Barry Douglas is one of the most experienced players in the Leeds United squad, having made his breakthrough in Scottish football back in 2008.

Here we find out more about him, from the first pair of boots he bought to his favourite career moment.

What was the first football match you attended?

“It was Rangers against Dunfermline at Ibrox.  It was the nine in a row year and I was just a kid.”

Did you have a football hero/icon when you were younger?

“I’d say Roberto Carlos and Paul Gascoigne.  Roberto Carlos was definitely my idol growing up.  The free-kick against France, I remember watching and practising trying to do it and hitting the corner flag every time!  I grew up in the south side of Glasgow, so grew up with Rangers and Celtic, with my family predominantly Rangers fans.  Gazza and Brian Laudrup were the superstars back then.”

How old were you when you started playing football?

“I must have been about six or seven when I first started.  I played at school and my first team was Renfrew Vicks when I was eight maximum.”

Can you remember the first pair of boots you went to buy?

“Yes, the first pair of boots I had were red, white and blue Diadoras.  They were horrendous! But looking back now I loved them, they were my pride and joy.”

What boots do you currently wear?

“I’ve worn Nike consistently for five or six years now and I’ve just changed to the Mercurial model.  I’m stiking with them and hopefully they will bring me luck.”

What's the best goal you’ve scored?

“There have been a few, but the best one technically was when I was younger for my school.  I’d seen a goal on TV where the player flicked the ball over the wall for the other player to do an overhead kick, so I wanted to try it.  It just so happens this one time we tried it, it came off.  That was definitely the best one.  One of my most proudest was actually when I scored against Leeds because my granddad was there, he’s 84 and travelled down to see me play and it just happened he was at the game and it’s a moment I’ll be able to cherish forever.”

What’s the best moment for you in your career?

“I’ve got a few.  Promotion with Wolves is right up there and winning the league in Poland and the cup successes as well."

Who is the best player you’ve played with?

“As a defensive midfielder and an array of passing Kalvin Phillips is probably the best I’ve played with.  Similarly Reuben Neves, with his vision and passing, both can make passes look so simple that others can’t play.”



Who is the best player you’ve come up against?

“Individually Ricardo Quaresma, he was a nightmare! Both feet, inside, outside, it didn’t matter what you did, it was near impossible to mark him.”

Which player in the current Leeds team do you think has the most banter and why?

“You know what, I’m going to give you a dark horse.  Who I think is one of the funniest in the squad is Illan Meslier, just because of his one liners! He’s a great character, he’s so bubbly and everyone took to him straight away.  He’s a great personality to be around and you don’t expect it, having past experience of playing abroad it can be intimidating, but there is no shyness whatsoever.”