| Liam Shephard | |
| Fullname: | Liam Shephard[1] |
| Birth Date: | 22 November 1994[2] |
| Birth Place: | Pentre, Wales |
| Height: | 1.78m |
| Position: | Right-back |
| Currentclub: | Salford City |
| Clubnumber: | 32 |
| Youthyears1: | –2011 |
| Youthclubs1: | Cardiff City |
| Youthyears2: | 2011–2013 |
| Youthclubs2: | Swansea City |
| Years1: | 2013–2017 |
| Clubs1: | Swansea City |
| Caps1: | 0 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2015 |
| Clubs2: | → Yeovil Town (loan) |
| Caps2: | 20 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2016 |
| Clubs3: | → Yeovil Town (loan) |
| Caps3: | 6 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Years4: | 2016–2017 |
| Clubs4: | → Yeovil Town (loan) |
| Caps4: | 38 |
| Goals4: | 1 |
| Years5: | 2017–2018 |
| Caps5: | 24 |
| Goals5: | 0 |
| Years6: | 2018–2020 |
| Caps6: | 58 |
| Goals6: | 6 |
| Years7: | 2020–2021 |
| Caps7: | 42 |
| Goals7: | 2 |
| Years8: | 2021– |
| Clubs8: | Salford City |
| Caps8: | 56 |
| Goals8: | 3 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2015 |
| Nationalcaps1: | 2 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 19:53, 17 April 2024 (UTC) |
| Nationalteam-Update: | 19:11, 17 November 2015 (UTC) |
Liam Shephard (born 22 November 1994) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a right-back for club Salford City.
Shephard grew up in Pentre, Rhondda Cynon Taf. He is son of former footballer Garry Shephard.[3]
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 -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.
On 1 July 2016, Shephard joined Yeovil Town for a third time on a six-month loan deal.[14]
Upon his return from his loan spell with Yeovil, Shephard was released by Swansea at the end of the 2016–17 season.[15]
On 10 July 2017, Shephard signed for League One club Peterborough United on a two-year contract.[16]
On 28 June 2018, Shephard joined League Two club Forest Green Rovers for an undisclosed fee on a two-year contract.[17] Shephard was released by Forest Green Rovers at the end of the 2019–20 season.[18]
On 2 September 2020 Shephard joined Newport County on a one-year contract.[19] He made his debut for Newport on 5 September 2020 in the 2-0 EFL Cup win against Swansea City.[20] He scored his first goal for Newport on 19 September 2020 in the League Two 2–1 win against Barrow.[21] 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.[22]
In June 2021 Shephard rejected a contract extension at Newport and signed a two-year contract at Salford City.[23] In June 2023 Shephard extended his Salford contract until the end of the 2024-25 season.[24]
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]
Shephard is primarily a right-back but can also play at centre-back.[27]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Swansea City | 2014–15 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2016–17 | Premier League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Yeovil Town (loan) | 2014–15 | League One | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | |
| 2015–16 | League Two | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
| 2016–17 | League Two | 38 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4[28] | 0 | 46 | 1 | ||
| Total | 64 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 72 | 1 | |||
| Peterborough United | 2017–18 | League One | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 30 | 0 | |
| Forest Green Rovers | 2018–19 | League Two | 39 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3[29] | 0 | 44 | 5 | |
| 2019–20 | League Two | 19 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 2 | ||
| Total | 58 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 67 | 7 | |||
| Newport County | 2020–21 | League Two | 42 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4[30] | 0 | 52 | 2 | |
| Salford City | 2021–22 | League Two | 35 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 3 | |
| 2022–23 | League Two | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[31] | 0 | 11 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24 | League Two | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25 | League Two | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 56 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 65 | 3 | |||
| Career total | 244 | 12 | 13 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 287 | 13 | |||