Liam Jessop

Gibraltarian footballer (born 2005)

Liam Jessop
Personal information
Full name Liam Joseph Jessop
Date of birth (2005-08-13) 13 August 2005 (age 18)
Place of birth Gibraltar
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Forward, Winger
Team information
Current team
Chesterfield
Number 44
Youth career
2011–2012 Glacis United
2012–2014 College Europa
2014–2019 Atlético Zabal
2019–2021 San Roque
2021–2023 Fleetwood Town IFA
2023– Chesterfield
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2023 → Anchorsholme (loan) 11 (5)
2023 FCB Magpies 0 (0)
2023– Chesterfield Youth 10 (2)
2023– Chesterfield 0 (0)
International career
2019 Gibraltar U15 3 (0)
2021 Gibraltar U17 5 (1)
2022–2023 Gibraltar U19 8 (1)
2021– Gibraltar U21 6 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 April 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21 November 2023

Liam Joseph Jessop (born 13 August 2005) is a Gibraltarian footballer who plays as a winger or attacker for Chesterfield. He represents the Gibraltar national under-21 football team at international level.

Club career

Jessop began playing youth football with Glacis United, later moving across the border from Gibraltar to play for Linense's youth team Atlético Zabal before moving to San Roque. In April 2021 it was announced that he would move to England for the first time to join the Fleetwood Town International Football Academy at the end of the year.[1] His performances there led to a loan to Kendal Town being announced,[2][3] but registration issues caused the move to collapse. He instead joined Anchorsholme on loan in October 2022.[4]

After Anchorsholme folded at the end of the season, Jessop returned to Gibraltar to join FCB Magpies. However, after impressing for Gibraltar U19 in a pre-season friendly against the Chesterfield academy, the Spireites signed him that same summer.[5] He spent his first season playing for their academy side and their youth team in the senior Central Midlands Alliance League, but made his first team debut on 9 December 2023, scoring twice in a 6–1 win over Southport in the FA Trophy.[6] He made his first start a month later in the next round of the competition, as the Spireites fell to a 2–0 defeat to Welling United.[7]

International career

Jessop first represented Gibraltar at under-15 level, captaining the side in a 2019 UEFA Development Tournament.[8] In 2021 he stepped up to under-17 level, scoring on his debut in a 2–1 win over the Faroe Islands on 10 September. He made his under-21 debut just 2 months later, making a 3-minute cameo on 12 November 2021 in a 7–0 defeat to Wales.[9] He would become a regular fixture in the team 2 years later during the 2025 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualification campaign, notably registering assists for Dylan Borge in the 3–1 defeat to Moldova on 15 June 2023[10] and for Tayler Carrington in the 2–1 victory against the same opponents on 21 November 2023.[11]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played on 25 April 2024
Club statistics
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Anchorsholme (loan) 2022–23 Mid-Lancashire Football League 11 5 0 0 2[a] 1 13 6
FCB Magpies 2023–24 Gibraltar Football League 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Chesterfield Youth 2023–24 Central Midlands Alliance 10 2 0 0 2 1 4[b] 1 16 4
Chesterfield 2023–24 National League 0 0 0 0 2[c] 2 2 2
Career total 21 7 0 0 2 1 0 0 8 4 31 12
  1. ^ Includes Guildhall Cup.
  2. ^ Includes Floodlit Cup.
  3. ^ Includes FA Trophy.

Honours

Chesterfield Youth
  • Abacus Lighting Floodlit Cup: 2023–24

References

  1. ^ FTIFA INCOMING... Fleetwood Town International Football Academy. 20 April 2021. Retrieve 5 February 2024.
  2. ^ FTIFA winger Liam Jessop excels and joins Kendal Town on trial Fleetwood Town FC. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  3. ^ Liam Jessop joins Kendal Town According to Fleetwood Town Gibraltar Chronicle. 10 July 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  4. ^ Anchorsholme FC 2022–23 FA Full-Time. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  5. ^ Academy sign Gibraltar International Chesterfield FC. 12 September 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  6. ^ From Australia to Chesterfield – what we know about six Spireites youngsters who featured in FA Trophy win against Southport Derbyshire Times. 11 December 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  7. ^ Young Chesterfield side lose narrowly to Welling United in FA Trophy – how the action unfolded Derbyshire Times. 13 January 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  8. ^ Gibraltar U15's in UEFA Development Tournament in Belarus Gibraltar Football Association. 6 November 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  9. ^ Gibraltar U21 0–7 Wales U21 BBC Sport. 12 November 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  10. ^ Gibraltar 1–3 Moldova UEFA.com. 15 June 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  11. ^ Gibraltar U21s win in Moldova Gibraltar Chronicle. 21 November 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2024.