Zak Gilsenan

Zak Gilsenan is a 23-year-old professional footballer who plays as a winger or attacking midfielder for National League club FC Halifax Town. Known for his highly pedigree youth background, he signed a one-year contract with the Shaymen on 6 July 2026, which includes a club option for an additional year.

Gilsenan was born in Joondalup, Perth to Irish parents, and is the youngest of three siblings.

Gilsenan started playing football at a young age, initially playing indoor soccer with local side Carramar Cougars. He trialled unsuccessfully with ECU Joondalup, before joining Sorrento. In 2011, he was scouted and signed by A-League side Perth Glory, where he played in holiday clinics while remaining with Sorrento at the same time. He attended a two-week training camp organised by English club Tottenham Hotspur, where he was named player of the tournament, and was invited to trial with the north-London side. During the trial, he was scouted by Spanish giants Barcelona, and moved to the Catalonian side in 2012.

Despite captaining the Barcelona youth teams, his parents relocated to England after two years in Spain, and Gilsenan again went on trial, this time with Liverpool. He signed for Liverpool in 2014. He suffered a run of injuries, which eventually ended his spell in Merseyside, and despite interest from Premier League sides, he signed for Blackburn Rovers at the age of sixteen.

He signed his first professional contract with Blackburn Rovers in May 2021. Later the same year, he suffered an ACL injury, which kept him out until June 2022. Having recovered from his injury and returning to action in October 2022, he established himself as a regular in the club's under-21 squad, and he signed a contract extension in June 2023.