Worksop Town strengthen squad with loan signings from Chesterfield and Leicester City


The Tigers have signed winger and Gilbraltan international Liam Jessop from Chesterfield until the end of the season and Leicester City youngster Ben Grist.
Manager Craig Parry said: “As I mentioned last week, the squad is very thin with injuries so it was vital that we brought in reinforcements to help the group.
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Hide Ad“In Liam Jessop, we feel that we’ve brought in someone who can play in the wide areas with unbelievable pace to hurt teams.


“Since we lost Dan Bramall, we’ve come up a little bit short in these areas so it was vital that we strengthened there and we feel with Liam that we’re getting a ready-made player with bundles of pace to hurt teams.”
Jessop has joined the club after making appearances in EFL League Two and the EFL Trophy for Paul Cook’s first team. The 19-year-old, who can operate as both a winger and full-back, brings versatility and international experience to the squad.
Born in Gibraltar, Jessop began his career with Glacis United before moving to Linense’s youth setup. He later transitioned to English football with Fleetwood Town's International Football Academy, followed by a stint at Anchorsholme before returning to Gibraltar to play for FCB Magpies.
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Hide AdJessop has represented Gibraltar across multiple youth levels, including the U15s, U17s, U19s, and U21s, before earning senior caps in their UEFA Euro 2025 qualifying campaign. He caught the Spireites' eye in a pre-season friendly, scoring twice against Paul Cook’s side.
Most recently, Jessop showcased his attacking prowess by netting two goals in Chesterfield’s 6-1 FA Trophy win over Southport. His ability to play in both advanced and defensive roles adds valuable depth to the squad.
The second signing is the highly-rated centre-back Ben Grist, who joins on loan from Leicester City until the end of the season.
Parry was delighted to sign the 20-year-old: “Ben Grist is a highly thought of centre-half from Leicester City and we appreciate Leicester for allowing us to take Ben to gain experience.
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Hide Ad“He’s a powerful centre-half who is very good with the ball at his feet and he will gain valuable experience coming into Worksop Town and playing men’s football alongside experienced players.
“He’s a very highly thought of centre-half who’s going to have an amazing future.”
The 20-year-old was spotted by Grimsby Town at the age of nine while playing for Louth Old Boys.
In June 2021, Grist joined former Premier League Champions Leicester on a scholarship before signing his first professional contract in November 2021.
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Hide AdGrist has made several appearances for Leicester City U21s in the Premier League 2, as well as a couple of cameos in the EFL Trophy.
He is right-footed and primarily plays as a centre-back but has been known to be deployed at right-back and midfield.