Skage Simonsen

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Skage Simonsen

| fullname = Skage Simonsen Lehland

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1998|4|12|df=y}}

| birth_place = Grimstad, Norway

| height = 1.90 m

| position = Attacking midfielder
Forward

| currentclub = Djerv 1919

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2014

| youthclubs1 = Brann

| collegeyears1 = 2018–2019

| college1 = St. John's Red Storm

| collegecaps1 = 38

| collegegoals1 = 9

| collegeyears2 = 2020–2021

| college2 = SMU Mustangs

| collegecaps2 = 27

| collegegoals2 = 10

| years1 = 2014–2015

| clubs1 = Sandviken

| caps1 = 27

| goals1 = 6

| years2 = 2015–2017

| clubs2 = Fana

| caps2 = 38

| goals2 = 2

| years3 = 2017

| clubs3 = Os TF

| caps3 = 7

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2018

| clubs4 = Varegg

| caps4 = 5

| goals4 = 1

| years5 = 2019

| clubs5 = Lokomotiv Oslo

| caps5 = 6

| goals5 = 5

| years6 = 2021

| clubs6 = NY Pancyprian-Freedoms

| caps6 =

| goals6 =

| years7 = 2022

| clubs7 = Loudoun United

| caps7 = 25

| goals7 = 2

| years8 = 2023

| clubs8 = Detroit City

| caps8 = 24

| goals8 = 3

| years9 = 2024

| clubs9 = Hartford Athletic

| caps9 = 0

| goals9 = 0

| years10 = 2024

| clubs10 = NY Pancyprian-Freedoms

| caps10 =

| goals10 =

| years11 = 2025

| clubs11 = Djerv 1919

| caps11 = 0

| goals11 = 0

| medaltemplates =

| club-update = 23 January 2025

}}

Skage Simonsen Lehland (born 12 April 1998) is a Norwegian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Djerv 1919 in the 3. divisjon.

Career

=Early career & college=

Simonsen played with SK Brann at youth level,{{Cite web|url=https://redstormsports.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/skage-simonsen/3602|title=Skage Simonsen - Men's Soccer|website=St. John's University Athletics}} before joining various lower league clubs in Norway, including Sandviken, Fana, Os TF, Krohnsminde (futsal), and Varegg.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fotball.no/fotballdata/person/profil/?fiksId=3543921|title=Skage Simonsen Lehland - Profil|first=Norges|last=Fotballforbund|website=fotball.no - Norges Fotballforbund}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ba.no/5-8-1791709|title=(+) Kjøkkenselgeren fra Skansen blir fotballproff i USA|first=Bernt-Erik|last=Haaland|date=12 January 2022|website=Bergensavisen}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.aftenposten.no/sport/fotball/i/K3l3WM/skage-21-fra-bergen-jakter-proffdroemmen-i-usa-en-tidligere-brann-keeper-trekker-i-traadene|title=Skage (21) fra Bergen jakter proffdrømmen i USA. En tidligere Brann-keeper trekker i trådene.|website=www.aftenposten.no|date=15 July 2019 }}

In 2018, Simonsen moved to the United States to play college soccer at St. John's University. In two seasons in New York, Simonsen made 38 appearances, scoring nine goals and tallying ten assists. He was named Big East Freshman of Year in 2018 and All-Big East Second Team in both seasons. Simonsen transferred to Southern Methodist University in 2020, going on to score ten goals and add four assists to his name in 27 appearances for the Mustangs. He was named AAC First Team in both his seasons at SMU.{{Cite web|url=https://smumustangs.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/skage-simonsen/12557|title=Skage Simonsen - Men's Soccer|website=SMU Athletics}}

While at college, Simosen also traveled back to Norway during the summers to play with Lokomotiv Oslo, where he made six appearances and scored five goals in the Norwegian Third Division.[https://www.lokomotivoslo.no/filer/visprofil.php?brukerid=331 Unknown]{{Dead link | date=December 2024 | fix-attempted=yes}} In 2021, he played with fifth-tier US side NY Pancyprian-Freedoms.{{cite web | url=https://www.eleftheriapancyprian.com/news/former-nypf-players-oluwaseyi-and-simonsen-picked-in-2022-mls-super-draft | title=Former NYPF Players Oluwaseyi and Simonsen Picked in 2022 MLS SUPER DRAFT }}

= Professional =

On 11 January 2022, Simonsen was drafted 69th overall in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft by D.C. United.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dcunited.com/news/d-c-united-select-midfielder-skage-simonsen-with-the-69th-pick-in-the-2022-mls-s|title=D.C. United Select Midfielder Skage Simonsen with the 69th Pick in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft Presented by adidas | DC United|website=dcunited}} He signed with D.C. United's USL Championship affiliate side Loudoun United on 8 March 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.loudoununitedfc.com/news/2022/03/08/loudoun-united-sign-d-c-united-mls-superdraft-pick-skage-simonsen/|title=LOUDOUN UNITED SIGN D.C. UNITED MLS SUPERDRAFT PICK SKAGE SIMONSEN}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1214077-loudoun-united-signs-norwegian-midfielder-skage-simonsen|title=Loudoun United Signs Norwegian Midfielder Skage Simonsen|author=USLChampionship com Staff|date=8 March 2022|website=USL Championship}}

On 13 December 2022, Simonsen was announced as a new signing for USL Championship side Detroit City FC ahead of their 2023 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.detcityfc.com/news/2022/12/13/usl-championship-roster-updates/|title=USL Championship Roster Updates - Detroit City FC}}

On 24 January 2024, Simonsen was transferred to Hartford Athletic in exchange for Matthew Sheldon.{{cite web |title=2024 USL CHAMPIONSHIP ROSTER UPDATES |url=https://www.detcityfc.com/news/2024/01/24/dcfcm-uslc-roster-update/ |website=DetCityFC.com |publisher=Detroit City |access-date=24 January 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Leduc |first1=M. |title=Hartford Athletic Transfer Defender Matt Sheldon to Detroit City FC |url=https://www.hartfordathletic.com/news/2024/01/24/hartford-athletic-transfer-defender-matt-sheldon-to-detroit-city-fc/ |website=Hartf |publisher=Hartford Athletic |access-date=24 January 2024}} On 7 March, his contract was mutually terminated.{{Cite web | title=Hartford Athletic and Skage Simonsen Mutually Terminate Contract - Hartford Athletic | url=https://www.hartfordathletic.com/news/2024/03/07/hartford-athletic-and-skage-simonsen-mutually-terminate-contract/ | access-date=2024-12-27 | website=www.hartfordathletic.com}}