Daniel Finlayson, the sprightly player of 24 years, graced this world with his presence on a dreary January day in 2001. Born and bred on the rainy streets of Scotland, we're told that he's a spry chap who made a name for himself, mostly, as a right back for the redoubtable Livingston. One can't help but notice he towers over most at a whopping 1.91m (or 6ft 3in in the archaic measuring system we Brits adore, while the rest of the world smirks knowingly). With the physique of a middleweight boxer at 84kg (or a hefty 13st 3lb for those averse to decimals) and sporting the number 19 jersey, Finlayson is a figure you can't easily forget.
For those keeping score, our pal Finlayson's career began, quite unremarkably, as a trainee for Rangers during the drizzling month of July 2017. That being Scottish Premiership. Things started looking up, or at least different, in February 2020, when he was bumped to Orange County SC on loan, a leap across the pond to the USL in the USA.
A mere eight months later, perhaps homesick or craving a decent cup of tea, Finlayson decided on a whim to return to the Scottish Premiership - this time packing his shin guards for St Mirren. His 2020-2021 debut season at this club was mostly spent warming the bench, making only three appearances in league matches.
Finlayson's football wanderlust saw him moving amongst clubs within Scotland like a lost tourist, transferring from St Mirren to the mighty Kelty Hearts in September 2021 on loan, before crossing borders yet again to Linfield in N. Ireland by July 2022. Yes, you guessed it, also on loan.
At Linfield, in the 2022-2023 season, good ol' Finlayson pulled his socks up and pounded the turf in a grand total of 34 matches and even managed to pot a ball in for good measure. His productivity didn't stray far off the mark the following season as he made 33 appearances, and you wouldn't believe it, his goal tally tripled!
Whilst you were picking your jaw off the floor, in July 2023, Finlayson was packing his bags. Our worldly wanderer decided to transfer from St Mirren to Linfield for—get this—an undisclosed fee. Fans cried out in despair, "How much?", but the ruddy-faced, cigar-chomping officials simply winked and tapped their noses.
Fast forward to July 2024, and predictably, Finlayson changed direction again, moving from Linfield in sunny N. Ireland to Livingston, where the Scottish Premiership welcomed him back with open arms. During the 2024-2025 season he made 34 first team appearances, while our current season, 2025-2026, sees Finlayson firmly on the pitch for Livingston, with a solid 18 appearances under his belt.
Not content to limit his talents to ordinary league play, our intrepid friend has dipped his toes in the heady waters of cup drama. During the League Cup 2025-2026, he preened himself with five starts for Livingston. References like 'Prem. Play-offs 2024-2025' have also graced his resumé, featuring one start and three appearances cosying up to the substitutes.
