"My technical ability's never really left me" - Town's Zak Gilsenan on his journey from Barcelona to Halifax

The 23-year-old was called the Irish Messi while at those two footballing giants, but wasn't able to make a breakthrough at the top level due to hugely disruptive injuries.

Gilsenan was born in Perth, Australia, and was on the verge of joining Tottenham as a kid before the lure of Barcelona.

"Tottenham scouted me aged nine," he said, "I was living in Australia.

"Then Barcelona came in and we moved over there.

"I probably appreciate now I'm a bit older, realising how lucky and fortunate I was that my family were able to move over and change their lives for me."

Gilsenan was at Barcelona from age nine to 11 and played with Xavi Simons, now of Tottenham, and Alejandro Balde, who plays as a left-back for the Catalan club.

"I went to a Spanish school, learnt Spanish in about six months," Gilsenan said.

"I learned a lot technically while I was there, that's where I get a lot of my technical ability.

"It was a good time in my life but I was very young, so there's not too much I took from it."

He was then on Liverpool's books from the ages of 12 to 15, playing with England defender Jarell Quansah, and says he "learned a lot mentally" during that time.

But a run of injuries ultimately led to his contract not being renewed.

The next six years of Gilsenan's burgeoning career were at Blackburn Rovers, where hw was a regular for their under 18s, also playing for their under 23s and scoring a hat-trick against Manchester United.

"Not a bad word to say really, they looked after me, helped me grow up and set the foundations in place," he said of Rovers.

"I made it through to the first-team, which not many lads do, so I was really grateful and happy that I was able to do that."

After recovering from a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury in October 2021, the attacking midfielder scored in both of his first two games for Blackburn, in August 2023, playing three more times that season.

But, again, injuries got in the way of what might have been.

"I came back too soon from that the first time and it kept relapsing for about a year-and-a-half," he said.

"I signed for Grimsby (in summer 2025) and got injured straight away with my quad.

"That was about two months but from there, I was fit for the whole season.

"I've not had an injury now for over a year, which is a positive for me, I just didn't really play much, I just wasn't in the squads.

"I think fans sometimes get that mixed up with whether I was injured but really, I was just out of the side."

But Gilsenan is adamant his injury woes are now behind him.

"Definitely. I've worked really hard behind-the-scenes," he said.

"Anyone who knows me knows I'm one of the most committed lads you can meet, I think John (McGrath) knows that and knows what kind of player I am.

"The last time I had a full pre-season was when I broke through at Blackburn and made my debut three years ago.

"This year, touch wood, it'll be a successful one."

When asked what a successful season would look like for him, Gilsenan said: "Definietly regular games. I'd like to think I can definitely help the lads, improve day-by-day and be a real leader and someone the lads can come and speak to.

"I know I'm only a young head but I like that responsibility of being someone coaches or team-mates can talk to, I'm there.

"Ultimately, it's about what we do as a team and I think we can really push on and make the play-offs, and try to get Halifax back into the league.

"Personally, I want to score goals, assist goals, work hard for the team."

Gilsenan says leadership is something that comes naturally to him.

"I captained Blackburn through the ages, I'd like to think I can lead with actions on the pitch.

"I'm not the most vocal but I can help in that respect."

Gilsenan says he can play anywhere across the front line, including as a central striker, and has played in central midfield.

Having played under Halifax manager McGrath on loan at Buxton last season, Gilsenan was delighted to join up with him again.

"Really good man-manager, him and Pabs (Pablo Mills) really get the best out of you off-the-pitch," he said.

"I don't have a bad word to say about them.

"On-the-pitch, their attention-to-detail and how they want the lads to play, play with freedom, don't be scared to lose the ball.

"Everyone's going to lose the ball but they want you to do it the right way, instead of just kicking it long and playing second balls and hoping for the best."

Gilsenan's game is the opposite of kicking it long and hoping for the best; he has already displayed his outstanding technical ability and ball control in pre-season outings.

On whether he still feels the same player that broke through at Blackburn, Gilsenan said: "You learn a lot. I was still quite there and quite naive.

"There's parts of my game I think are a lot better, I was probably a lot more fearless and played with more freedom when I was that age.

"But my technical ability's never really left me.

"I've got a lot stronger, but maybe (I don't have) the fitness aspect, but that's what pre-season is for."

As the first former Barcelona and Liverpool player to join Halifax, are fans right to have high expectations of him?

"I've got a lot of self-belief and I think I've got glimpses of why I played for those clubs in my game," he said.

"I've had a tough time with injuries but with a good pre-season here, I think I can get back to those levels."

After experiencing the football high-life at such huge clubs, is Gilsenan happy with where he is now?

"It's a good question. I'd like to think I always strive to do better," he said.

"It's another stepping stone in my career where hopefully I can strive on, it seems like a good platform for me.

"It's all in hindsight but I do still believe if I hadn't had the injuries, who knows where I'd be.

"I've had a lot of mental help, psychologists and stuff like that, because at the start, you're a young kid, dealing with your first injuries, it can be tough to cope

"You look at other people you were doing better than at the time and who are thriving and it's a tough one to take.

"But that's life and everyone's path is different.

"When I'm 27, 28, who knows where I'll be."