He later played in the Northern Counties East League for Rowntree Mackintosh.
He played for York City, Rowntree, Pickering Town, Gainsborough Trinity and Harrogate Railway Athletic.
In the 1909–10 season John Smith's gained promotion from the old York League Division Two (today's equivalent is now called Division One) into the top level of the York League system, where they would compete against the likes of York City "A", Rowntrees, Heworth and others.
Nestlé | Nestle | Nestlé Purina PetCare | Joseph Rowntree | Nestlé Rowntree F.C. | Smarties (Nestlé) | Rowntree's | Rowntree | Nestlé Smarties Book Prize | Marion Nestle | Joseph Rowntree (philanthropist) | Joseph Rowntree Foundation | Packets of Rowntree's | Kenneth Rowntree | Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust | Erwin Nestle | Dave Rowntree | Société des Produits Nestlé S.A. v. Cadbury UK Limited | Seebohm Rowntree | Rowntree's Fruit Pastilles | Nestlé Waters | Nestlé Tower | Nestlé's | Nestlé Crunch | Catriona Rowntree |
Born in Howden, East Riding of Yorkshire, Leaning had trials with York City in 1979 at the age of 16 and he went on to play for York Railway Institute and Rowntree Mackintosh in the Northern Counties East Football League as an amateur while working for British Rail.