bonnyrigg Rose
| caps17 = 18
| goals17 = 1
| years18 = 2025-
| clubs18 = East Fife
| caps18 = 15
| goals18 = 0
| club-update = 09:03, 3 June 2025 (UTC)
}}
Kallum Michael Higginbotham (born 15 June 1989) is an English footballer who plays as a winger for {{Scottish football updater|EastFife}} club East Fife F.C.{{Cite web|title=Kelty announce Higginbotham|url=https://twitter.com/keltyheartsfc/status/1282287836700577794|access-date=12 July 2020|website=Twitter|language=en}}
Higginbotham started his football career as a youth player at Salford City and then in Oldham Athletic's reserve squad. Having failed to break into the first team at Boundary Park, Higginbotham joined League One side Rochdale in 2007. He was later loaned to Accrington Stanley, having fallen out of favour. He joined Scottish First Division side Falkirk in June 2010, where he enjoyed two successful seasons with the club. Higginbotham left Falkirk in 2012 and joined Huddersfield Town, where he spent the majority of his time on loan at Barnsley, Carlisle and Motherwell. Higginbotham failed to establish himself at Huddersfield and subsequently joined newly promoted Scottish Premiership side Partick Thistle in 2013. After spending a season with Kilmarnock, Higginbotham moved to newly promoted Scottish Championship side Dunfermline Athletic in 2016 where he spent three seasons. Higginbotham also had three seasons at Kelty Hearts until he left the club to join Tranent. After a year with Tranent he left the lowland league outfit to join Scottish league two side Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic for the forthcoming 2024-25 season. In the January transfer window he signed for Scottish league Two side East Fife until the end of 2024-25 season.
Career
=Rochdale=
Born in Salford, Greater Manchester, Higginbotham started his career at Salford City before joining Oldham Athletic at 18 years of age. Despite a half-decent scoring record in the reserves at Oldham he never made it into the first team at Boundary Park. His most notable moment while at the Latics was his hat-trick in the Lancs Youth Cup final, against his later employers Rochdale.
Higginbotham was released by Oldham one year into his youth trainee contract,{{cite web |last=Browne |first=Gavin |title=Youngsters leave club |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/youngsters-leave-club-990838|work=Manchester Evening News |date=26 April 2007 |access-date=10 August 2015}} and joined Rochdale to complete the last year, hoping to persuade manager Keith Hill to offer him a professional contract. Higginbotham wore the number 18 shirt for the 2007–08 season. His debut came for Rochdale in a friendly against Rossendale United, in which he scored the winning goal.
During the 2007–08 season, Higginbotham became a regular in the first-team at Spotland, finding himself in favour over out-of-sorts winger Ben Muirhead. His first league goal came on 5 December when he scored against Accrington Stanley in a 2–1 win for Rochdale.{{cite web|title=Accrington Stanley 1 Rochdale 2|url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/accrington-stanley-1-rochdale-2-1013265|publisher=Manchester Evening News|last=Partington|first=Richard|date=7 December 2007|access-date=10 August 2015}} The 2008–09 season saw Higginbotham displaced by the emergence of Will Buckley and he spent two spells on loan to Accrington Stanley, firstly moving on 16 October 2008, for one month{{cite web|title=Dale player arrives on loan|url=http://www.accringtonobserver.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/dale-player-arrives-on-loan-1270318|publisher=Accrington Observer|date=6 October 2008|access-date=10 August 2015}} and then returning for another two months on 23 January 2009.{{cite web|title=Two out at Spotland as Higginbotham rejoins Accrington|url=http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/3/rochdale-afc/19104/two-out-at-spotland-as-higginbotham-rejoins-accrington|publisher=Rochdale Online|last=Harwood|first=Jan|date=23 January 2009|access-date=10 August 2015}} At the end of the season he was placed on the transfer list.{{cite web|title=Rochdale tell 10 they can leave|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/r/rochdale/8049593.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|date=14 May 2009|access-date=10 August 2015}} In Rochdale's promotion season he scored the league's Goal of the Year with a beautiful volley from the halfway line at Accrington Stanley in a 4–2 victory.
=Falkirk=
In June 2010, he signed for Scottish First Division club Falkirk on a two-year deal.{{cite web|title=Rochdale forward in Bairns move|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/f/falkirk/8749800.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|date=20 June 2010|access-date=10 August 2015}} After a season where he did not find his best form, Higginbotham later formed a fruitful striking partnership with Moroccan striker Farid El Alagui. In January 2012, Higginbotham was awarded man of the match in the 2011–12 League Cup semi-final against Celtic,{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/16780152.stm|title=Falkirk manager Steven Pressley fumes at referee display|date=29 January 2012|access-date=12 May 2012|work=BBC Sport|publisher=BBC}} which turned out to be last game for the club.
=Huddersfield Town=
On 31 January 2012, just as the transfer window closed, Higginbotham headed back to England to join Football League One side Huddersfield Town on a two-and-a-half-year deal, despite interest from both Rangers and Celtic as well as Championship clubs Crystal Palace and Ipswich Town.{{Cite web |url=http://www.htafc.com/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10312~41473,00.html |title=Huddersfield Town | Team | First Team | Kallum Higginbotham |access-date=20 June 2012 |archive-date=24 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120624085834/http://www.htafc.com/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10312~41473,00.html |url-status=dead }} He made his debut in the 1–1 draw against Milton Keynes Dons at the Galpharm Stadium on 4 February 2012, where he assisted Huddersfield's goal with a tantalising cross.
On 22 March, after being isolated by new Town boss Simon Grayson, Higginbotham went up a division to join Barnsley on loan for the remainder of the season.{{cite web|title=Barnsley loan Kallum Higginbotham from Huddersfield|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17475391|publisher=BBC Sport|date=22 March 2012|access-date=10 August 2015}} He was recalled on 26 April with Grayson saying he has a part to play in their current play-off campaign and the remainder of the season after getting form whilst on loan at Barnsley{{cite web|title=Huddersfield Town: Kallum Higginbotham recalled from Barnsley loan ahead of Walsall game|url=http://www.examiner.co.uk/sport/football/news/huddersfield-town-kallum-higginbotham-recalled-4955320|publisher=The Huddersfield Daily Examiner|date=26 April 2012|access-date=10 August 2015}} Higginbotham started in the League One play-off final as Huddersfield won promotion to the Championship beating Sheffield United 8–7 on penalties following a 0–0 draw.{{cite web|title=Huddersfield 0–0 Sheff Utd (Huddersfield win 8–7 on penalties)|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18127853|publisher=BBC Sport|last=Begley|first=Emlyn|date=26 May 2012|access-date=10 August 2015}}
==Carlisle United loan==
On 20 September 2012, Higginbotham joined Carlisle United on a 3-month loan deal.{{cite web|title=Carlisle United complete Kallum Higginbotham loan deal|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/19649778|publisher=BBC Sport|date=21 September 2012|access-date=10 August 2015}} That loan was cancelled by the Cumbrian side on 7 December.
==Motherwell loan==
On 9 January 2013, after still not getting a chance to stake his claim at Huddersfield, Higginbotham returned to Scotland to join Scottish Premier League side Motherwell on loan for the season.{{cite news|url=http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2013/01/09/higginbotham-joins-on-loan/|title=Higginbotham joins on loan|date=9 January 2013|access-date=9 January 2013|work=motherwellfc.co.uk|publisher=Motherwell F.C.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140103231226/http://www.motherwellfc.co.uk/2013/01/09/higginbotham-joins-on-loan/|archive-date=3 January 2014|url-status=dead}}
His only goal whilst with the Well was an impressive scissor-kick in a 4–1 win over Hibernian.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/21710991 |title=Motherwell 4–1 Hibernian |first=Kenny |last=Crawford |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=15 March 2013 |access-date=18 July 2016}}
=Partick Thistle=
After returning to Huddersfield Town, Higginbotham failed to establish himself in the first team, and was subsequently released from his contract.{{cite web|title=HIGGINBOTHAM LEAVES TOWN|url=http://www.htafc.com/news/article/first-team-news-kallum-higginbotham-leaves-town-979377.aspx|publisher=Huddersfield Town A.F.C.|last=Threlfall-Sykes|first=David|date=8 August 2013}} He signed for Scottish Premiership side Partick Thistle on a two-year deal on 8 August 2013.{{cite web|url=http://ptfc.co.uk/news/2013-2014/august_2013/thistle_sign_kallum_higginbotham|title=Thistle sign Kallum Higginbotham|publisher=Partick Thistle FC|date=8 August 2013|access-date=8 August 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130813232812/http://ptfc.co.uk/news/2013-2014/august_2013/thistle_sign_kallum_higginbotham|archive-date=13 August 2013}} Two days later he made his Partick Thistle debut in a 3–1 victory over Ross County where he had two goals controversially disallowed for offside.{{cite web|title=ROSS COUNTY 1 PARTICK THISTLE 3|url=http://ptfc.co.uk/teams/senior/seasons/2013-2014/fixtures_results/1008_ross_county/match_report|publisher=Partick Thistle F.C.|date=10 August 2013|access-date=10 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150629023123/http://ptfc.co.uk/teams/senior/seasons/2013-2014/fixtures_results/1008_ross_county/match_report|archive-date=29 June 2015|url-status=dead}} He made his home debut for Thistle in a 1–1 draw against Hearts. Higginbotham scored his first goal for the Jags on 31 August 2013, in a 2–1 comeback win away to St Mirren.{{cite web|title=St Mirren 1–2 Partick Thistle|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23822721|publisher=BBC Sport|last=Campbell|first=Andy|date=31 August 2013|access-date=10 August 2015}} He scored his first home goal for the club with an overhead kick against Kilmarnock after 3 minutes, the game finished 1–1 after Killie scored a 90th-minute equalizer. On 15 February 2014, Higginbotham scored two goals against his former club Motherwell at Fir Park as Thistle lost 4–3 despite having led 3–2 with 4 minutes left to play.{{cite web|title=Motherwell 4–3 Partick Thistle|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26095136|publisher=BBC Sport|last=Moffat|first=Colin|date=15 February 2014|access-date=10 August 2015}} Higginbotham then scored a free kick in a 1–1 draw with Ross county. Higginbotham scored at the time his 6th goal of the season in a 3–1 home win against Hibernian sealing the win with a stoppage time goal to make it 3–1 thistle.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/26493197|title=Partick Thistle 3-1 Hibernian|work=BBC Sport }}
Higginbotham then scored another free kick against killmarnock.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/26998883|title=Kilmarnock 1-2 Partick Thistle|work=BBC Sport }}
On 7 May 2014, he scored the fourth goal as Partick Thistle won 4–2 away at Hearts, a result which secured their safety in the top flight.{{cite web|title=Hearts 2–4 Partick Thistle|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/27216438|publisher=BBC Sport|date=7 May 2014|access-date=10 August 2015}}
In the 2014–15 season Higginbotham got his first goal in a 2–1 defeat at home to Hamilton Accies, scoring the opener in the 85th minute with a strike from 28 yards. Higginbotham scored his second goal of the season in a 3–1 home victory over Inverness Caledonian Thistle, who were at the time top of the table, with a 25-yard shot. On 7 March 2015, Higginbotham was red carded in a 1–0 defeat to Ross County.{{cite web|title=Ross County 1–0 Partick Thistle|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31752206|publisher=BBC Sport|last=Dowden|first=Martin|date=7 March 2015}}
=Kilmarnock=
On 25 June 2015, Higginbotham signed a two-year deal with Kilmarnock.{{cite web|title=Kilmarnock: Kallum Higginbotham switches from Partick Thistle|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/33278505|publisher=BBC Sport|date=25 June 2015}}
Higginbotham scored his first Kilmarnock goal with a chipped penalty in a 2–2 draw with Celtic.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/33783337|title=Kilmarnock 2-2 Celtic|work=BBC Sport |access-date=2 November 2021}} Higginbotham scored a top corner strike in Kilmarnock's 4–1 league cup win over Berwick{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/33969685|title=Kilmarnock 4-1 Berwick Rangers|work=BBC Sport |access-date=2 November 2021}} Higginbotham then scored his second league goal of the season scoring his second penalty in a 2–1 win over Dundee United.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/34160691|title=Dundee United 1-2 Kilmarnock|work=BBC Sport }} Higginbotham scored his third league goal of the season scoring a header in a 3–0 home win over St Johnstone {{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35949180|title=Kilmarnock 3-0 St Johnstone|date=9 April 2016|publisher=BBC Sport}}
Higginbotham was one of 7 players transfer listed by Kilmarnock after their play-off final win over Falkirk.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36374856 |title=Kilmarnock aim to keep defender Miles Addison |first=John |last=Barnes |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=24 May 2016 |access-date=18 July 2016}}
=Dunfermline Athletic=
After leaving Kilmarnock, Higginbotham signed a one-year contract with Scottish Championship side Dunfermline Athletic in July 2016.{{cite web |url=http://www.dafc.co.uk/story.php?t=Kallum_Higginbotham_signs_on&ID=9383 |title=Kallum Higginbotham signs on |publisher=Dunfermline Athletic FC |date=18 July 2016 |access-date=18 July 2016}} He made his first appearance for the side as a second-half substitute for Rhys McCabe against Arbroath in the Scottish League Cup, where he made an immediate impact by helping to create Michael Moffat's second goal of the match to leave his side as 3–0 winners.{{cite web |url=http://dafc.co.uk/fixture.php?SID=First+Team&D=2016-07-19&ID=957 |title=Dunfermline 3 Arbroath 0 |publisher=Dunfermline Athletic FC |date=19 July 2016 |access-date=24 October 2016}} His first start for the Pars came in the same competition, against Fife rivals Cowdenbeath. Once again, Higginbotham helped to create a goal for his side, this time coming in the form of a free-kick which was headed in goal by defender Lee Ashcroft to put Dunfermline two-nil up.{{cite web |url=http://dafc.co.uk/fixture.php?SID=First+Team&D=2016-07-23&ID=958 |title=Cowdenbeath 0 Dunfermline 3 |publisher=Dunfermline Athletic FC |date=23 July 2016 |access-date=24 October 2016}} His first goal for the club came in his thirteenth appearance for Dunfermline, and saw him convert a penalty in the twenty-second minute against Hibernian, a match which the Pars eventually lost 3–1.{{cite web |url=http://dafc.co.uk/fixture.php?SID=First+Team&D=2016-10-22&ID=972 |title=Dunfermline 1 Hibernian 3 |publisher=Dunfermline Athletic FC |date=22 October 2016 |access-date=24 October 2016}} Higginbotham was released in May 2019 after spending three seasons with the side.{{cite web |url=https://dafc.co.uk/story.php?t=Player_Update_&ID=11225 |title=Player update |publisher=Dunfermline Athletic FC |date=6 May 2019 |access-date=6 May 2019}}
=Real Kashmir=
Shortly after leaving Dunfermline, Higginbotham signed with I-League club Real Kashmir.
Real Kashmir club manager David Robertson signed him as a winger for his side in the upcoming Hero I-League season 2019–20. He became the Kashmiri side's new foreigner in 2019 and the first English footballer in team history.{{cite web |url=https://www.dunfermlinepress.com/sport/17711044.former-pars-winger-kallum-higginbotham-joins-real-kashmir/ |title=Former Pars winger Kallum Higginbotham joins Real Kashmir |first=Ross |last=Hart |work=Dunfermline Press |publisher=Newsquest |date=17 June 2019 |access-date=17 June 2019}}
= Kelty Hearts =
Kelty Hearts announced the signing of Higginbotham on 12 July 2020.
Personal life
Higginbotham previously played youth football for Salford Lads' Club, and also worked as a scaffolder.{{cite web|title=Rising Football Star comes back to the club|url=http://salfordladsclub.org.uk/2007/11/rising-football-star-comes-back-to-the-club/|website=Salfordladsclub.org.uk|date=26 November 2007 |access-date=28 May 2015}}
Career statistics
{{Updated|13 July 2020}}
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha}}
Honours
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerbase}}
{{Bonnyrigg Rose F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Higginbotham, Kallum}}
Category:Footballers from Salford
Category:21st-century English sportsmen
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Salford City F.C. players
Category:Oldham Athletic A.F.C. players
Category:Rochdale A.F.C. players
Category:Accrington Stanley F.C. players
Category:Huddersfield Town A.F.C. players
Category:Barnsley F.C. players
Category:Carlisle United F.C. players
Category:Motherwell F.C. players
Category:Partick Thistle F.C. players
Category:Kilmarnock F.C. players
Category:Dunfermline Athletic F.C. players
Category:Real Kashmir FC players
Category:Kelty Hearts F.C. players
Category:Bonnyrigg Rose F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Scottish Premier League players
Category:Scottish Football League players
Category:Scottish Professional Football League players
Category:Lowland Football League players
Category:English expatriate men's footballers