Liam McCarron
Liam James McCarron is a professional footballer who last played as a left winger or left wing-back for club Northampton Town. Born in England, McCarron has represented Scotland at under-19 level.
McCarron turned professional at Carlisle United in September 2018 and played twenty first-team games before he was sold to Leeds United in July 2019. He made his Premier League debut in December 2021 and was sold on to Stoke City in June 2022. He was loaned out to Port Vale for the 2022–23 season. He spent the 2024–25 campaign with Northampton Town.
Club career
Carlisle United
McCarron was born in Preston and grew up in Appleby-in-Westmorland. After coming through the academy at Carlisle United, McCarron broke into the first-team under manager John Sheridan, making his first-team debut in the EFL Trophy on 4 September 2018, coming on as an 83rd-minute substitute for Ashley Nadesan in a 3–2 win over Morecambe at Brunton Park. He made his debut in League Two eleven days later, in a 2–0 home defeat to Tranmere Rovers. Later that month he signed an 18-month contract, with the option of a further year. He was given his first start in a 3–1 defeat at Sunderland in an EFL Trophy group stage game on 9 October. He was handed his first league start by caretaker-managers Tommy Wright and Paul Murray on 12 January, in a 3–0 defeat at Northampton Town, and retained his place in the starting eleven for the next two matches under new manager Steven Pressley. He ended the 2018–19 season with four starts and 16 substitute appearances to his name. He turned down an improved contract offer from the club.Leeds United
McCarron signed for Leeds United for an undisclosed fee on 1 July 2019, agreeing a three-year deal at the club. He signed a new two-year contract with the club in September 2021. Marcelo Bielsa gave McCarron his Premier League debut at Elland Road on 18 December, sending him on as a second-half substitute in a 4–1 defeat to Arsenal. This proved to be his only first-team appearance for the club, in addition to three EFL Trophy appearances for the under-21s.Stoke City
On 29 June 2022, McCarron joined Stoke City on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee. He was told by manager Michael O'Neill that he "would be given a chance to play in the first team", however, O'Neill was sacked on 25 August. On 1 September, McCarron joined League One side Port Vale on loan for the [2022–23 Port Vale F.C.|Port Vale F.C. season|2022–23] season; he became the first Stoke player to be loaned directly to Potteries derby rivals Port Vale since March 1978. He played two league and two cup games for Port Vale. McCarron made his Stoke debut one and a half years after signing for the club in a FA Cup match against Brighton & Hove Albion on 6 January 2024. New manager Steven Schumacher said that "the door isn't shut for anyone at this club... and I actually thought he did really well". It remained McCarron's only appearance of the 2023–24 season.Northampton Town
On 1 August 2024, McCarron signed a one-year deal at League One side Northampton Town after being bought for an undisclosed fee. He had impressed manager Jon Brady during a two-week trial. He scored his first goal in senior football on 24 August, in a 2–2 draw at Barnsley. He missed the second half of the 2024–25 season due to injury, and was released upon the expiry of his contract.McCarron went on trial at Fleetwood Town in July 2025. He trained with the Professional Footballers' Association the following month.