Jack O'Connell (footballer)

Jack O'Connell

O'Connell playing for Rochdale in 2015
Personal information
Full nameJack William O'Connell[1]
Date of birth29 March 1994[1]
Place of birthLiverpool, England
Height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[2]
Playing positionDefender
Club information
Current team
Brentford
Number32
Youth career
2010–2011REMYCA United
2011–2012Blackburn Rovers
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2012–2015Blackburn Rovers0(0)
2012–2013→ Rotherham United (loan)3(0)
2013→ York City (loan)18(0)
2013–2014→ Rochdale (loan)38(0)
2014→ Rochdale (loan)17(3)
2015–Brentford0(0)
2015→ Rochdale (loan)12(2)
National team‡
2012England U181(0)
2012–2013England U198(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20:26, 28 March 2015 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 00:57, 29 December 2013 (UTC)

Jack William O'Connell (born 29 March 1994) is an English professional footballer who plays as a defender for Brentford. He began his career at Blackburn Rovers and came to prominence after captaining Rochdale to promotion from League Two in the 2013–14 season. O'Connell has been capped by England at under-18 and under-19 level, captaining the latter team.

Club career

Early years

Born in Liverpool, Merseyside,[1] O'Connell began his career with the youth team at Liverpool County Premier League Premier Division side REMYCA United at the age of 16.[3] He made seven appearances in the first team before being named their Youth Player of the Year for the 2010–11 season.[4][5]

Blackburn Rovers

After having trials with Premier League clubs Blackburn Rovers and Everton, O'Connell was signed by the academy of the latter on a two-year contract in the summer of 2011.[6][7] A left-sided centre-back and left-back,[8] he made 35 appearances and scored three goals for the academy and reserve teams during the 2011–12 season and was part of the academy side which reach the finals of the FA Youth Cup and the Premier Academy League.[9] O'Connell signed a two-year professional contract with Rovers in May 2012.[8]

After impressing on loan away from Ewood Park during the 2012–13 and 2013–14 seasons, O'Connell signed a new two-year deal in the summer of 2014.[10] O'Connell received his maiden call into the first team squad on 12 August 2014, being named in the starting lineup for a League Cup first round match versus Scunthorpe United.[11] He played the full 90 minutes of the 1–0 defeat.[12] He was called into the squad for the club's next two Championship matches, before departing on loan.[11] After his return,[13] O'Connell's final involvement with the first team came on 3 January 2015, when he remained an unused substitute for a 2–1 FA Cup third round victory over Charlton Athletic.[11] He departed Rovers on 2 February 2015,[14] after making just one first team appearance in three-and-a-half years at Ewood Park.[15] He made 49 appearances and scored three goals for the club's reserve and academy sides.[9]

Rotherham United (loan)

On 22 November 2012, O'Connell signed on loan for League Two side Rotherham United until 5 January 2013.[16] O'Connell made the first senior appearance of his career on 24 November 2012, replacing Courtney Cameron in the 89th minute of a 1–0 away win against Exeter City.[17] He made five appearances for Rotherham before returning to Blackburn.[17]

York City (loan)

O'Connell playing for York City in 2013

O'Connell joined another League Two side, York City, on a one-month loan on 24 January 2013.[18] He made his debut two days later in a 1–1 draw away at Gillingham.[17] The loan was extended until the end of the 2012–13 season on 25 February 2013.[19] O'Connell made 18 appearances for York before returning to Blackburn after his loan expired.[17]

Rochdale (loans)

O'Connell signed for League Two side Rochdale on a six-month loan on 22 July 2013.[20] Consistently good displays saw manager Keith Hill extend O'Connell's loan until the end of the 2013–14 season in December 2013.[21] He was also named captain by Hill.[22] O'Connell made 45 appearances as Rochdale earned automatic promotion to League One after finishing third in League Two.[23]

On 1 September 2014, O'Connell rejoined Rochdale on a loan running until 3 January 2015.[24] He scored the first senior goal of his career with a header in a 3–0 win over Yeovil Town on 25 October 2014.[25][26] O'Connell returned to Blackburn Rovers after his loan expired,[13] having made 19 appearances and scored three goals during his spell with Rochdale.[25] Across his two spells at Spotland, O'Connell made 64 appearances and scored three goals.[15]

Brentford

On 2 February 2015, O'Connell signed for Championship side Brentford on a three-and-a-half year contract.[14] After a spell on loan, O'Connell received his maiden call into the first team squad on 6 April, when he was an unused substitute during a 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest.[11]

Return to Rochdale (loan)

On 10 February 2015, O'Connell returned to League One side Rochdale on loan until the end of the 2014–15 season.[27] He made his third debut for the club in a 2–1 defeat to Peterborough United four days later.[25] He made 12 appearances and scored two goals before being recalled by Brentford on 28 March.[25][28] Earlier in the day he had celebrated the 100th professional appearance of his career with the winner in a 2-1 victory over Yeovil Town.[29][30] Over the course of his three spells with Rochdale, O'Connell made 76 appearances and scored five goals.[15]

International career

O'Connell was capped once by the England under-18 team, playing the full 90 minutes of a 3–0 friendly victory over Poland on 7 March 2012.[31] He made his debut for the under-19s in a 3–0 2013 European U19 Championship qualification win over Estonia on 26 September 2012.[31] O'Connell won four further caps during the qualifying round, including three as captain. He won eight caps at under-19 level.[31]

Career statistics

As of match played 28 December 2014.
Club statistics
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Rotherham United (loan) 2012–13[17] League Two 3020——50
York City (loan) 2012–13[17] League Two 180———180
Rochdale (loan) 2013–14[23] League Two 38040102[lower-alpha 1]0450
Blackburn Rovers 2014–15[25] Championship 000010—10
Rochdale (loan) 2014–15[25] League One 295——2[lower-alpha 1]0315
Career total 7636010401005
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Appearances in Football League Trophy

Honours

Rochdale

Personal life

In 2014, O'Connell was in a relationship with fellow professional footballer Alex Greenwood.[32]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Brown, Tony; Joyce, Michael; Longbottom, David, eds. (2013). English National Football Archive Yearbook 2013. Tony Brown. p. 147. ISBN 978-1-905891-62-7.
  2. ↑ "Jack O'Connell". The Guardian (London). Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  3. ↑ "Former player joins Rochdale". Pitchero. 22 July 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  4. ↑ "Remyca Utd youth product captains England U19s". Pitchero. 24 May 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  5. ↑ "Jack Gets England Call!!". Pitchero. 13 February 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  6. ↑ Evans, David (13 May 2011). "Jack of the Rovers". Pitchero. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  7. ↑ "Rovers pair land England call". Lancashire Telegraph (Blackburn). 30 October 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Rovers reward O'Connell". Sky Sports. 29 May 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Jack O'Connell". Blackburn Rovers F.C. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  10. ↑ Wheelock, Paul (1 July 2014). "Jack O'Connell signs two-year contract with Blackburn Rovers". Lancashire Telegraph (Blackburn). Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 "Jack O'Connell". ESPN FC. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  12. ↑ "Blackburn 0–1 Scunthorpe". BBC Sport. 1 August 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Cywka & O'Connell Leave Spotland". Vital Dale. 6 January 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Wickham, Chris. "Brentford sign Jack O'Connell from Blackburn Rovers". Brentford F.C. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 "Jack O'Connell". Soccerbase. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  16. ↑ "Rotherham sign Liam Ridehalgh and Jack O'Connell on loan". BBC Sport. 22 November 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 17.5 "Games played by Jack O'Connell in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  18. ↑ "York City sign Blackburn Rovers defender Jack O'Connell". BBC Sport. 24 January 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  19. ↑ Flett, Dave (25 February 2013). "York City extend loan deal for Blackburn defender Jack O'Connell". The Press (York). Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  20. ↑ "Rochdale: Jack O'Connell joins on loan from Blackburn Rovers". BBC Sport. 22 July 2013. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  21. ↑ "Rochdale: Jack O'Connell and Graham Cummins extend loans". BBC Sport. 31 December 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  22. ↑ "Sky Sports Scout, in association with Wyscout, reports on young defender Jack O'Connell". Sky Sports. 21 May 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 "Games played by Jack O'Connell in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  24. ↑ "Defender returns to Dale". Blackburn Rovers F.C. 1 September 2014. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 25.4 25.5 "Games played by Jack O'Connell in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  26. ↑ "Yeovil 0–3 Rochdale". BBC Sport. 25 October 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  27. ↑ "Brentford defender Jack O'Connell joins Rochdale on loan". Brentford F.C. 10 February 2015. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  28. ↑ http://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/news/article/jack-oconnell-recalled-by-brentford-2363753.aspx
  29. ↑ http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/liverpool-born-jack-oconnell-makes-remarkable-8937196
  30. ↑ http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31996677
  31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 "Jack O'Connell". The Football Association. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  32. ↑ "Alex and Jack prove to be the perfect match; EFC Ladies". Liverpool Echo. 3 February 2014. Retrieved 10 February 2015.

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