Aaron O'Connor explained

Aaron O'Connor
Fullname:Aaron Derek O'Connor[1]
Birth Date:9 August 1983
Birth Place:Nottingham, England
Position:Forward
Currentclub:Eastwood
Years1:2002
Years2:2002–2003
Caps2:3
Goals2:0
Years3:2003
Years4:2003–2004
Years5:2004–2007
Clubs5:Gresley Rovers
Caps5:99
Goals5:73
Years6:2007–2008
Clubs6:Grays Athletic
Caps6:63
Goals6:8
Years7:2008–2009
Clubs7:Mansfield Town
Caps7:39
Goals7:8
Years8:2009–2011
Caps8:75
Goals8:24
Years9:2011–2012
Clubs9:Luton Town
Caps9:34
Goals9:5
Years10:2012–2015
Caps10:82
Goals10:29
Years11:2015–2016
Caps11:20
Goals11:9
Years12:2016
Clubs12:Stevenage (loan)
Caps12:3
Goals12:0
Years13:2016
Clubs13:Stevenage
Caps13:10
Goals13:1
Years14:2016–2020
Clubs14:Kettering Town
Caps14:116
Goals14:59
Years15:2020–2021
Clubs15:Tamworth
Caps15:4
Goals15:0
Years16:2021–2022
Clubs16:Basford United
Caps16:15
Goals16:4
Years17:2022–2023
Clubs17:Carlton Town
Caps17:35
Goals17:14
Years18:2023–
Clubs18:Eastwood
Caps18:0
Goals18:0
Club-Update:17:50, 4 June 2023 (UTC)

Aaron Derek O'Connor (born 9 August 1983) is an English footballer who plays for Eastwood, where he plays as a forward.

Playing career

Scunthorpe United

Born in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, O'Connor started his career at Ilkeston Town before moving to Third Division side Scunthorpe United on 12 December 2002. However, O'Connor featured in just three games as a substitute. Manager Brian Laws released the 19-year-old in February 2003, claiming he did not have the right attitude for the professional club.[2]

Nuneaton Borough and Ilkeston Town

O'Connor had a brief spell at Nuneaton Borough at the start of the 2003–04 season, before moving back to Ilkeston Town.

Gresley Rovers

He then moved onto Gresley Rovers in July 2004.[3] He spent two and a half seasons at Gresley, winning the Player's Player of The Year, Manager's Player of The Year and Supporter's Player of The Year awards in both seasons. O'Connor had a very impressive record of scoring 80 goals in 127 appearances for the club in all competitions.[4] He had a two-week trial with Rushden & Diamonds in June 2006.[5]

Grays Athletic

Grays Athletic announced the signing of O'Connor on 5 January 2007,[6] and he made his debut the following day against Southport in the Conference National. Despite being offered a new contract for the 2008–09 season, he did not sign and subsequently was released.[7]

Mansfield Town

He was signed by Mansfield Town on 8 August 2008,[8] where he made 39 appearances in the Conference Premier, scoring eight goals. He was released at the end of the 2008–09 season.[9]

Rushden & Diamonds

On 17 June 2009, O'Connor signed for Rushden & Diamonds on a one-year contract.[10] He signed a one-year contract extension in May 2010.[11] Over the course of two seasons, in which he was appointed Rushden's club captain, O'Connor scored 27 goals in 78 games.

Luton Town

O'Connor left Rushden & Diamonds and joined Luton Town on a free transfer on 6 June 2011.[12]

Newport County

In July 2012, O'Connor was reunited with former Rushden & Diamonds manager Justin Edinburgh when he signed for Newport County.[13] In August 2012 O'Connor was selected as Conference Player of the Month after Newport County won all five of their opening matches of the 2012–13 season with O'Connor scoring six goals.[14] He was part of the Newport team that finished third in the league, reaching the Conference Premier play-offs. Newport won the 2013 Conference Premier play-off final versus Wrexham at Wembley Stadium 2–0 to return to the Football League after a 25-year absence with promotion to League Two. O'Connor scored the second goal.[15] He was released by Newport in May 2015 at the end of his contract.[16]

Forest Green Rovers

On 12 June 2015, he joined National League club Forest Green Rovers on a one-year deal.[17] He made his debut for the club on the opening day of the 2015–16 season in a 1–0 away win against Altrincham.[18] His first goal followed in his second appearance, as his first half strike against Welling United at The New Lawn proved to be enough to secure a 1–0 victory.[19]

Stevenage

He joined League Two side Stevenage on a one-month loan on 15 January 2016.[20] He made his Stevenage debut the following day on 16 January 2016, playing 81 minutes in a 3–2 away loss against Plymouth Argyle.[21] On 1 February 2016, he secured a permanent move to Stevenage after he had his contract cancelled by Forest Green by mutual consent.[22] He was released by Stevenage in May 2016.[23]

Kettering Town

O'Connor joined Kettering Town on 3 September 2016,[24] and was voted the Fans' and Overall Player of the Year for the season 2017–18.[25]

Tamworth

It was confirmed on 15 July 2020, that O'Connor had signed for Southern League Premier Division Central side Tamworth.[26] He made his debut for Tamworth on 29 September 2020 in a 2–1 home victory over Barwell, coming on as a 78th minute substitute for Gerry McDonagh.[27]

Basford United

O'Connor signed for Northern Premier League Premier Division side Basford United on 6 August 2021.[28]

Eastwood

On 3 June 2023, O'Connor signed for Eastwood.[29]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Ilkeston Town2001–02Southern Football League Premier Division
2002–03
Scunthorpe United2002–03Third Division3000000030
Nuneaton Borough2003–04Southern Football League Premier Division
Ilkeston TownSouthern Football League Western Division
Gresley Rovers2004–05Northern Premier League Division One
2005–06
2006–07
Grays Athletic2006–07Football Conference1540000154
2007–084640000464
Grays Athletic618000000618
Mansfield Town2008–09Conference National2980000298
Rushden & Diamonds2009–10381000003810
2010–11361400003614
Rushden & Diamonds74280000007428
Luton Town2011–12Conference National3450000345
Newport County2012–13391800003918
2013–14League Two4100000041
2014–1539100000003910
Newport County82290000008229
Forest Green Rovers2015–16Conference National2090000209
Stevenage (loan)2015–16League Two3000000030
Stevenage101000000101
Kettering Town2016–17[30] Southern League Premier Division311530003415
2017–18413243004535
2018–19Southern League Premier Division Central271010002810
2019–20National League North1720000172
Kettering Town1165983000012462
Tamworth2020–21Southern League Premier Division Central4020001070
Basford United2021–22Northern Premier League Premier Division154300022206
Carlton Town2021–22Northern Premier League Division One Midlands1590000111610
2022–23[31] Northern Premier League Division One East2050020225
Total35140000313815
Career total4861671130063505171

Honours

Club

Kettering Town

2017–18;[32]

2017–18[33]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Football League Retained List . The Football League . 8 July 2015 . 16 June 2015.
  2. News: Laws advice for O'Connor. BBC Sport. 11 February 2003. 18 July 2007.
  3. News: Rovers get their man . Non-League Daily . 15 July 2004 . 13 August 2007 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070930033248/http://www.nonleaguedaily.com/news/index.php?newsmode=FULL&nid=18944 . 30 September 2007 .
  4. News: Player Database – Aaron O'Connor. Gresley Rovers. 1 January 2007. 13 August 2007.
  5. News: Hart will look at Gresley striker. BBC Sport. 2 June 2006. 13 August 2007.
  6. News: Grays complete deal for O'Connor. BBC Sport. 5 January 2007. 16 July 2007.
  7. News: Player News. https://web.archive.org/web/20090106071812/http://www.graysathletic.co.uk/news/archives/002634.html. Grays Athletic F.C.. 3 July 2007. 6 January 2009.
  8. News: Stags boosted by late signings . https://web.archive.org/web/20081212173110/http://www.mansfieldtown.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0%2C%2C10325~1361484%2C00.html . Mansfield Town F.C. . 8 August 2008 . 12 December 2008 . dead .
  9. News: Trio signed, but other Stags free to go. John Lomas. Mansfield Chad. 11 May 2009. 1 June 2009.
  10. News: Diamonds tie up O'Connor signing. BBC Sport. 17 June 2009. 6 June 2011.
  11. News: Aaron O'Connor agrees deal at Rushden & Diamonds. BBC Sport. 26 May 2010. 6 June 2011.
  12. News: Luton Town swoop for striker Aaron O'Connor. BBC Sport. 6 June 2011. 6 June 2011.
  13. http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/football/newportcounty/9836836.O_Connor_signs_for_County/ O'Connor joins Newport
  14. http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/sport/9899324.Double_Conference_honour_for_the_Exiles/ Conference Player of the Month
  15. News: Dewi. Hughes. Wrexham 0–2 Newport. BBC Sport. 5 May 2013. 6 May 2013.
  16. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32703882 Newport players released
  17. Web site: Forest Green sign former Newport County striker . BBC Sport . 12 June 2015 . 21 June 2015.
  18. Web site: Altrincham 0-1 Forest Green . BBC Sport . 8 August 2015.
  19. Web site: Forest Green 1-0 Welling United . BBC Sport . 11 August 2015.
  20. Web site: Aaron O'Connor: Forest Green Rovers striker joins Stevenage . BBC Sport . 15 January 2016 . 17 January 2016.
  21. Web site: Plymouth Argyle 3-2 Stevenage . BBC Sport . 16 January 2016 . 17 January 2016.
  22. Web site: Stevenage bring in Aaron O'Connor, Pat Hoban and Ryan Hedges . BBC Sport . 1 February 2016 . 1 February 2016.
  23. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36289166 O'Connor released by Stevenage
  24. http://www.ketteringtownfc.com/player-profile/aaron-o-connor Kettering Town F.C. Player Profile
  25. http://www.ketteringtownfc.com/news/2017-2018-presentation-winners Kettering Town F.C. 2017-18 Presentation – Winners
  26. News: Experienced Striker Signs On . 15 July 2020. TheLambs.co.uk. 15 July 2020.
  27. News: Tamworth 2-1 Barwell . 29 September 2020 . TheLambs.co.uk . 29 September 2020.
  28. News: AARON ARRIVES! . 6 August 2021 . BasfordUnited.com . 6 August 2021.
  29. Web site: OC Joins Eastwood CFC. eastwoodcfc.co.uk. 3 June 2023. 4 June 2023.
  30. Web site: Player profiles: Aaron O'Connor . Aylesbury United F.C. . 11 July 2020.
  31. Web site: Carlton Town – Appearances – Aaron O’Connor. footballwebpages.co.uk. 4 June 2023.
  32. Web site: Match report – Northampton Town . Kettering Town F.C. . 18 August 2018.
  33. Web site: Match report – Brackley Town . Kettering Town F.C. . 11 May 2018.