Liam Kinsella

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Liam Kinsella

| image =

| caption =

| fullname = Liam Mark Kinsella{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/efl-documents/efl-released-and-retained-list---2016-17.pdf |title=Club list of registered players: As at 20th May 2017 |publisher=The Football League |page=67 |access-date=15 May 2018}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|2|23|df=y}}

| birth_place = Colchester, England

| position = Midfielder

| currentclub = Cheltenham Town

| clubnumber = 4

| youthyears1 = 2004–2014

| youthclubs1 = Walsall

| years1 = 2014–2023

| clubs1 = Walsall

| caps1 = 212

| goals1 = 2

| years2 = 2023–2024

| clubs2 = Swindon Town

| caps2 = 22

| goals2 = 0

| years3 = 2024–

| clubs3 = Cheltenham Town

| caps3 = 57

| goals3 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2015

| nationalteam1 = Republic of Ireland U19

| nationalcaps1 = 2

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2017–2018

| nationalteam2 = Republic of Ireland U21

| nationalcaps2 = 5

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| club-update = 01:02, 27 April 2025 (UTC)

| nationalteam-update = 00:00, 28 December 2016 (UTC)

}}

Liam Mark Kinsella (born 23 February 1996) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for {{English football updater|CheltenT}} 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.{{cite news|title=Walsall sign up Mark Kinsella's teenage son Liam on first deal|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26682545|access-date=7 September 2014|work=BBC Sport}} He made his senior debut against Bradford City on 16 August 2014, and was named man of the match in a 0–0 draw.{{cite news|title=Dean Smith: Liam Kinsella will only get better|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/other-football/walsall-fc/2014/08/19/dean-smith-liam-kinsella-will-only-get-better|access-date=8 November 2014|work=Express & Star}}

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.{{cite news|title=Walsall 2-0 Burton Albion|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/34431547|access-date=1 August 2017|work=BBC Sport}} Kinsella described the goal as "one of the best moments of my career so far".{{cite news|title=The son of one of Ireland's '02 World Cup heroes is aiming to follow in his father's footsteps|url=http://www.the42.ie/liam-kinsella-interview-2551485-Jan2016/|access-date=1 August 2017|work=the42.ie}}

He was offered a new contract by Walsall at the end of the 2018–19 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48313315|title=Walsall: New Saddlers boss releases 11 players following relegation to League Two|date=17 May 2019|access-date=20 May 2019|publisher=BBC Sport}} In January 2021, he signed a new two-year contract.{{cite web|url=https://www.saddlers.co.uk/news/2021/january/liam-kinsella-pens-new-deal|title=Liam Kinsella pens new deal|date= 5 January 2021|access-date= 5 January 2021|publisher=Walsall FC}}

Kinsella was named as the club's Player of the Season in 2020–21 and 2021–22.{{Cite web |date=10 May 2022 |title=Kinsella proud to pick up consecutive Player of the Season awards |url=https://www.saddlers.co.uk/news/2022/may/kinsella-proud-to-pick-up-consecutive-player-of-the-season-awards/ |access-date=2022-05-15 |website=www.saddlers.co.uk |language=en-gb}}

He departed the club upon the expiration of his contract at the end of the 2022–23 season.{{cite web|url=https://www.saddlers.co.uk/news/2023/may/long-serving-midfielder-liam-kinsella-departs/|title=Long serving midfielder Liam Kinsella departs|website=www.saddlers.co.uk|date=19 May 2023|accessdate=20 May 2023}}

= Swindon Town =

Kinsella signed for Swindon Town on 28 July 2023, linking up again his former manager at Walsall, Michael Flynn.{{Cite web |title=Town sign Liam Kinsella |url=https://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/news/2023/july/town-sign-liam-kinsella/ |access-date=2023-07-28 |website=www.swindontownfc.co.uk |language=en-gb}}

=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.{{cite web|url=https://www.ctfc.com/news/2024/january/liam-kinsella-joins-town/|title=Liam Kinsella joins Town|website=www.ctfc.com|date=24 January 2024|accessdate=24 January 2024}}

On 2 June 2025, Kinsella signed a new one-year contract at Cheltenham, with the option of an additional year.{{cite web|url=https://www.ctfc.com/news/2025/june/02/liam-kinsella-signs-new-contract-with-town/|title=Liam Kinsella signs new contract with Town|website=www.ctfc.com|date=2 June 2025|accessdate=4 June 2025}}

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.{{cite news|title=Kinsella Makes Ireland Under 19s Debut|url=http://www.bescotbanter.net/2015/02/kinsella-makes-ireland-under-19-debut.html|access-date=26 February 2015|work=Bescot Banter}} His second appearance came just two days later in a 2–0 win against the same opposition at the same venue.{{cite news|title=Ireland U19s beat Azerbaijan in second fixture|url=http://www.fai.ie/ireland/match/55503/2015/999941471?tab=report|access-date=1 August 2017|work=fai.ie}}

He earned his first call-up to the Republic of Ireland U21s in September 2016,{{cite news|title=King names squad for final U21 qualifier|url=https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2016/0930/820532-u21-squad/|access-date=1 August 2017|work=rte.ie}} and made his debut 12 months later against Azerbaijan U21s.

Personal life

His father is former Republic of Ireland international footballer Mark Kinsella.{{cite news|title=Irish U-21 prospect Liam Kinsella wants to follow in footsteps of 2002 World Cup Dad|url=https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/irish-u-21-prospect-liam-11252431/|access-date=2 April 2019|work=irishmirror.ie}} His younger sister is Olympic gymnastics bronze medallist, Alice Kinsella.{{cite web|title=Liam Kinsella immensely proud of his sister Alice|url=https://www.saddlers.co.uk/news/2018/april/liam-kinsella-immensely-proud-of-sister-alice/|date=19 April 2018|access-date=29 July 2022|publisher=Walsall FC}}{{cite news|title=Alice Kinsella has done the family proud, says Walsall man Liam|url=https://www.expressandstar.com/sport/football/walsall-fc/2018/04/19/alice-kinsella-has-done-the-family-proud-says-walsall-man-liam/|access-date=29 July 2022|work=Express & Star}}

Career statistics

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|FA Cup !colspan="2"\|League Cup !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
rowspan="10"\|Walsall \|2014–15{{Soccerbase season\|76808\|2014\|name=Liam Kinsella\|access-date=4 September 2013}} \|League One \|4	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	5	0
2015–16{{soccerbase season\|76808\|2015\|accessdate=20 July 2017}} \|League One \|7	1	1	0	0	0	1{{efn\|name="FLT"\|Appearance(s) in Football League Trophy/EFL Trophy}}	0	9	1
2016–17{{soccerbase season\|76808\|2016\|accessdate=20 July 2017}} \|League One \|8	0	0	0	1	0	3{{efn\|name="FLT"}}	0	12	0
2017–18{{soccerbase season\|76808\|2017\|accessdate=10 August 2017}} \|League One \|19	0	1	0	1	0	3{{efn\|name="FLT"}}	0	24	0
2018–19{{soccerbase season\|76808\|2018\|accessdate=12 August 2018}} \|League One \|31	0	4	1	2	0	2{{efn\|name="FLT"}}	0	39	1
2019–20{{soccerbase season\|76808\|2019\|accessdate=15 October 2019}} \|League Two \|31	0	3	0	1	0	5{{efn\|name="FLT"}}	1	40	1
2020–21{{soccerbase season\|76808\|2020\|accessdate=11 September 2020}} \|League Two \|43	0	1	0	1	0	1{{efn\|name="FLT"}}	0	46	0
2021–22{{soccerbase season\|76808\|2021\|accessdate=7 March 2022}} \|League Two \|32	0	1	0	1	0	1{{efn\|name="FLT"}}	0	35	0
2022–23{{soccerbase season\|76808\|2022\|accessdate=29 July 2022}} \|League Two \|37	1	3	0	1	0	2{{efn\|name="FLT"}}	0	43	1
colspan="2"\|Total !212	2	14	1	9	0	18	1	253	4
Swindon Town \|2023–24{{Soccerbase season\|76808\|2023\|name=Liam Kinsella\|access-date=20 August 2023}} \|League Two \|22	0	1	0	1	0	3{{efn\|name="FLT"}}	0	27	0
rowspan="4"\|Cheltenham Town \|2023–24{{soccerbase season\|76808\|2023\|accessdate=3 March 2024}} \|League One \|20	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	20	0
2024–25{{soccerbase season\|76808\|2024\|accessdate=10 August 2024}} \|League Two \|37	0	2	0	0	0	4{{efn\|name="FLT"}}	0	43	0
2025–26{{soccerbase season\|76808\|2025\|accessdate=4 June 2025}} \|League Two \|0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
colspan="2"\|Total !57	0	2	0	0	0	4	0	63	0
colspan="3"\|Career total !291	2	17	1	10	0	25	1	343	4