Ex-Leeds United, Rangers & Aston Villa star makes shock move to non-league club 10 miles from Elland Road

Former Leeds United player Ross McCormack has made a shock move to West Yorkshire-based non-league side Liversedge FC in a combined player and director of football role.

The club are based 10 miles from Elland Road in the Kirklees town, with 36-year-old McCormack returning to the White Rose County nine years after his departure from Leeds. Liversedge were promoted to Northern Premier League East last term.

A Liversedge statement confirmed: “We are delighted to announce Ross will join us as a Player/Director of Football. Bringing an additional wealth of knowledge and experience to the Liversedge FC family, we can’t wait to have him on board.”

McCormack played 157 times for Leeds, scoring 58 goals and providing 31 assists during four seasons at Elland Road. The former Scotland international started his career with Rangers before joining Motherwell and then Cardiff City, where he made 88 appearances, scoring 30 goals.

The Whites signed him from Cardiff in the summer of 2010. He enjoyed a fine season in the 2013-14 campaign as he won the Championship Golden Boot, was named in the PFA Championship Team of the Year, was Leeds United Players’ Player of the Year, Leeds United Fans’ Player of the Year and picked up the club’s goal of the season award, retaining the title he’d claimed in the 2012-13 campaign.

McCormack left Leeds for Fulham for £11million in July 2014, despite Leeds releasing a statement a week earlier insisting on their desire to keep him at Elland Road.

He went on to make 100 appearances for the London club, netting 42 goals and claiming 22 assists before joining Aston Villa for £12million two years later.

Despite being at Villa Park for three seasons, he made just 24 appearances for the Birmingham outfit. He had loan spells at Nottingham Forest, Melbourne City, Central Coast Mariners and Motherwell before being released by Villa in 2019. He joined National League side Aldershot Town in September 2020.