Daniel Finlayson

Following his move to Livingston, Finlayson's current-season form is up 667% on last season (Season 3→23), while his Rating climbed 42→45. That makes this his strongest season for form to date.

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	Livingston · 12th	35	0	1	6.72	45	23
2024/25	Livingston	5	0	1	6.58	—	—
2023/24	Linfield	33	3	0	—	—	—
2022/23	LinfieldLoan	34	1	0	—	—	—
2021/22	Kelty HeartsLoan	23	1	0	—	—	—
2021/22	ST Mirren	1	0	0	—	—	—

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 1 earlier season and 3 youth-team spells in the full career.

Northern Ireland · international

Side	Apps	G
Northern Ireland U19	3	0

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Project playerCentral defender

D. Finlayson is a 25-year-old central defender at Livingston, rated 45.2 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 61st of 225 on scout potential in the Premiership. In his prime years, he has been an ever-present this season (90.6% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 3.49 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Finlayson.

Judged on this season alone, Finlayson graded 23 — a workmanlike campaign that ranks 24th of 41 of the 41 full-backs in the Premiership, on 4 clean sheets and 3.485 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a clear step up on last season (Season 3 → 23).

On long-term talent our Rating reads 45, top 27% of the 41 full-backs in the Premiership. At 25 Finlayson is in his prime years, and a market index of 10.1 reflects that trajectory.

Current potentialTop 27% full-backs · Premiership Current season24th of 41 full-backs · Premiership24th-best full-back in the Premiership61st in the Premiership · potential11th-highest potential full-back in the Premiership

45.2

Ratingi

11th of 41 full-backs

23.2

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

90.6%

Minutes

near ever-present

3.49

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Livingston finished 12th of 12 · a relegation-threatened side

3.49

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

3.49 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 4 clean sheets across 35 appearances. Doing that for a relegation-threatened side (12th of 12) is harder than the bare numbers suggest: a back line under more pressure has to defend more often and protects fewer leads, so the volume — and any clean sheets — carry real weight. Going forward he chipped in 0 goals and 1 assist — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Availability. On the pitch for 90.6% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.

Watch points

Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 45.2, Finlayson carries the 11th-highest potential of the full-backs in the Premiership (top 27%), and he is posting that for a relegation-threatened side (Livingston finished 12th of 12) — individual numbers are harder to earn on a struggling team, so his underlying level likely sits a touch above the ranking. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (3.49 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Approaching peak years; value is still building (price multiplier 2×) with the best seasons likely ahead.

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %90.6%

Available fixtures38 of 38

Goals / 900

Assists / 900.029

Goal contribution / 900.029

Defensive actions / 903.485

Player flow

Goal involvements1

Shot conversion %0

Shot accuracy %50

Pass accuracy %77

Dribble success %63.6

Cards / 900.232

Foul involvement / 901.626

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~10), then tapers with age. At 25, Finlayson sits on 10.1, at or near its peak. The blue line is Finlayson's projected Rating — 45.2 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among centre-backs in the Premiership with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals0

Shots on target4

Shots8

Passing

Assists1

Chances created15—

Passes1,537—

Pass accuracy77%

Possession

Successful dribbles7

Dribble success63.6%

Duels won229—

Duels won %58.9%—

Fouls won34

Defending

Tackles56

Interceptions41

Blocks23

Fouls committed22

Penalties conceded1—

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards8

Red cards0

Transfer history

ST Johnstone2026/27 – nowFree

Livingston2024/25 – 2026/27Free

Linfield2023/24 – 2024/25

Linfield(on loan)2022/23 – 2023/24

Kelty Hearts(on loan)2021/22 – 2022/23

ST Mirrenuntil 2021/22

About D. Finlayson

Daniel Finlayson is a 25-year-old centre-back who plays for Livingston, born on January 19, 2001 in Glasgow, standing 191 cm tall. He is from Northern Ireland. Livingston currently sit 12th of 12 in the Premiership.

This season

In the current season, D. Finlayson has made 35 appearances with 0 goals and 1 assist across 3,099 minutes, averaging a 6.89 match rating over his last 10 rated games, with 8 yellow cards. His season has spanned the Premiership and the League Cup. Though primarily a centre-back, he has also lined up in midfield this season.

When D. Finlayson plays, Livingston's record this season is 1W-14D-20L — and his match ratings average 6.77 at home against 6.68 on the road.

Recent matches

May 12, 2026: 0-0 draw away at Dundee Utd (90 minutes, 7.5 rating)
May 9, 2026: 0-3 loss away at Dundee (90 minutes, 5.9 rating)
May 1, 2026: 2-2 draw at home vs Aberdeen (90 minutes, 6.2 rating)
April 25, 2026: 2-0 win away at ST Mirren (77 minutes, 6.9 rating)
April 11, 2026: 2-3 loss away at Dundee Utd (90 minutes, 6.3 rating)
April 5, 2026: 2-2 draw at home vs Heart Of Midlothian (90 minutes, 6.6 rating)
March 21, 2026: 0-2 loss away at Kilmarnock (90 minutes, 6.7 rating)
March 14, 2026: 0-0 draw away at Hibernian (90 minutes, 7.7 rating)
February 28, 2026: 1-1 draw at home vs ST Mirren (90 minutes, 6.9 rating)
February 22, 2026: 2-2 draw at home vs Rangers (77 minutes, 8.2 rating)

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates D. Finlayson at 45.2 with a Season form score of 23.2, ranking 61st of 225 centre-backs in the Premiership. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 7 career titles — among them the Challenge Cup and the League Cup. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 7 recorded seasons, D. Finlayson has totalled 157 club appearances with 7 goals and 2 assists for 8 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2025/26, with 35 appearances for Livingston.

D. Finlayson's career has also included time at ST Johnstone, Linfield, Kelty Hearts and ST Mirren.

On the international stage, D. Finlayson has represented Northern Ireland U19 — 3 caps in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Livingston finished 12th of 12 · a relegation-threatened side

Strengths

Watch points