Born in Liverpool on 3rd August 1949. 6’ 3” Leo was a stylish centre forward who began his football career with Burscough in the Cheshire County League and had already earned himself a reputation as a an athletic and prolific number 9 before he moved to Ellesmere Port Town who were then in the Northern Premier League. Whilst playing for Ellesmere Port Leo was scouted by and signed professional forms for Rochdale in 1973.

Leo was leading scorer for ‘Dale in the 1973/74 season before a change in management at Spotland saw him left out of the side and available for loan. That loan arrangement saw Leo arrive at Seel Park under the management of Bob Murphy in January 1975 after scoring 15 goals in 40 games for Rochdale.

Leo made his Mossley debut in a 2-1 home win over League leaders Boston United on 18th January 1974. His first goal came in a 1-0 win at Stalybridge Celtic three days later whilst striking up an almost instant understanding with fellow front man, the equally prolific Davey Moore. Although Leo missed a number of games after having his jaw broken in an FA Trophy tie at Burton Albion he still managed to score 15 goals
in 18 appearances before the season’s close

Leo was signed on a permanent basis on a free transfer in August 1975 and having moved home from Liverpool to Oldham was also given employment by the then Club President, the late Ronnie Ward’s engineering company Weldem Ltd in Mossley.

The 1975/76 season saw Leo score 20 goals in 58 appearances but also added many assists with 38 goal Davey Moore the favored recipient of Leo’s often selfless attacking play.

The 1976/77 season saw Leo break the Club’s post war goal-scoring record when netting 45 goals in just 60 appearances. His partnership with Moore yielding an incredible 77 goals in a season that saw later England manager Howard Wilkinson as Mossley Player/Manager.

The 1977/78 season saw Leo win the first of two successive Mossley ‘Player of the Year’ awards whilst scoring 26 goals in 57 appearances as Bob Murphy returned as Manager.

The 1978/79 season saw Leo lead from the front as “Murphy’s Magnificent Mossley” won the Northern Premier League and League Cup double in superb style with Leo scoring 26 goals in 53 appearances alongside Mossley’s four pronged goalscoring machine made up of Skeete, Moore, Eamonn O’Keefe and Ian Smith.

Leo was team captain as Mossley retained the League title in 1979/80 and when Mossley defied the odds to reach Wembley in the FA Trophy Final it was Leo Skeete who led out the team behind manager Murphy. Leo scored 29 goals in 55 appearances that season. He also won representative honours with the NPL and was named in the England Semi Pro squad in 1980 though to many peoples surprise Mossley team mate Ian Smith made the England team but not Leo.

The 1980/81 season saw him score 19 goals in 42 appearances as Mossley finished as runners up in the Northern Premier League and Leo was granted a Testimonial Match where Mossley drew 1-1 against a Manchester United XI.

The 1981/82 season was to be his last as a Mossley player having scored 7 goals in 14 appearances Leo played his final Mossley game in a 1-0 defeat at Southport on 5th December 1981 before a £3,500 transfer fee took him to Runcorn where he helped them to win the Alliance Premier League title.

Leo retired from playing two seasons later following an injury hit spell with Altrincham.

Leo Skeete made a total of 350 appearances for Mossley scoring a remarkable 174 goals. He is second only to his former team-mate Davey Moore in Mossley’s all time goal-scorers list.