Leech featured for City as a defensive half-back when he arrived at the club in July 1906. Fosse were to be his final professional club after signing from a newly-formed Plymouth Argyle side to add some experience as a 31-year-old.

He had started as a winger who added a generous amount of goals when he moved to Tottenham Hotspur but he spent just a year in London before moving back to his home county of Staffordshire with Burslem Port Vale. He moved from a more attacking role to a defensive one with age and missed only two league games in his debut season.

He was an ever-present in City's 1908 push for promotion but after that he lost his starting role and had to make do with more appearances in the reserves. With his playing days coming to an end he was named assistant trainer in 1910.