Thomas O'Connor (footballer)
{{short description|Irish association footballer (born 1999)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Thomas O'Connor
| image =
| image_size =
| caption =
| fullname = Thomas James O'Connor{{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/1335777 |title=2019/20 Premier League squads confirmed |publisher=Premier League |date=3 September 2019 |accessdate=3 September 2019}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|4|21|df=y}}{{soccerway|thomas-oconnor/441250|accessdate=1 September 2019}}
| birth_place = Kilkenny, Ireland
| height =
| position = Defender, midfielder
| currentclub = Wrexham
| clubnumber = 6
| youthyears1 = 2015–2019
| youthclubs1 = Southampton
| years1 = 2019–2021
| clubs1 = Southampton
| caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2019–2020
| clubs2 = → Gillingham (loan)
| caps2 = 28
| goals2 = 1
| years3 = 2020–2021
| clubs3 = → Gillingham (loan)
| caps3 = 34
| goals3 = 0
| years4 = 2021–2022
| clubs4 = Burton Albion
| caps4 = 18
| goals4 = 5
| years5 = 2022–
| clubs5 = Wrexham
| caps5 = 95
| goals5 = 4
| nationalyears1 = 2017–2018
| nationalteam1 = Republic of Ireland U19
| nationalcaps1 =
| nationalgoals1 =
| nationalyears2 = 2019–2020
| nationalteam2 = Republic of Ireland U21
| nationalcaps2 =
| nationalgoals2 =
| club-update = 01:30, 23 April 2025 (UTC)
| ntupdate =
}}
Thomas James O'Connor (born 21 April 1999) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender and midfielder for {{English football updater|Wrexham}} club Wrexham.
Club career
= Southampton =
Born in Kilkenny,{{cite web |url=https://www.burtonalbionfc.co.uk/news/2021/june/2306-oconnor/ |title=Burton Albion to sign Tom O'Connor once Southampton contract expires |publisher=Burton Albion FC|date=23 June 2021 |accessdate=2 February 2022}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2019-01-11/tom-oconnor-contract-extension-southampton-june-2021|title=O'Connor extends contract until 2021|website=Southampton FC|language=en|access-date=31 December 2019}}
On 29 August 2019 O'Connor signed for League One side Gillingham on loan until January 2020.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49509179|title=Gillingham sign Southampton's Thomas O'Connor and Hearts' Olly Lee on loan|date=29 August 2019|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=6 December 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/2019/august/oconnor-loan/|title=Gills sign Thomas O'Connor on loan from Southampton|website=www.gillinghamfootballclub.com|language=en-gb|access-date=31 December 2019}} He made his debut for the club two days later in a 5–0 league win over Bolton Wanderers.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49456355|title=Gillingham 5–0 Bolton: Reprieved Wanderers ship five again in first game since being saved|date=31 August 2019|access-date=31 December 2019|language=en-GB}} His first league goal for the club was an 83rd-minute equaliser against Bristol Rovers on 17 September 2019.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/49643647|title=Bristol Rovers 1–1 Gillingham|date=17 September 2019|access-date=31 December 2019|language=en-GB}}
On 31 December 2019 his loan with the club was extended until the end of the 2019–20 season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2019-12-31/announcement-tom-oconnor-southampton-gillingham-loan-deal-extension|title=O'Connor extends Gillingham loan|website=Southampton FC|language=en|access-date=31 December 2019}} He returned to Southampton at the conclusion of the 2019–20 season, having made 32 appearances for the Kent side in all competitions.{{soccerbase season|96374|2019||access-date=28 June 2020}} On 29 September 2020 he re-signed for Gillingham on loan for the 2020–21 season.{{Cite web|title=Tommy O'Connor back at Gills|url=https://www.gillinghamfootballclub.com/news/2020/september/oconnor-returns-to-priestfield/|access-date=29 September 2020|website=www.gillinghamfootballclub.com}}
= Burton Albion =
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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57587928|title=Burton sign ex-Saints defender O'Connor|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}
= Wrexham =
He moved to Wrexham of the National League for an undisclosed fee in January 2022,{{Cite web|url=https://www.wrexhamafc.co.uk/news/2022/january/signed--tom-oconnor-signs-from-burton-albion/|title=Signed – Tom O’Connor signs from Burton Albion|website=www.wrexhamafc.co.uk}}{{cite web |title=Tom O'Connor: Burton Albion midfielder joins Wrexham |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/60201786 |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=31 January 2022 |date=31 January 2022}} making his debut for the Welsh side in a 1–0 away league defeat to Torquay United.{{Cite web|title=REPORT {{!}} Torquay United 1-0 Wrexham|url=https://www.wrexhamafc.co.uk/news/2022/february/match-report-for-torquay-united-vs-wrexham-on-05-feb-22/|access-date=6 February 2022|website=www.wrexhamafc.co.uk|language=en-gb}} On 9 July 2024 he signed a three-year extension until 2027.{{Cite web |date=9 July 2024 |title=Wrexham midfielder Tom O'Connor signs new three-year deal |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cm5231e9e99o |access-date=5 October 2024 |website=BBC Sport |language=en-GB}}
International career
O'Connor was called up to the Republic of Ireland U19 squad in February 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://www.southamptonfc.com/news/2017-02-09/international-call-thomas-oconnor-republic-of-ireland-under-18s|title=Republic of Ireland call for O'Connor|website=Southampton FC|language=en|access-date=31 December 2019}} He made his debut as a substitute in a 1–0 win over Portugal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fai.ie/ireland/match/55503/2017/999943358|title=Portugal 0 – 1 Republic of Ireland {{!}} 2017 – Under 19 Friendlies|website=www.fai.ie|access-date=31 December 2019}}
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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/sport/oconnor-wins-republic-of-ireland-call-up-215992/|title=Gillingham's Southampton loanee defender Tom O'Connor earns first international call-up for Republic of Ireland under-21s|date=12 November 2019|work=Kent Online|access-date=31 December 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.fai.ie/ireland/match/13/2021/2026502?tab=report|title=Armenia 0 – 1 Republic of Ireland {{!}} 2021 – U21 Mens|website=www.fai.ie|access-date=31 December 2019}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 21 March 2025}}
| class=wikitable style="text-align: center"
|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition | ||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|FA Cup !colspan="2"|League Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="6"|Southampton U21s
|colspan="2"|2016–17 EFL Trophy{{soccerbase season|96374|2016|accessdate=1 December 2020}} | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 3{{Efn|name=EFLT|Appearance(s) in EFL Trophy}} | 0 | 3 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|2017–18 EFL Trophy{{soccerbase season|96374|2017|accessdate=1 December 2020}} | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|2018–19 EFL Trophy{{soccerbase season|96374|2018|accessdate=1 December 2020}} | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 3{{Efn|name=EFLT}} | 0 | 3 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|2019–20 EFL Trophy{{soccerbase season|96374|2019|accessdate=1 December 2020}} | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|2020–21 EFL Trophy{{soccerbase season|96374|2020|accessdate=1 December 2020}} | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 1{{Efn|name=EFLT}} | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||
| colspan="2"|Total
!colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||||
| rowspan="3"|Southampton
|0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2020–21
|Premier League |0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Gillingham (loan)
|28 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1{{Efn|name=EFLT}} | 0 | 32 | 1 | |
| Gillingham (loan)
|League One |34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 | |
| Burton Albion
|2021–22{{soccerbase season|96374|2021|accessdate=12 August 2021}} |League One |18 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 5 | |
| rowspan="5"|Wrexham
|7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2022–23
|National League |24 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 4 | |
| 2023–24{{soccerbase season|96374|2023|access-date=5 March 2024}}
|34 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 39 | 1 | |
| 2024–25{{soccerbase season|96374|2024|access-date=18 August 2024}}
|League One |30 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 34 | 0 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!95 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 112 | 5 | |
| colspan="3"|Career total
!175 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 207 | 13 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
Wrexham
- EFL League Two runner-up: 2023–24{{Cite web|url=https://www.wrexhamafc.co.uk/news/2024/april/end-of-season-gallery--relive-the-red-dragons-memorable-season/|title=END-OF-SEASON GALLERY | Relive the Red Dragons’ memorable season|website=www.wrexhamafc.co.uk}}
- National League: 2022–23{{Cite news |date=22 April 2023 |title=Mullin the hero as Wrexham win to earn promotion |language= |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/65283910 |access-date=22 April 2023}}
- FA Trophy runner-up: 2021–22{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/61512965 |title=Bromley beat Wrexham to lift FA Trophy |author=Aled Williams |publisher=BBC Sport |date=22 May 2022 |access-date=2 February 2023}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Wrexham A.F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:OConnor, Thomas}}
Category:Republic of Ireland men's association footballers
Category:Southampton F.C. players
Category:Gillingham F.C. players
Category:Burton Albion F.C. players
Category:Wrexham A.F.C. players
Category:English Football League players
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Republic of Ireland men's youth international footballers
Category:Republic of Ireland men's under-21 international footballers
Category:National League (English football) players
Category:Association footballers from County Kilkenny
Category:21st-century Irish sportsmen
{{Ireland-footy-defender-stub}}