| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Peter McDonald Leven[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1983-09-27)27 September 1983 (age 42) | ||
| Place of birth | Renfrew, Scotland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Aberdeen (coach) | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2000–2004 | Rangers | 0 | (0) |
| 2004–2007 | Kilmarnock | 65 | (5) |
| 2007–2008 | Chesterfield | 42 | (5) |
| 2008–2011 | Milton Keynes Dons | 120 | (22) |
| 2011–2013 | Oxford United | 59 | (12) |
| 2014–2015 | Jarrow Roofing BCA | 29 | (0) |
| Total | 315 | (44) | |
| International career | |||
| 2004–2005 | Scotland U21[2] | 4 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2014–2015 | Middlesbrough (academy) | ||
| 2015–2017 | Kilmarnock (assistant) | ||
| 2018 | Dynamo Brest B | ||
| 2018–2020 | Dynamo Brest (assistant) | ||
| 2021–2023 | Orenburg (assistant) | ||
| 2024 | Aberdeen (caretaker) | ||
| 2024 | Aberdeen (caretaker) | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Peter McDonald Leven (born 27 September 1983) is a Scottishfootball coach and former player who is a first team coach forAberdeen, Leven also recently spent time as Caretaker ofAberdeen. Leven played as amidfielder forKilmarnock,Chesterfield,Milton Keynes Dons andOxford United. He made over 300 career appearances and represented Scotland at theunder-21 level.
Leven was a youth player withRangers and as a 16-year-old appeared on the bench four times for the first team, including anOld Firm match. A year later he suffered a serious knee injury in a pre-season game, which ruled him out for two years.
Leven signed forKilmarnock in 2004, he establish himself in the first team. He played 65 times for Kilmarnock and at the end of the2006–07 season he rejected Kilmarnock's contract offer to head down south.
Leven joinedChesterfield on a free transfer in 2007. AsAaron Downes made a poor start to the 2007–08 season, Leven was given the captaincy of League Two sideChesterfield. He appeared in 44 of their 49 games in the 2007–08 season. The club turned down numerous offers from Brighton up to £125,000 in the January transfer window. Chesterfield then failed to gain promotion and he turned down a contract extension.
Leven joinedMilton Keynes Dons in June 2008 on a free transfer.[3]He won the League 1 Sports Writers Player of the Year for the 2010–11 season, his last for MK Dons. At the end of his contract at the Dons, Leven declined to accept the contract extension the club offered him and left as a free agent.[4]
There was interest in Leven from several clubs, including Millwall[5] and Crystal Palace,[citation needed] but in July 2011 he signed a two-year deal with League Two sideOxford United. Leven set up both Oxford United goals in their 2–1 away win over arch-rivalsSwindon on 21 August 2011, their first victory at theCounty Ground for 38 years.[6] On 29 October 2011 during a home game againstPort Vale, with the game at 1–1, Leven intercepted the ball inside his own half and lobbed the opposition keeper from the halfway line, which turned out to be the winning goal[7] and one of the best ever goals scored at theKassam Stadium.[8]
While a free agent, Leven was linked withPaul Ince'sBlackpool, but in August 2014 he signed for non-leagueJarrow Roofing BCA. Leven retired soon after joining Roofing at the age of 29, having struggled throughout his career with knee problems.[9]
During 2014-15, Leven worked as an academy coach atMiddlesbrough.[10][11] Leven was appointed to a coaching position at Scottish Premier league clubKilmarnock in June 2015 joining the club as Assistant Manager.[12] He left the club on 1 October 2017, when managerLee McCulloch also departed.[13]
In April 2018, joined Belarusian clubDynamo Brest.[14] Initially employed as head of the academy and B team, he was promoted quickly to first-team assistant manager in August 2018, with an emphasis on overseeing tactics and training under Head CoachMarcel Lička.[15] Brest won the2019 Belarusian Premier League and 2 super cups, only losing 1 game in 36 matches all season and Qualified forUEFA Champions League football breaking a long period of dominance byBATE Borisov.[14] Leven left the club in March 2020.
After leaving Belarus, Leven took up a coaching position at Russian clubFC Orenburg again assisting Lička.[16] Orenburg would gain promotion to theRussian Premier League after winning therelegation play-offs.[17]
Leven joined the coaching staff atAberdeen in June 2023.[18] He was made caretaker manager afterBarry Robson was sacked, taking charge of one game (a 1-1 draw withCeltic) beforeNeil Warnock was appointed interim manager.[19][20] Leven reverted to being the first team coach under Warnock,[20] but was again placed in caretaker charge a month later.[21] After a good run of results and a 3-3 (6-5 on pens) loss to Celtic in theScottish Cup, Leven stepped back as Caretaker for the arrival of permanent appointmentJimmy Thelin.
All stats from soccerbase[22]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup[A] | League Cup[B] | Other[C] | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Rangers | 2000–01 | Scottish Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001–02 | Scottish Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2002–03 | Scottish Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2003–04 | Scottish Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Kilmarnock | 2004–05 | Scottish Premier League | 32 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 5 |
| 2005–06 | Scottish Premier League | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2006–07 | Scottish Premier League | 27 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 1 | |
| Total | 65 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 6 | ||
| Chesterfield | 2007–08 | League Two | 42 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 5 |
| Total | 42 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 5 | ||
| Milton Keynes Dons | 2008–09 | League One | 42 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 10 |
| 2009–10 | League One | 31 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 40 | 4 | |
| 2010–11 | League One | 40 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 8 | |
| Total | 113 | 22 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 130 | 22 | ||
| Oxford United | 2011–12 | League Two | 39 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 42 | 6 |
| 2012–13 | League Two | 20 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 6 | |
| Total | 59 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 67 | 12 | ||
| Career totals | 279 | 42 | 15 | 1 | 13 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 316 | 45 | ||
Aberdeen Scottish Cup winners 24/25
