Wikipedia

Kayleigh Barton

Kayleigh Anne Marie Barton (née Green; born 22 March 1988) is a Welsh former professional footballer who played as a forward, making 89 appearances for the Wales national team. She is now a coach with the Welsh national team.

Kayleigh Barton
Kayleigh Green in February 2019
Personal information
Full name Kayleigh Anne Marie Barton[1]
Date of birth (1988-03-22) 22 March 1988 (age 38)
Place of birth Cardiff, Wales
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2016 Cardiff City
2016–2018 Yeovil Town 29 (1)
2017 → Chieti Calcio Femminile (loan) 5 (1)
2018–2023 Brighton & Hove Albion 62 (7)
2023–2025 Charlton Athletic 38 (11)
International career
2012–2025 Wales 89 (22)
Managerial career
2025– Saltdean United
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Barton began her career with Cardiff City, before joining Yeovil Town in 2016. She spent time on loan with Italian side Chieti Calcio Femminile in 2017.

Early life

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Barton was born in Cardiff, growing up in the Llanedeyrn area of the city. She is one of four children born to her parents, Dave and Cathy Sellwood. She has three brothers.[2] She played football as a teenager but gave up playing on a regular basis at the age of 16, working several different jobs. Barton worked at branches of Tesco and Morrisons, in a call centre and studied plumbing in college.[2][3]

Club career

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Barton decided to return to playing senior football in 2012, joining Cardiff City. She joined Yeovil Town in 2016 and spent time on loan with Italian team Chieti Calcio Femminile during her time there, making five appearances for the Serie B side.[4] In 2018, Barton joined FA WSL 1 club Brighton & Hove Albion upon the expiration of her contract with Yeovil.[5][6] Barton had previously continued working full-time alongside her playing career prior to joining Brighton.[3]

2020–21 season

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On 18 October 2020, Barton was seen to be awarded 2 yellow cards in a 2–2 away draw at Everton by referee Lucy Oliver but was not sent off. Toffees boss Willie Kirk told BBC Sport, "It's frustrating the referee made that mistake."[7][8]

Charlton Athletic

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On 19 July 2023, Barton was announced at Charlton on a one year contract[9] where she remained until 2025.[10]

International career

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Barton made her debut for the Wales women's national football team in 2012 against Portugal.

Barton was named in the Wales squad for the 2016 Cyprus Women's Cup.[11] She scored against Finland in the 2016 Cyprus Women's Cup on 2 March 2016, scoring in the 34th minute.[12]

Barton was named in the Wales squad for the 2018 Cyprus Women's Cup as a centre-forward.[13] Wales manager Jayne Ludlow moved Barton from her usual position as a defender to play as a centre-forward for a match against Finland, in which she scored.[2]

Barton was part of the Wales squad that were runners-up in the 2023 Pinatar Cup.[14]

On 19 October 2024, Barton was called up to the Wales side for European qualifying play offs.[15]

Kayleigh currently has 86 caps,[16] scoring 22 goals in her career.[17]

In June 2025, Barton was named in Wales' squad for UEFA Women's Euro 2025.[18] Following the euros, Barton retired from both club and international football with 89 appearances and 22 goals.[19]

Coaching career

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Saltdean United

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On 9 June 2025, Barton was named head coach of fifth tier London and South East Women's Regional Football League club Saltdean United, to work alongside Katie McIntyre and Amy Green.[20] Barton later took on a role as Head of Girls’ Football for AF Global in London, leading girls’ development programmes within the organisation’s academy structure.[21] She officially announced her retirement as a player in August 2025.[22]

Wales

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Following her retirement from international play, Barton took up a position coaching with the Wales' under-17s squad before joining the coaching staff of the senior national team ahead of the 2027 World Cup qualifying campaign in March 2026.[23]

Personal life

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Green said in a 2022 interview that she will marry her former Brighton teammate Kirsty Barton; they had their wedding the next year.[24][25] On 10 February 2024, it was announced that Green would go by Kayleigh Barton going forwards.[26]

Career statistics

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Club

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Some entries are missing or incomplete due to lack of historical statistics.

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Cardiff City Ladies 2015-16 FA Women's Premier League
Yeovil Town 2016–17
2017–18 WSL
Total
Chieti Calcio Femminile (Loan) 2017 Serie B
Brighton & Hove Albion 2018–19 WSL 1821031223
2019–20 1623044236
2020-21 1603020210
2021–22 1831110204
2022–23 1913030251
Total 87811113511114
Charlton Athletic 2023–24 Women's Championship 2171020240
2024–25 1702120211
Total 3873140451
Career total

Managerial statistics

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As of match played 3 May 2026
Managerial record by team and tenure
Team From To Record
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Saltdean United 9 June 2025 Present 29242311115+96082.76
Career total 29242311115+96082.76

International appearances

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Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Wales Prior to 2012 2 0
2015 3 0
2016 8 3
2017 12 1
2018 10 5
2019 8 2
2020 5 0
2021 8 4
2022 13 2
2023 7 0
2024 9 4
2025 4 1
Total 89 22

International goals

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No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.2 March 2016GSZ Stadium, Larnaca, Cyprus Finland1–12–22016 Cyprus Women's Cup
2.12 April 2016BIIK Stadium, Shymkent, Kazakhstan Kazakhstan0–10–4UEFA Women's Euro 2017 qualifying
3.0–2
4.28 November 2017Bosnia and Herzegovina FA Training Centre, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina0–10–12019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
5.28 February 2018Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium, Larnaca, Cyprus Finland0–10–12018 Cyprus Women's Cup
6.7 March 2018AEK Arena, Larnaca, Cyprus Austria1–11–1 (2–3 p)
7.7 June 2018Liberty Stadium, Swansea, Wales Bosnia and Herzegovina1–01–02019 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
8.12 June 2018Newport Stadium, Newport, Wales Russia1–03–0
9.2–0
10.4 June 2019Cardiff International Sports Campus, Cardiff, Wales New Zealand1–01–0Friendly
11.3 September 2019Rodney Parade, Newport, Wales Northern Ireland2–12–2UEFA Women's Euro 2022 qualifying
12.17 September 2021Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli, Wales Kazakhstan1–06–02023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualification
13.4–0
14.22 October 2021Lendava Sports Park, Lendava, Slovenia Slovenia1–11–1
15.26 November 2021Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli, Wales Greece2–05–0
16.12 April 2022Astana Arena, Astana, Kazakhstan Kazakhstan0–10–3
17.15 February 2023Pinatar Arena, San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain Philippines1–01–02023 Pinatar Cup
18.9 April 2024Zahir Pajaziti Stadium, Podujevë, Kosovo Kosovo0–20–6UEFA Women's Euro 2025 qualifying
19.31 May 2024Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli, Wales Ukraine1–11–1
20.4 June 2024Dyskobolia Grodzisk Wielkopolski Stadium, Grodzisk Wielkopolski, Poland Ukraine1–12–2
21.12 July 2024Stadion Branko Čavlović-Čavlek, Karlovac, Croatia Croatia0–30–3
22.25 February 2025Racecourse Ground, Wrexham, Wales Sweden1–11–12025 UEFA Women's Nations League

Honours

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Player

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Cardiff City

Yeovil Town

Manager

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References

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  1. ↑ "List of Players under Written Contract Registered Between 01/07/2018 and 31/07/2018" (PDF). The FA. Retrieved 3 December 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 Sands, Katie (10 November 2019). "From Tesco to the top flight: How Kayleigh Green seized her second chance at stardom". WalesOnline. Media Wales. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  3. 1 2 Ruszkai, Amee (11 January 2020). "From quitting football in her 20s, to a first pro contract at 30: Green relishing Arsenal & Man Utd clashes". goal.com. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  4. ↑ Jones, Jordan (16 June 2018). "Wales top scorer Kayleigh Green joins Brighton & Hove Albion". Y Clwb Pel-droed. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  5. ↑ Ellis, Callum (16 June 2018). "Versatile Welsh international Kayleigh Green signs for Brighton and Hove Albion". Exposport. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  6. ↑ "Albion manager Powell delighted to sign versatile Green from Yeovil". Eastbourne Herald. 16 June 2018. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
  7. ↑ "Women's Super League: Everton 2–2 Brighton & Hove Albion – Willie Kirk baffled by card 'mix–up' – BBC Sport". BBC Sport. 18 October 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  8. ↑ "WSL Trending: Two yellow cards = no red? Watch bizarre card mix–up in WSL – BBC Sport". BBC Sport. 18 October 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  9. ↑ "DONE DEAL Kayleigh Green signs for Charlton". www.charltonafc.com.
  10. ↑ "Charlton Athletic reveal further departures". WSL Full-time. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  11. ↑ "Wales Names Squad for Cyprus Women's Cup 2016". Women's Soccer United. 18 February 2016. Archived from the original on 7 December 2021. Retrieved 27 October 2024.
  12. ↑ "Wales vs Finland - 2 March 2016". int.soccerway.com.
  13. ↑ "Wales squad announced for Cyprus Cup". Football Association of Wales. 13 February 2018.
  14. ↑ "Cymru Squad Announced For 2023 Pinatar Cup". Football Association of Wales. 8 February 2023.
  15. ↑ "International call ups for Charlton Women". www.charltonafc.com.
  16. ↑ "Wales Euro 2025 Squad". BBC. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
  17. ↑ "Wales Euro 2025 Squad". BBC. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
  18. ↑ "Cymru squad announced for UEFA Women's EURO 2025 finals". Football Association of Wales. 19 June 2025. Archived from the original on 19 June 2025. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  19. ↑ "Kayleigh Barton and a fitting Cymru farewell". FAW. 12 August 2025. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
  20. ↑ "Wales' Barton takes on Saltdean head coach role". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  21. ↑ "Our Team | UEFA Licensed Coaches & Football Experts UK". AF Global Football Academy | Elite Training in UK & Spain. Retrieved 15 December 2025.
  22. ↑ "Wales striker Barton ends playing career". BBC Sport. Retrieved 12 August 2025.
  23. ↑ Vincent, Gareth (18 February 2026). "Fishlock to join Wales staff for opening qualifier". BBC Sport. Retrieved 18 February 2026.
  24. ↑ Selby, Erik (20 September 2021). "Brighton & Hove Albion Women's Football Club". BN1 Magazine. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  25. ↑ Green, Kayleigh. "On behalf of Mrs & Mrs Barton we would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who shared our special day with us 👰🏼 👰🏻‍♀️ We had an incredible day and one we will cherish for the rest of our life 💕 #Mrs&MrsBarton #wife". Instagram. Retrieved 12 June 2024.
  26. ↑ "Kayleigh Green to go by married name Kayleigh Barton". www.charltonafc.com.
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