Birmingham City supporters may be shocked to see where Adam Clayton is 3 years after Blues exit: View | OneFootball

The former Blues midfielder made a surprising career move after being released from his contract with National League side Rochdale.

Just three years after leaving then Championship side Birmingham City, Adam Clayton is now plying his trade in the eighth tier of English football with Northern Premier League Division One East outfit Liversedge FC.

The 35-year-old enjoyed 14 years of playing professional football across every level of the EFL, and even spent a season playing in the Premier League with Middlesbrough in 2016/17.

Clayton was announced as a new signing for the West Yorkshire side, after making a surprise appearance in Sedge's first league game of the season back in August.

Birmingham fans only got to see a brief view of Clayton during his short spell with the club in 2020/21, but it would've been impossible to imagine he'd be playing six divisions below the Championship just three years later.

A former Manchester City academy graduate, the industrious central midfielder now looks set to spend the 2024/25 season playing in a division that is four leagues below League Two.

Clayton's path to Liversedge

After graduating from Manchester City's academy system in 2008, Clayton would fail to make the grade at the Etihad Stadium, and after spending time on loan with them, Leeds United signed the midfielder on a permanent deal in 2010.

The Manchester-born Clayton would spend two years with the Whites, but would only establish himself at Elland Road in his second season, after spending time away from the club with loan moves to Peterborough and MK Dons respectively.

It would be the 2011/12 season when the combative midfielder would first make a real name for himself in the Championship, as he made 43 appearances for Leeds that season, scoring six goals and providing three assists in the process.

But, his time at Elland Road would be brief, as he signed with Huddersfield Town for the 2012/13 campaign. He would instantly become a key part of the Terriers' side, and played a big part in helping Town establish themselves in the second tier.

Come 2014, Clayton would be on the move again, as he put pen to paper on a permanent deal with Middlesbrough. Boro would be the club who he'd stay with for the longest time in his career, enjoying six seasons at the Riverside Stadium.

It would also be the most successful too. Clayton would be vital to Aitor Karanka's 2015/16 Premier League promotion-winning side, before playing 34 times in the top-flight the following season, being one of Boro's best performers despite suffering relegation.

Three more years in a Middlesbrough shirt later, he would call time on his Boro career, signing with fellow Championship side Birmingham City. He would only stay at St. Andrews for one season though, before joining Doncaster Rovers.

After two years at Donny, Clayton would endure a brief spell with Bradford City in League Two in 2022/23, before making his first drop into non-league football with National League side Rochdale last season.

But after just one season at Spotlands, he would leave the club after the expiration of his contract. From there, all roads led to Liversedge.

Clayton could still surely do it at a higher level for a few more years

Having been playing League Two football just over a season ago, Clayton could surely still play at or around that level if he so desired.

Indeed, the centre midfielder's 76.4 touches per 90 minutes and his 45 successful passes per 90 were only bettered by 2.4 and 3% of League Two players in his position that season - per FotMob.

Despite not playing his best football in a Birmingham City shirt, Blues fans would certainly not have predicted he'd be playing in the eighth tier of the English footballing pyramid just three years later.

In a lot of ways though, it's fantastic and refreshing to see. For a club like Liversedge, Clayton's presence will no doubt attract more supporters through the gates, which will put more money into the football club, and he will no doubt have a huge impact on the dressing room, especially younger players.

It's also great to see a player who, as discussed, in all likelihood could still play in the National League or League Two level for a couple more seasons. Instead, it would appear he's taken this decision purely out of his love for playing the game.

A surprising move, perhaps, but it's one that football fans should applaud rather than be tempted to poke fun, as the greater the spotlight and attention on grassroots football across the country, the better.