Leigh Veidman
{{Short description|English footballer and coach}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2021}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Leigh Veidman
| image = Leigh Veidman Velocity Introduction.jpg
| caption = Veidman with Spokane Velocity in 2023
| fullname = Leigh Veidman
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|06|09|df=y}}
| birth_place = Liverpool, England
| height = {{height|ft=6|in=0|abbr=mos}}
| position = Forward
| currentclub = Spokane Velocity (head coach)
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| collegeyears1 = 2008–2010
| college1 = Iowa Western Reivers
| collegecaps1 = 33
| collegegoals1 = 41
| collegeyears2 = 2011
| college2 = Texas-Brownsville Ocelots
| collegecaps2 = 21
| collegegoals2 = 14
| collegeyears3 = 2013
| college3 = Bellevue Bruins
| collegecaps3 = 18
| collegegoals3 = 8
| years1 = 2011–2014
| clubs1 = Toronto Lynx
| caps1 = 56
| goals1 = 13
| years2 = 2015–2016
| clubs2 = Des Moines Menace
| caps2 = 16
| goals2 = 12
| clubs3 = FC Boulder U23
| caps3 = 12
| goals3 = 6
| years3 = 2017
| manageryears1 = 2015–2017
| managerclubs1 = Midland Warriors (assistant)
| manageryears2 = 2016–2017
| managerclubs2 = Des Moines Menace (assistant)
| manageryears3 = 2017–2019
| managerclubs3 = FC Boulder (academy)
| manageryears4 = 2019–2020
| managerclubs4 = Fresno FC (assistant)
| manageryears5 = 2020–2021
| managerclubs5 = OKC Energy (assistant)
| manageryears6 = 2021
| managerclubs6 = OKC Energy
| manageryears7 = 2023
| managerclubs7 = Charleston Battery (assistant)
| manageryears8 = 2024–
| managerclubs8 = Spokane Velocity
}}
Leigh Veidman (born 9 June 1988) is an English professional football coach and former player who is the head coach of USL League One club Spokane Velocity.
Playing career
His career started with stints at both Liverpool and Everton youth academies.{{Cite web|date=2021-07-29|title=Leigh Veidman Owns the Pitch|url=https://www.405magazine.com/leigh-veidman-owns-the-pitch/|access-date=2021-07-30|website=405 Magazine|language=en-US}} Veidman came to the United States from England to play college soccer in 2008.{{cite web|url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/soccer/des-moines-menace/2016/07/08/leigh-veidman-des-moines-menace-soccer-premier-development-league/86873160/|author=Chris Cuellar|title=Menace star Veidman desperate for soccer success in U.S. |work=The Des Moines Register|date=July 8, 2016}} His first stop was at NJCAA team Iowa Western Community College where he was he earned All-Conference honors in 2008 and 2010 and All-American honors in 2010.{{Cite web|url=https://www.midlandathletics.com/roster/13/8/5741.php|title=Leigh Veidman – Midland University|website=www.midlandathletics.com}} He holds the record at Iowa Western for most career goals (41) and most career points (91).{{Cite journal|title=Records|url=https://www.goreivers.com/sports/msoc/records|website=Go Reivers}} Veidman transferred to the NAIA school, the University of Texas at Brownsville where he earned All-Conference honors in 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.redriverconference.com/f/11/1/Soccer_(Men)/Soccer_All-Conference11_(Men).php|title=2011 RRAC Men's Soccer All-Conference Team|website=redriverconference.com|date= November 9, 2011}} The last of his college career was played at the NAIA school Bellevue University where he again earned All-Conference honors in 2013.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bubruins.com/sports/msoc/2013-14/bios/veidman_leigh_1fd7|title=Leigh Veidman|website=Bellevue University Athletics}}
Veidman's senior level club career included a stint with then USL PDL club Toronto Lynx from 2011 to 2014, and another at the then-USL PDL club Des Moines Menace in 2015 and 2016. His last season as a player in the PDL was in 2017 with FC Boulder U23.{{Cite web|title=FC Boulder U23 Leigh Veidman|url=https://www.uslleaguetwo.com/roster_players/18647934|website=USL League Two}}
Managerial career
Veidman started gaining coaching experience by leading Westside High School in Omaha, Nebraska. Between 2015 and 2017, he was an assistant coach at Midland University while concurrently coaching as an assistant during the club season for Des Moines Menace.
His break in to coaching at the professional level came with Fresno FC under Adam Smith.{{cite web|url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/coach-smith-announces-changes-to-staff-for-2019-season/n-5441381|title= Coach Smith Announces Changes to Staff for 2019 Season|website=oursportscentral.com|date=January 24, 2014}} After Fresno FC folded, Veidman came on as an assistant coach for Energy FC under John Pascarella.{{cite web|url=https://www.energyfc.com/news_article/show/1079223|title=Leigh Veidman named assistant coach|website=www.energyfc.com|date=January 20, 2020}} Veidman got his chance to become a head coach when Energy FC let go of Pascarella in June 2021.{{cite news |author1=Steven Christy |title='Just another day on the pitch': Energy FC loses in Leigh Veidman's first match as interim coach |url=https://eu.oklahoman.com/story/sports/2021/06/13/energy-fc-loses-leigh-veidmans-first-match-interim-coach/7675944002/ |access-date=11 July 2022 |work=The Oklahoman |date=13 June 2021}}{{cite web|url=https://okcfox.com/sports/content/energy-fc-will-have-a-new-coach|author=Myron Patton|title=Energy FC will have a new coach|website=okcfox.com|date=June 4, 2021}} He won three out of his first four matches as the head coach, more than the club had won in the entire 2020 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/okc-energy-fc-schedule|title=OKC Energy FC Schedule|website=www.uslchampionship.com}} On October 28, 2021, the interim tag was removed and Veidman officially became the Energy's fourth permanent head coach.{{Cite web|url=https://www.energyfc.com/news_article/show/1190213|title=LEIGH VEIDMAN NAMED PERMANENT HEAD COACH OF ENERGY FC|website=www.energyfc.com|date=October 28, 2021}} However, the Energy were put on hiatus for the 2022 season, later extended through at least the 2023 campaign.
On January 30, 2023, Veidman joined the Charleston Battery as an assistant coach.{{cite web |title=Coaching staff completed with Rensing, Veidman, Jones, Salley |url=https://www.charlestonbattery.com/news/2023/01/30/coaching-staff-completed-with-rensing-veidman-jones-salley |website=CharlestonBattery.com |publisher=Charleston Battery |access-date=30 January 2023}} He helped the Battery to the 2023 USL Championship Final.
On November 15, 2023, Veidman was named the first-ever head coach of USL League One's Spokane Velocity, set to begin play in 2024.{{cite web |title=Leigh Veidman named inaugural Spokane Velocity FC head coach |url=https://www.uslleagueone.com/news_article/show/1291382 |website=USLLeagueOne.com |date=15 November 2023 |publisher=USL League One |access-date=15 November 2023}}
Career statistics
= Managerial =
| class=wikitable style=text-align:center
|+ Managerial record by team and tenure | ||||
| rowspan=2|Team
!rowspan=2|From !rowspan=2|To !colspan=5|Record | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| {{abbr|P|Matches played}} | {{abbr|W|Matches won}} | {{abbr|D|Matches drawn}} | {{abbr|L|Matches lost}} | {{abbr|Win %|Win percentage}} |
| align=left|OKC Energy
|align=left|4 June 2021 |align=left|28 October 2021 {{WDL|25|8|9|8|decimals=2}} | ||||
| align=left|Spokane Velocity
|align=left|15 November 2023 |align=left| {{WDL|0|0|0|0|decimals=2}} |
References
{{reflist}}
{{Spokane Velocity squad}}
{{USL League One head coaches}}
{{OKC Energy FC coaches}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Veidman, Leigh}}
Category:Footballers from Liverpool
Category:English men's footballers
Category:Men's association football forwards
Category:Des Moines Menace players
Category:USL League Two players
Category:English football managers
Category:English football coaches
Category:High school soccer coaches in the United States
Category:OKC Energy FC coaches
Category:USL Championship coaches
Category:English expatriate men's footballers
Category:English expatriate football managers
Category:English expatriate sportspeople in the United States
Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States
Category:Expatriate soccer coaches in the United States
Category:University of Texas–Pan American alumni
Category:Iowa Western Reivers men's soccer players
Category:English expatriate sportspeople in Canada
Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in Canada
Category:Bellevue University alumni
Category:College men's soccer coaches in the United States
Category:USL League Two coaches
Category:Charleston Battery coaches