Thomas O'Connor (footballer)

Thomas James O'Connor (born 21 April 1999) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender and midfielder for EFL League Two club Wrexham.

Thomas O'Connor
Personal information
Full name Thomas James O'Connor[1]
Date of birth (1999-04-21) 21 April 1999[2]
Place of birth Kilkenny, Ireland
Position(s) Defender, midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Wrexham
Number 22
Youth career
2015–2019 Southampton
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2021 Southampton 0 (0)
2019–2020 → Gillingham (loan) 28 (1)
2020–2021 → Gillingham (loan) 34 (0)
2021–2022 Burton Albion 18 (5)
2022– Wrexham 45 (4)
International career
2017–2018 Republic of Ireland U19
2019–2020 Republic of Ireland U21
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:51, 25 October 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Born in Kilkenny,[3] O'Connor first joined the Southampton academy in 2015. He was contracted to the club until June 2021 having signed a two-year contract extension in January 2019.[4]

On 29 August 2019 O'Connor signed for League One side Gillingham on loan until January 2020.[5][6] He made his debut for the club two days later in a 5–0 league win over Bolton Wanderers.[7] His first league goal for the club was an 83rd-minute equaliser against Bristol Rovers on 17 September 2019.[8]

On 31 December 2019 his loan with the club was extended until the end of the 2019–20 season.[9] He returned to Southampton at the conclusion of the 2019–20 season, having made 32 appearances for the Kent side in all competitions.[10] On 29 September 2020 he re-signed for Gillingham on loan for the 2020–21 season.[11]

On 23 June 2021 it was announced that he would sign a two-year deal for League One side Burton Albion following the expiry of his Southampton contract.[12]

He moved to Wrexham of the National League for an undisclosed fee in January 2022,[13][14] making his debut for the Welsh side in a 1–0 away league defeat to Torquay United.[15]

International career

O'Connor was called up to the Republic of Ireland U19 squad in February 2017.[16] He made his debut as a substitute in a 1–0 win over Portugal.[17]

He was called up to the Republic of Ireland U21 squad in November 2019, making his debut in a 0–1 win over Armenia in a 2021 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifier.[18][19]

Career statistics
As of 24 January 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Southampton U21s 2016–17 EFL Trophy[20]———3[lower-alpha 1]030
2017–18 EFL Trophy[21]———0000
2018–19 EFL Trophy[22]———3[lower-alpha 1]030
2019–20 EFL Trophy[23]———0000
2020–21 EFL Trophy[24]———1[lower-alpha 1]010
Total ———7070
Southampton 2019–20[23] Premier League 0000000000
2020–21[24] Premier League 0000000000
Total 0000000000
Gillingham (loan) 2019–20[23] League One 28130001[lower-alpha 1]0321
Gillingham (loan) 2020–21[24] League One 340100000350
Burton Albion 2021–22[25] League One 185101010215
Wrexham 2021–22 National League 7000002090
2022–23 National League 154520010214
Total 224520030304
Career total 102101021012012512
  1. Appearance(s) in the EFL Trophy.

Honours

Wrexham

References
  1. "2019/20 Premier League squads confirmed". Premier League. 3 September 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
  2. Thomas O'Connor at Soccerway. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  3. "Burton Albion to sign Tom O'Connor once Southampton contract expires". Burton Albion FC. 23 June 2021. Retrieved 2 February 2022.
  4. "O'Connor extends contract until 2021". Southampton FC. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  5. "Gillingham sign Southampton's Thomas O'Connor and Hearts' Olly Lee on loan". BBC Sport. 29 August 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2019.
  6. "Gills sign Thomas O'Connor on loan from Southampton". www.gillinghamfootballclub.com. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  7. "Gillingham 5–0 Bolton: Reprieved Wanderers ship five again in first game since being saved". 31 August 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  8. "Bristol Rovers 1–1 Gillingham". 17 September 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  9. "O'Connor extends Gillingham loan". Southampton FC. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  10. "Games played by Thomas O'Connor in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  11. "Tommy O'Connor back at Gills". www.gillinghamfootballclub.com. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  12. "Burton sign ex-Saints defender O'Connor" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
  13. "Signed – Tom O'Connor signs from Burton Albion". www.wrexhamafc.co.uk.
  14. "Tom O'Connor: Burton Albion midfielder joins Wrexham". BBC Sport. 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  15. "REPORT | Torquay United 1-0 Wrexham". www.wrexhamafc.co.uk. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  16. "Republic of Ireland call for O'Connor". Southampton FC. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  17. "Portugal 0 – 1 Republic of Ireland | 2017 – Under 19 Friendlies". www.fai.ie. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  18. "Gillingham's Southampton loanee defender Tom O'Connor earns first international call-up for Republic of Ireland under-21s". Kent Online. 12 November 2019. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  19. "Armenia 0 – 1 Republic of Ireland | 2021 – U21 Mens". www.fai.ie. Retrieved 31 December 2019.
  20. "Games played by Thomas O'Connor in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  21. "Games played by Thomas O'Connor in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  22. "Games played by Thomas O'Connor in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  23. "Games played by Thomas O'Connor in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  24. "Games played by Thomas O'Connor in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
  25. "Games played by Thomas O'Connor in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  26. "Mullin the hero as Wrexham win to earn promotion". BBC Sport. 22 April 2023. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  27. Aled Williams (22 May 2022). "Bromley beat Wrexham to lift FA Trophy". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 February 2023.


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