As a player he was a striker who played for Charlton Athletic over eleven years where he scored 53 league goals in 322 games.
Following promotion to the Premier League in 1998 he joined fellow top tier side Wimbledon where he remained for two seasons until the Dons were relegated.
He had a brief spell with Northampton Town and later with Queens Park Rangers during the 2001–02 season before retiring in 2005 with non-league Grays Athletic.
Born in nearby Lewisham, Leaburn progressed through the youth set-up at Charlton Athletic and made his debut in the late 1980s.
His record of four goals in 58 league games does not do justice to either his work-rate or his popularity with fans, who greatly valued his enthusiasm and indefatigability.
He now works for Premier League productions as a match analyst and occasionally as a security guard for the Canary Wharf estate.