Liam Shephard

Liam Shephard (born 22 November 1994) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a right-back for EFL League Two club Salford City.

Liam Shephard
Personal information
Full name Liam Shephard[1]
Date of birth (1994-11-22) 22 November 1994[2]
Place of birth Pentre, Wales
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Position(s) Right-back
Team information
Current team
 Salford City
Number 32
Youth career
0000–2011 Cardiff City
2011–2013 Swansea City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2017 Swansea City 0 (0)
2015 → Yeovil Town (loan) 20 (0)
2016 → Yeovil Town (loan) 6 (0)
2016–2017 → Yeovil Town (loan) 38 (1)
2017–2018 Peterborough United 24 (0)
2018–2020 Forest Green Rovers 58 (6)
2020–2021 Newport County 42 (2)
2021– Salford City 44 (3)
International career‡
2015 Wales U21 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:36, 10 May 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19:11, 17 November 2015 (UTC)

Early life

Shephard grew up in Pentre, Rhondda Cynon Taf. He is son of former footballer Garry Shephard.[3]

Club career

Shephard joined Swansea City from Cardiff City in the summer of 2011, and progressed through Swansea City's Academy.[4] Shephard signed his first professional deal with Swansea at the start of the 2013–14 season.[5] Shephard broke into the first-team squad in the first half of the 2014–15 season, and was included on the bench for four Premier League matches and two cup games.[6] Shephard was rewarded for his progress with a new 2+1⁄2-year contract until June 2017.[7]

On 17 January 2015, Shephard joined League One team Yeovil Town on a youth loan deal and made his professional debut three days later against Preston North End.[8][9] Yeovil later extended the loan until the end of the season.[10] Shephard went on to make 20 appearances for the Glovers and was awarded Young Player of the Year, as Yeovil were relegated to League Two.[11]

Shephard made his first team debut for Swansea City in the FA Cup against Oxford United, on 10 January 2016, in a 3–2 third round defeat.[12]

On 24 March 2016, Shephard returned to Yeovil Town on a month loan deal.[13] Initially brought in as cover for fellow Swansea loanee Connor Roberts, Shephard started six matches all in a defensive midfield role as he helped Yeovil to avoid relegation.[14]

On 1 July 2016, Shephard joined Yeovil Town for a third time on a six-month loan deal.[15]

Upon his return from his loan spell with Yeovil, Shephard was released by Swansea at the end of the 2016–17 season.[16]

On 10 July 2017, Shephard signed for League One club Peterborough United on a two-year contract.[17]

On 28 June 2018, Shephard joined League Two club Forest Green Rovers for an undisclosed fee on a two-year contract.[18] Shephard was released by Forest Green Rovers at the end of the 2019–20 season.[19]

On 2 September 2020 Shephard joined Newport County on a one-year contract.[20] He made his debut for Newport on 5 September 2020 in the 2-0 EFL Cup win against Swansea City.[21] He scored his first goal for Newport on 19 September 2020 in the League Two 2–1 win against Barrow.[22] Shephard played for Newport in the League Two playoff final at Wembley Stadium on 31 May 2021 which Newport lost to Morecambe, 1-0 after a 107th-minute penalty.[23]

In June 2021 Shephard rejected a contract extension at Newport and signed a two-year contract at Salford City.[24]

International career

Shephard was called up to Wales under-21 squad to face Bulgaria in March 2015.[25] Later in the qualification campaign, Shephard made his debut in a 2–1 win over Armenia.[26]

Style of play

Shephard is primarily a right-back but can also play at centre-back.[27]

Career statistics
As of match played 18 April 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Swansea City 2014–15[28] Premier League 000000—00
2015–16[14] Premier League 001000—10
2016–17[29] Premier League 000000—00
Total 001000—10
Yeovil Town (loan) 2014–15[28] League One 200000000200
2015–16[14] League Two 6000000060
2016–17[29] League Two 38120204[lower-alpha 1]0461
Total 641202040721
Peterborough United 2017–18[30] League One 24020004[lower-alpha 1]0300
Forest Green Rovers 2018–19[31] League Two 39500203[lower-alpha 2]0445
2019–20[32] League Two 19131001[lower-alpha 1]0232
Total 586312040677
Newport County 2020–21[33] League Two 42220404[lower-alpha 3]0522
Salford City 2021–22[34] League Two 35320001[lower-alpha 1]0383
2022–23[35] 6000000060
Total 413200010443
Career total 229121218017026613
  1. Appearances in EFL Trophy
  2. One appearance in EFL Trophy, two appearances in League Two play-offs
  3. One appearance in EFL Trophy, three appearances in League Two play-offs

References
  1. "Barclays Premier League Squad Lists 2014/15 published". Premier League. Archived from the original on 5 January 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  2. "Liam Shephard". 11v11.com. AFS Enterprises. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  3. Gaskell, Simon (5 January 2015). "Swansea City defender Liam Shephard signs new two-and-a-half year deal at the Liberty Stadium". Wales Online. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  4. "Swansea City's Liam Shephard: 7 things you need to know about Yeovil Town's latest signing". westerngazette.co.uk. 19 January 2015. Archived from the original on 21 January 2015.
  5. "Swansea reward seven youngsters with deals". Sky Sports. 20 April 2013.
  6. "Eight young Swans pros offered contract extensions". swansacademy.co.uk. Swansea City Academy. 20 January 2015. Archived from the original on 16 July 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  7. "Shephard signs new Swans contract". swanseacity.net. Swansea City A.F.C. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  8. "Liam Shephard Signs on Youth Loan". ytfc.net. 17 January 2015. Archived from the original on 14 February 2015. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  9. "Preston v Yeovil". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 20 January 2015.
  10. "Swansea City's Liam Shephard to stay at Yeovil Town for rest of the season". ytfc.net. 19 February 2015. Archived from the original on 19 February 2015.
  11. "END OF SEASON AWARDS". ytfc.net. 25 April 2015. Archived from the original on 18 May 2015. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
  12. "Oxford United 3–2 Swansea City". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 10 January 2016. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
  13. "Liam Shephard: Swansea City right-back rejoins Yeovil Town on loan". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 24 March 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  14. "Games played by Liam Shephard in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  15. "Yeovil Town: Bolton striker Tom Eaves & Swansea defender Liam Shephard sign". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  16. "Emnes and Tremmel depart as Swansea City release eight players". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 22 May 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2017.
  17. "Liam Shephard: Peterborough United sign ex-Swansea City defender". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 10 July 2017. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  18. "Forest Green sign Posh's Liam Shephard and ex-Fulham youngster Isaac Pearce". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 28 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  19. Halliwell, Mark (30 July 2020). "Forest Green Rovers head coach Mark Cooper says skipper Joseph Mills is set to leave the club". Gloucestershire Live. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  20. "Newport sign striker Twine on loan". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation.
  21. "Newport County 2-0 Swansea City". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation.
  22. "Taylor earns Newport win over Barrow". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation.
  23. "Shrimps go up with extra-time penalty". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  24. "Newport defender Shephard joins Salford". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  25. "WILLIAMS NAMES SQUAD AHEAD OF U21 CHAMPIONSHIPS OPENER". faw.org.uk. Football Association of Wales. 18 March 2015. Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
  26. "Wales U21 2 Armenia U21 1". BBC Sport. British Broadcasting Corporation. 13 November 2015.
  27. McAleer, Ben (30 May 2021). "League Two play-off final: WhoScored.com's combined XI". Sky Sports. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  28. "Games played by Liam Shephard in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 July 2016.
  29. "Games played by Liam Shephard in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  30. "Games played by Liam Shephard in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
  31. "Games played by Liam Shephard in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  32. "Games played by Liam Shephard in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  33. "Games played by Liam Shephard in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  34. "Games played by Liam Shephard in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  35. "Games played by Liam Shephard in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
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