Liam Joseph Jessop (born 13 August 2005) is a Gibraltarian footballer who plays for EFL League Two club Chesterfield and the Gibraltar national under-21 football team at international level. Initially a winger or forward, Jessop converted to a right-back during his time at Chesterfield.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Liam Joseph Jessop | ||
| Date of birth | 13 August 2005 | ||
| Place of birth | Gibraltar | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward, Winger, Right-Back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Chesterfield | ||
| Number | 38 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2011–2012 | Glacis United | ||
| 2012–2014 | College Europa | ||
| 2014–2019 | Atlético Zabal | ||
| 2019–2021 | San Roque | ||
| 2021–2023 | Fleetwood Town IFA | ||
| 2023–2024 | Chesterfield | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2023 | FY Academy | 13 | (12) |
| 2022–2023 | → Anchorsholme (loan) | 11 | (5) |
| 2023 | FCB Magpies | 0 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | Chesterfield Youth | 11 | (3) |
| 2023– | Chesterfield | 2 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2019 | Gibraltar U15 | 3 | (0) |
| 2021 | Gibraltar U17 | 5 | (1) |
| 2022–2023 | Gibraltar U19 | 8 | (1) |
| 2021– | Gibraltar U21 | 7 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 3 December 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 9 September 2024 | |||
Club career
editJessop 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 eleventh tier Central Midlands Alliance, 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] He made his league debut on 17 August 2024, in the EFL League Two win against Crewe Alexandra.[8]
International career
editJessop first represented Gibraltar at under-15 level, captaining the side in a 2019 UEFA Development Tournament.[9] 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.[10] 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[11] and for Tayler Carrington in the 2–1 victory against the same opponents on 21 November 2023.[12]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of match played on 10 December 2024
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| FY Academy | 2022–23 | Lancashire Sunday Football League | 13 | 12 | — | — | — | — | 13 | 12 | ||||
| Anchorsholme (loan) | 2022–23 | Mid-Lancashire Football League | 11 | 5 | — | — | — | 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 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 4[b] | 1 | 17 | 5 | |
| Chesterfield | 2023–24 | National League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2[c] | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2024–25 | EFL League Two | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1[d] | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Total | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 | 2 | 6 | 2 | |||
| Career total | 37 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 49 | 25 | ||
Honours
edit- Abacus Lighting Floodlit Cup: 2023–24
References
edit- ^ FTIFA INCOMING... Fleetwood Town International Football Academy. 20 April 2021. Retrieve 5 February 2024.
- ^ FTIFA winger Liam Jessop excels and joins Kendal Town on trial Fleetwood Town FC. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ Liam Jessop joins Kendal Town According to Fleetwood Town Gibraltar Chronicle. 10 July 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ Anchorsholme FC 2022–23 FA Full-Time. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ Academy sign Gibraltar International Chesterfield FC. 12 September 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Young Chesterfield side lose narrowly to Welling United in FA Trophy – how the action unfolded Derbyshire Times. 13 January 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ Crewe Alexandra vs Chesterfield: League Two BBC Sport. 17 August 2024. Retrieved 17 August 2024.
- ^ Gibraltar U15's in UEFA Development Tournament in Belarus Gibraltar Football Association. 6 November 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ Gibraltar U21 0–7 Wales U21 BBC Sport. 12 November 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ Gibraltar 1–3 Moldova UEFA.com. 15 June 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ Gibraltar U21s win in Moldova Gibraltar Chronicle. 21 November 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2024.