Leon McKenzie

Leon Mark McKenzie (born 17 May 1978 in Croydon, Greater London) is an English professional boxer who competes in the Super middleweight class. He is also a former professional footballer who played as a forward from 1995 to 2013.

McKenzie started his professional career with Crystal Palace in 1995. He also appeared for Fulham and Peterborough United on loan whilst with The Eagles before securing a permanent move to Peterborough in 2000. Three years later he joined Norwich City and became a part of the side who won promotion to the Premier League. He has since gone on to play for Coventry City, Charlton Athletic and Northampton Town before dropping into Non-league football with Kettering Town and Corby Town. He retired from competitive football on 1 January 2013.

Football career

McKenzie began his career with his local club Crystal Palace, making his debut during the 1995–96 season. In 1997 he was loaned to Fulham and in 1998 to Peterborough United, where he scored 9 goals in 15 games.

In 2000 McKenzie joined Peterborough on a permanent basis for a fee of £25,000. In three years at London Road he scored 49 goals in 103 games.

He joined Norwich from Peterborough in December 2003 for a fee of £325,000, and instantly won over the Canaries supporters by scoring twice on his debut to help beat local rivals Ipswich Town at Portman Road and go top of the First Division. His goals made a significant contribution to Norwich's promotion to the Premier League as First Division champions at the end of the 2003–04 season. Within a year, he had turned from a Second Division to a Premiership player. McKenzie took time to find his feet in the Premiership but he established a strike partnership with Dean Ashton which would become one of the most potent in the division during the closing stages of the 2004–05 season. His goals helped Norwich to haul themselves into contention to avoid the drop, although they were relegated on the last day of the season.

He came third in the Norwich City Supporters Player of The Season vote for the 2004–05, beaten by Darren Huckerby and Damien Francis.^{[citation needed]} The 2005–06 season for McKenzie was interrupted by injuries and personal difficulties surrounding the break-up of his marriage. At the start of the 2006–07 campaign, he handed in a transfer request to manager Nigel Worthington. Although Worthington rejected McKenzie's request, he subsequently confirmed that McKenzie would be sold if they received an offer that matched the club's valuation of the player.

McKenzie was signed by Coventry City on transfer deadline day in August 2006 for an initial £600,000 that, depending on appearances and promotion, could rise to £1m. Ironically, Coventry's first match after signing McKenzie was against Norwich – however, McKenzie was unable to play due to a condition of the transfer that prevented him from playing in either of the two fixtures between Coventry and Norwich in the 2006–07 season. He made his debut for Coventry on 12 September 2006 as a substitute against Ipswich Town at Portman Road. He started the 2007–08 season well, scoring against Barnsley on the opening day of the season and against Hull, before a knee injury put him out of action for several weeks. He scored in Coventry's opening game of the 2008–09 season against his old club, Norwich City. This marked McKenzie's 100th professional career goal and he celebrated by revealing a vest with "100" on it. He was subsequently booked for his celebration.

On 1 September 2009 it was confirmed that he had signed for Charlton Athletic. He scored his first and only goal for Charlton against Southampton in the Football League Trophy on 11 November 2009.^[1] He was one of six players to be released by Charlton Athletic following the end of the 2009–10 league season. On 8 September 2010 it was confirmed he had signed a contract with Northampton Town until the end of 2010–11 season.

McKenzie featured in a friendly for Conference club Luton Town against Bedford Town prior to the 2011–12 season. On 15 December 2011 Mckenzie announced his retirement from professional football. He played his final game on 17 December 2011, after which he planned to move on to his music career ambitions. In July 2012, however, McKenzie came out of retirement to sign for Conference North side Corby Town. ^[2]

On 1 January 2013 Mckenzie played his last football game for Conference North side Corby Town Town and is now officially retired from football.

Personal life

He is the son of former British and European boxing champion Clinton McKenzie and nephew of three time world boxing champion Duke McKenzie Leon is now a singing artist his 1st single (Finally) was released on iTunes and features celebrity big brother's MC Harvey. Leon has written an Autobiography which was published by MacAnthony Media, and was released on 29 November 2012.^[3]

McKenzie has admitted battling depression. He was jailed for six months on 21 February 2012 for trying to avoid speeding convictions.^[4] In December 2011 McKenzie admitted that he had tried to commit suicide whilst a player with Charlton.^[5]

As well as still playing, he is now involved with music teaming up with CBB'S MC Harvey. Leon also works for Elite Welfare Management, a not-for-profit organisation which offers confidential support and advice to players suffering from depression. Following his retirement from playing football he is currently following in his father's Clinton McKenzie and uncle's Duke McKenzie footsteps and embarking on a career in boxing.

Boxing career

McKenzie made his boxing debut on 29 June 2013 when he fought John Mason in York Hall, Bethnal Green in London. The fight was stopped in the second round with McKenzie picking up a victory in his first professional bout.^[6]

Professional boxing record

2 Wins, 1 Draw, 0 Losses
Res.	Record	Opponent	Date	Location	Notes
style="background:#c5d2ea; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-draw" |Draw	2-1-0	Darren McKenna	2013–12–07	York Hall, Bethnal Green, London
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	2-0	Robert Studzinski	2013–09–14	Epic Centre, Magdalen Street, Norwich
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win	1-0	John Mason	2013–06–29	York Hall, Bethnal Green, London

Honours

Promotions

• 2003–04: Division One Champion (promotion to The Premiership) twice, once with – Norwich City and with Crystal Palace, Leon was on the bench in the final at Wembley, David Hopkin scored the winning goal.

References

External links

• Leon McKenzie career stats at Soccerbase
• Profile at UpThePosh! The Peterborough United Database
• Career information at ex-canaries.co.uk