Kevin O'Connor

Kevin Patrick O'Connor (born 24 February 1982) is a retired professional footballer who made over 500 appearances for Brentford.

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 made seven appearances during the 1999–2000 season.

After a run of 23 goals in 30 games for the reserves, 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.

O'Connor made his Brentford debut in a 3–2 Football League Trophy semi-final defeat at Exeter City on 15 February 2000, replacing Ívar Ingimarsson after 85 minutes.

He was awarded his first start in a goalless league draw with Wycombe Wanderers on 19 February 2000 and signed a two-year professional contract on the same day.

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 made 12 appearances during the 2000–01 season and scored one goal.

He found himself utilised in "the hole" by outgoing manager Ray Lewington.

O'Connor's appearance against Wigan was the first of a run in the team and he scored the first senior goal of his career in a 2–1 league win over Bristol City on 20 February 2001.

O'Connor became a regular second-half substitute under new manager Steve Coppell during the 2001–02 season.

O'Connor made 32 appearances during the 2001–02 season, scoring one goal.

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, due to his absence from the 2001 Football League Trophy Final squad.

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.

Through November 2002 to January 2003, O'Connor went on a run of scoring five goals in 11 games and finished the 2002–03 season having scored 9 goals in 53 appearances.

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.

O'Connor began the 2004–05 season as a substitute, 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 was awarded the captaincy for the first time for a match against Hartlepool United on 19 October.

He made 44 appearances during the 2004–05 season and scored two goals as Brentford failed to progress past Sheffield Wednesday in the 2005 playoff semi-finals.

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.

O'Connor was Martin Allen's first-choice right back for the 2005–06 season and became the club's regular penalty taker, scoring from the spot against Rochdale, Tranmere Rovers and Walsall.

O'Connor was again nominated for the club's "Most Improved Player Of The Year" award.

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.

Following the signings of right backs Ben Starosta and Craig Pead by new manager Terry Butcher prior to the 2007–08 season, O'Connor played predominantly in central midfield for his first season in League Two, though he lost the captaincy to new signing John Mackie.

He had a good start to the season, scoring in consecutive games against Notts County and Barnet in August 2007.

O'Connor made 41 appearances and scored three goals as Brentford finished in mid-table.

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.

Despite missing the last 9 games of the 2008–09 season with a knee ligament injury, O'Connor made 33 appearances and scored one goal as Brentford were promoted as League Two champions.

He held the winners' trophy aloft with stand-in captain Alan Bennett after the final game of the season against Luton Town.

He made his 300th start for Brentford on 7 February 2009 against Chester City at Griffin Park.

A utility player and one-club man, at the time of his retirement in May 2015 he was Brentford's longest serving player, having signed his first professional contract in 1999.

He 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.

He represented Republic of Ireland U21 at international level and is currently assistant first team coach at Brentford.