Kevin O'Connor

Kevin Patrick O'Connor (born 24 February 1982) is a professional football coach and former player who is currently the first team coach of Premier League club Brentford.

A utility player and one-club man, at the time of his retirement in 2015 he was Brentford's longest serving player, having signed his first professional contract in 1999. O'Connor made over 500 appearances for the club and is fourth on the most Brentford appearances list, captained the club on over 200 occasions and was inducted into the Brentford Hall of Fame in 2015. Born in England, he represented the Republic of Ireland national under-21 team at international level.

Career

1999–2001: Early years After two years as a schoolboy with Southampton, O'Connor joined Second Division club Brentford as a schoolboy in 1995. He began his career as a forward and was awarded a scholarship in 1998. O'Connor received his maiden call into the first team squad for a league match against Cardiff City on 12 February 2000 and remained an unused substitute during the 1–1 draw.

A succession of injuries meant that O'Connor had to wait until December 2000 for his first appearance of the 2000–01 season, starting in a 2–2 league draw with Wigan Athletic, before being substituted for Mark Williams on 62 minutes. He found himself utilised in "the hole" by outgoing manager Ray Lewington.

2001–2004: Breakthrough O'Connor became a regular second-half substitute under new manager Steve Coppell during the 2001–02 season. He appeared in two of Brentford's three playoff games and endured heartbreak in the 2002 Second Division playoff Final as the Bees were denied a place in the First Division by 2–0 winners Stoke City in his first appearance at the Millennium Stadium, O'Connor made 32 appearances during the 2001–02 season, scoring one goal.

O'Connor was an ever-present as a right winger under new manager Wally Downes during the 2002–03 season and scored his first ever brace with two penalties in a 3–3 League Cup second round draw with AFC Bournemouth on 10 September 2002, in addition to converting a third penalty in the resulting shootout.

After signing a new three-year contract in June 2003, O'Connor appeared consistently during the 2003–04 season and kept his place in the team following the sacking of Downes and the appointment of Martin Allen as manager in March 2004. He scored the equaliser in a 1–1 draw with bitter rivals Queens Park Rangers in the West London derby on 14 February 2004. but an injury to Michael Dobson in a 4–1 defeat to Bristol City (a game in which O'Connor scored) on 30 August saw Martin Allen press O'Connor into service as a right back for much of the season. O'Connor's performances in his new right back position earned him the "Most Improved Player Of The Year" award. After the season, he signed a two-year contract extension. He finished the 2005–06 season having scored eight goals in 38 appearances, but once again he suffered playoff heartbreak as Brentford failed over overcome Swansea City in the 2006 playoff semi-finals.

O'Connor was promoted to captain under new manager Leroy Rosenior during the early months of the 2006–07 season. He signed a contract extension in September 2006, which would run until the end of the 2008–09 season. O'Connor made 43 appearances and scored seven goals during the 2006–07 season, but his efforts to prevent Brentford suffering relegation with a bottom-place finish in League One were in vain. He had a good start to the season, scoring in consecutive games against Notts County and Barnet in August 2007.

Under new manager Andy Scott, O'Connor was named captain and began the 2008–09 season as a starter, but he lost his place in the team after being sent off for the only time in his career, just 14 minutes after coming on for Craig Pead in a 2–1 league win over Dagenham & Redbridge on 6 September 2008. After a period out of favour, an injury to replacement captain Adam Newton in November 2008 saw O'Connor regain the armband and he went on to form a midfield partnership with Marcus Bean. He held the winners' trophy aloft with stand-in captain Alan Bennett after the final game of the season against Luton Town.

2009–2011: Captain O'Connor signed a new two-year contract in June 2009. Back in League One for the 2009–10 season, O'Connor appeared in all but three of Brentford's matches, making 49 appearances and scoring five goals. He scored a brace of penalties in a 2–1 league victory over Tranmere Rovers on 29 September 2009. After completing 10 years of continuous service as a Brentford player, O'Connor was awarded a testimonial on 14 July 2010 against local rivals Fulham.

O'Connor began the 2010–11 season as an ever-present in central midfield and scored his only two goals of the season in a 3–0 away league victory over Tranmere Rovers on 16 October 2010. After the appointment of forward Nicky Forster as interim manager (replacing the sacked Andy Scott) in February 2011, O'Connor found himself in and out of the team and was "extremely disappointed" that he was denied the chance to lead the team out as captain at Wembley Stadium in the 2011 Football League Trophy Final, despite having started in every game on the way to the final. O'Connor appeared as an 88th-minute substitute appearance in the game, which Brentford lost 1–0 to Carlisle United. O'Connor made 53 appearances during the 2010–11 season.

2011–2014: Injury hell Under new manager Uwe Rösler, O'Connor began the 2011–12 season mostly as a substitute and suffered a serious ankle injury in a 1–0 FA Cup first round win over Basingstoke Town on 12 November. He had made 18 appearances and scored two goals before the injury ended his season. After making 11 appearances, he suffered a serious leg and ankle injury while falling in a tackle in a 1–0 victory over Portsmouth on 6 November 2012 and it was determined that he would be out for six months. O'Connor signed a new one-year contract in March 2013. He returned to the first team on 16 April 2013, Craig's three match suspension began on Brentford's penultimate game of the season against Hartlepool United. Still not fully fit, O'Connor filled in at centre back alongside Harlee Dean in the 1–1 draw, having never played the position before.

Doncaster Rovers penalty incident Brentford's final game of the 2012–13 season was against Doncaster Rovers at Griffin Park, with the Bees needing to win to secure automatic promotion to the Championship. Before the game, the team was made aware that O'Connor was Uwe Rösler's designated penalty taker, but substitute striker Marcello Trotta grabbed the ball from O'Connor, with the intent to take the penalty. Trotta crashed the spot kick against the bar and Doncaster scored a breakaway goal through James Coppinger to win 1–0 and consign Brentford to the playoffs. O'Connor admitted after the game that he "tried to follow orders but Trotts has gone into the zone, got the ball and he was extremely confident. What can you say? If he scores it, it's perfect but unfortunately he's missed it and it's cost us". O'Connor later iterated that if Brentford were awarded a penalty during the playoffs, he would take it.

2013 playoffs and reaching 500 appearances

Brentford met Swindon Town in the semi-finals of the 2013 playoffs and trailing 1–0 in the first leg, the Bees were awarded an injury time penalty, which O'Connor converted. It proved to be his last appearance of the season after Tony Craig had served his suspension and returned to the starting lineup.

O'Connor returned fully fit for the 2013–14 season and once again deputised at centre back for Tony Craig in the 1–1 opening day draw with Port Vale. A groin injury suffered in October 2013 saw O'Connor miss two months of the season. After returning to fitness, made his first appearance in over four months with a start in a 2–0 win over Port Vale on 11 January 2014. Following automatic promotion to the Championship with three matches to spare, Manager Mark Warburton played O'Connor appeared in each of the remaining matches, in order to bring him up to 500 Brentford appearances. He finished the 2013–14 season with 12 appearances and won a Special Achievement Award for reaching 500 appearances.

2014–2015: Player-coach and retirement O'Connor made his only appearance of the 2014–15 season in a League Cup first round match versus Dagenham & Redbridge on 12 August 2014. He started the match, which finished 6–6 after extra time and had to be settled with a penalty shootout. With his last kick for the club, O'Connor scored the winning penalty. On 3 May 2015, O'Connor was inducted into the Brentford Hall of Fame, the first person to be inducted while still under contract to the club. Following Brentford's defeat to Middlesbrough in the playoff semi-finals, he announced his retirement from football.

O'Connor made 501 appearances and scored 44 goals in 16 seasons at Griffin Park. with 19. For his service to Brentford, he was presented with the Sir Tom Finney Award at the 2017 EFL Awards. In December 2022, in recognition of more than a quarter of a century of service to Brentford, a room at the club's new Robert Rowan Performance Centre was named in O'Connor's honour. He made his debut in a 1–1 away draw with Georgia on 28 March 2003, coming on as a substitute for John Thompson after 81 minutes and setting up the equalising goal with a pass to Noel Hunt. O'Connor made his first start two days later in a 1–0 defeat to Albania, lasting 76 minutes before being taken off for Hunt. He won four further caps in 2003, against Georgia, Russia, Switzerland and a friendly versus Poland. From the beginning of the 2014–15 season, O'Connor assumed coaching responsibilities at Brentford and began working with the first team, Development Squad and academy players and staff. he had received his UEFA Pro Licence.

Brentford B and Development Squad coach (2015–2018) On 25 May 2015, shortly after his retirement as a player, O'Connor was announced as Brentford's Development Squad assistant coach, working under head coach Lee Carsley. when he reverted to his previous position upon the appointment of Flemming Pedersen. On 17 November 2016, O'Connor took over the permanent role of Brentford B head coach from Pedersen and stayed in the position until mid-December 2018.

Brentford assistant first team coach (2018–present) On 13 December 2018, O'Connor was named as assistant coach of the Brentford first team, working under head coach Thomas Frank and assistant head coach Brian Riemer. His role was described as a bridge between the players and the coaching staff and between the first team and the B team, with a focus on coaching the offensive side of the game. By 2022, his matchday role had progressed to feeding then-assistant head coach Brian Riemer with information from a position up in the stand, behind the technical area. He has two brothers (Stephen and Damian) and his sister Kerry was also a footballer on the books at Chelsea and Barnet during the 2000s. Sheila died in July 2007. O'Connor attended The Douay Martyrs School in Ickenham.

Career statistics + Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

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1999–2000 Football League Two: 2008–09 Football League Trophy runner-up: 2010–11

Individual Brentford Most Improved Player of the Year: 2004–05 Brentford Special Achievement Award: 2013–14 Brentford Hall of Fame Sir Tom Finney Award: 2017