Liam Kinsella
Personal information
Full name Liam Mark Kinsella[1]
Date of birth (1996-02-23) 23 February 1996 (age 27)
Place of birth Colchester, England
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Cheltenham Town
Number 7
Youth career
2004–2014 Walsall
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2023 Walsall 212 (4)
2023–2024 Swindon Town 22 (0)
2024– Cheltenham Town 2 (0)
International career‡
2015 Republic of Ireland U19 2 (0)
2017–2018 Republic of Ireland U21 5 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 00:00, 4 February 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 00:00, 28 December 2016 (UTC)

Liam Mark Kinsella (born 23 February 1996) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL League One club Cheltenham Town. Kinsella was born in England and has represented the Republic of Ireland at U19 level and U21 level.

Club career

Walsall

Kinsella signed for Walsall as an eight-year-old and worked his way through various youth levels before signing his first professional contract in March 2014.[2][3] He made his senior debut against Bradford City on 16 August 2014 and was named man of the match in a 0–0 draw.[4]

He scored his first senior goal in a 2–0 win over Burton Albion in October 2015 to help Walsall leapfrog the Brewers to the top of the League One table.[5] Kinsella described the goal as "one of the best moments of my career so far".[2]

He was offered a new contract by Walsall at the end of the 2018–19 season.[6] In January 2021 he signed a new two-year contract.[7]

Kinsella was named as the club's Player of the Season in 2020–21 and 2021–22.[8]

He departed the club upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the 2022–23 season.[9]

Swindon Town

Kinsella signed for Swindon Town on 28 July 2023, linking up again his former manager at Walsall, Michael Flynn. [10]

Cheltenham Town

On 24 January 2024, Kinsella joined League One club Cheltenham Town on an eighteen-month contract, reuniting with former Walsall manager Darrell Clarke.[11]

International career

Kinsella made his Republic of Ireland U19s debut on 25 February 2015 in a friendly match against Azerbaijan Under 19s. He was named in the starting eleven for the match at Tallaght Stadium.[12] His second appearance came just two days later in a 2–0 win against the same opposition at the same venue.[13]

He earned his first call-up to the Republic of Ireland U21s in September 2016[14] and made his debut 12 months later against Azerbaijan U21s.[15]

Personal life

His father is former Republic of Ireland international footballer Mark Kinsella.[15] His younger sister is Olympic gymnastics bronze medallist, Alice Kinsella.[16][17]

Career statistics

As of match played 13 January 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Walsall 2014–15[18] League One 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 5 0
2015–16[19] League One 7 1 1 0 0 0 1[a] 0 9 1
2016–17[20] League One 8 0 0 0 1 0 3[a] 0 12 0
2017–18[21] League One 19 0 1 0 1 0 3[a] 0 24 0
2018–19[22] League One 31 0 4 1 2 0 2[a] 0 39 1
2019–20[23] League Two 31 0 3 0 1 0 5[a] 1 40 1
2020–21[24] League Two 43 0 1 0 1 0 1[a] 0 46 0
2021–22[25] League Two 32 0 1 0 1 0 1[a] 0 35 0
2022–23[26] League Two 37 1 3 0 1 0 2[a] 0 43 1
Total 212 2 14 1 9 0 18 1 253 4
Swindon Town 2023–24[27] League Two 22 0 1 0 1 0 3[a] 0 27 0
Career total 234 2 15 1 10 0 21 1 280 4
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Appearance(s) in the Football League Trophy/EFL Trophy

Honours

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Club list of registered players: As at 20th May 2017" (PDF). The Football League. p. 67. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  2. ^ a b "The son of one of Ireland's '02 World Cup heroes is aiming to follow in his father's footsteps". the42.ie. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  3. ^ "Walsall sign up Mark Kinsella's teenage son Liam on first deal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 7 September 2014.
  4. ^ "Dean Smith: Liam Kinsella will only get better". Express & Star. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  5. ^ "Walsall 2-0 Burton Albion". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  6. ^ "Walsall: New Saddlers boss releases 11 players following relegation to League Two". BBC Sport. 17 May 2019. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
  7. ^ "Liam Kinsella pens new deal". Walsall FC. 5 January 2021. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Kinsella proud to pick up consecutive Player of the Season awards". www.saddlers.co.uk. 10 May 2022. Retrieved 15 May 2022.
  9. ^ "Long serving midfielder Liam Kinsella departs". www.saddlers.co.uk. 19 May 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
  10. ^ "Town sign Liam Kinsella". www.swindontownfc.co.uk. Retrieved 28 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Liam Kinsella joins Town". www.ctfc.com. 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
  12. ^ "Kinsella Makes Ireland Under 19s Debut". Bescot Banter. Retrieved 26 February 2015.
  13. ^ "Ireland U19s beat Azerbaijan in second fixture". fai.ie. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  14. ^ "King names squad for final U21 qualifier". rte.ie. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  15. ^ a b "Irish U-21 prospect Liam Kinsella wants to follow in footsteps of 2002 World Cup Dad". irishmirror.ie. Retrieved 2 April 2019.
  16. ^ "Liam Kinsella immensely proud of his sister Alice". Walsall FC. 19 April 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  17. ^ "Alice Kinsella has done the family proud, says Walsall man Liam". Express & Star. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  18. ^ "Games played by Liam Kinsella in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 September 2013.
  19. ^ "Games played by Liam Kinsella in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  20. ^ "Games played by Liam Kinsella in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  21. ^ "Games played by Liam Kinsella in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  22. ^ "Games played by Liam Kinsella in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
  23. ^ "Games played by Liam Kinsella in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  24. ^ "Games played by Liam Kinsella in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 11 September 2020.
  25. ^ "Games played by Liam Kinsella in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 7 March 2022.
  26. ^ "Games played by Liam Kinsella in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  27. ^ "Games played by Liam Kinsella in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 20 August 2023.

External links

Cheltenham Town F.C. – current squad
Walsall F.C. Player of the Season
Categories