Adam Priestley
Adam James Priestley is a Gibraltarian retired former footballer who last played for English club Knaresborough Town of the, and represented the Gibraltar national team as a forward. After beginning his career in the academies of league clubs Leeds United and York City, Priestley has spent his entire senior career in the semi-professional lower divisions of the English football league system. Qualifying to represent Gibraltar internationally by being born there while his father served in the Royal Air Force, Priestley debuted for the overseas territory in its premier UEFA match in November 2013. He has since gone on to represent Gibraltar in friendlies and UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying.
Club career
Youth and amateur
Priestley began his career in the academy of Leeds United at age 8 but was released when he admittedly, "wasn't good enough to reach the required standard they were looking for." At age 13, Priestley played in the academy of York City but was told that he was no better or worse than anyone already on the squad and that he would be released. Priestley then joined amateur side Sherburn White Rose FC where he played between 2006 and 2010. For the 2008–09 season, Priestley scored 16 goals in 33 matches as the club finished sixth in the league. The next season, 2009–10, Priestley scored 31 goals in 31 appearances for Sherburn as the club finished second in the league, only behind Bardsley. With Sherburn, Priestley advanced to the final of the 2010 West Yorkshire League Cup against Beeston St Anthony's after Priestley netted a brace in extra time in a 4–1 victory over Pool in the semi-final. Sherburn went on to win the cup with a 1–0 victory on 6 May 2010 with Priestley starting the match.Garforth Town
From 2010 to 2012, Priestley played for Garforth Town, scoring 23 goals in 54 matches for the 2010–11 season and 19 goals in 43 matches for the 2011–12 season. Following a successful first year with Garforth which included an opening seven goals in three matches, including four in a President's Cup tie at Sheffield, it was announced on 8 June 2011 that Priestley had signed a new contract with the club. His 19 and 23-goal seasons made him Garforth's top scorer in back-to-back seasons, despite being placed on the long-term injury list in 2012 because of a knee injury suffered on artificial turf. During the 2011–12 season, Garforth finished in the play-offs which was also Garforth's highest ever finish. In Garforth's last match of the season, Priestley scored the game-winning goal of a 2–1 victory over Skelmersdale United which secured the team's place in the play-offs. Garforth eventually lost to Curzon Ashton which ultimately ended the team's chances of promotion. In total, Priestley made 97 appearances and scored 42 goals for the club, possibly putting him inside the club's top-ten all-time scorers. Priestley's time with Garforth has been called one of the club's greatest eras. In August 2014, Priestley was invited to a legends game involving some of Garforth's most successful former players as part of the club's 50th anniversary celebrations.Farsley
After the 2011–12 season, Priestley signed for Farsley as part of a player exodus caused by a poor financial situation at Garforth. On 18 August 2012, Priestley scored in his competitive debut for Farsley, an eventual 1–1 league draw with Lancaster City. In total, during his first season with Farsley, Priestley scored 27 goals, including 21 league goals in 39 league matches, and attracted interest from clubs higher up the league system including Halifax Town and Hyde. In February 2013, Priestley was offered a much more lucrative contract by Worksop Town of the Northern Premier League Premier Division higher up in the National League System. After the player rejected the initial offer, Worksop countered with another offer which was also rejected in favor of staying at Farsley for the remainder of the season. His 27-goal tally was enough to earn him the Players' Player of the Year and Manager's Player of the Year awards as well as being the team's top goal scorer.Guiseley
On 1 August 2013, it was announced that Priestley signed for Guiseley of Conference North higher up in the league system ahead of the 2013–14 season. When manager Steve Kittrick left Guiseley after a poor start to the season, Priestley fell out of favor with new boss Mark Bower which in part prompted the player to leave the club. After making only eight appearances for the club and not scoring a goal, he left Guiseley and returned to Farsley in October 2013. Although he did not score a league goal for Guiseley, he did score for the club in a pre-season friendly against Brighouse Town F.C. in July 2013, one of four friendlies in which Priestley appeared for the club.Return to Farsley
On 8 October 2013, Priestley resumed his scoring for Farsley by scoring in his second appearance back with the club against Goole. After finishing the season with 13 goals in 32 appearances, including 9 goals in 26 league appearances, Priestley finished the 2013–14 season by coming in third place in the Supporter's Player of the Year vote.On 21 June 2014, it was announced that Priestley had signed a new contract and would return to Farsley for the 2014–15 season. In Farsley's first preseason match of the 2014–15 season, Priestley assisted on the game-winning goal of a 1–0 victory over Barnoldswick Town. In Farsley's next preseason match, Priestley scored a first-half brace in an eventual 4–0 victory over Glasshoughton Welfare. In the first match of the regular season, Farsley were defeated 3–0 by Lancaster City with Priestley coming on as a 53rd-minute substitute. Although his addition was noted as strengthening the attack and prompted several scoring chances, he was unable to add to Farsley's tally. Three days later, Priestley scored his first goal of the season, the game winner in a 2–1 victory over Ossett Town with only minutes remaining. Earlier in the match Priestley earned the penalty kick which was converted by Aaron Hardy for Farsley's first goal after Priestley was taken down in the box by the Ossett Town goalkeeper. To begin Farsley's 2014–15 FA Cup qualifying campaign, Priestley scored his club's fourth goal in a 4–1 victory over Athersley Recreation on 30 August 2014 after coming on as a 76th-minute substitute for Marcus Edwards. The victory propelled Farsley to their first FA Cup first qualifying round appearance in two years. Additionally, Priestley's goal came off his last touch before leaving to join the Gibraltar national team in Portugal for a Euro qualifying match against Poland. In Priestley's first two matches back with Farsley following Gibraltar's Euro qualifying match against Germany in November 2014, Priestley scored four goals in league two matches, including his first hat trick of the season on 22 November against Burscough. In January 2015 Priestley was once again offered a move away from Farsley by an unnamed club but rejected the offer stating, "At this time I don't want to be playing anywhere else. I've had a good run in the team and the management have been supportive throughout. Hopefully I can repay everyone with continuing to score the goals to get Farsley where they want to be." Priestley ended the 2014–2015 season with 14 goals in 33 league appearances and 7 goals in 10 cup matches. Farsley went on to lose 2–3 on penalties to Warrington Town in the Doodson Sport Cup final. Priestley came on as a 65th-minute substitute in the match and netted his penalty kick to make it 2–2. During the yearly awards presentation, Priestley came in third place in the Supporters Club Player of the Year voting.