Barry Conlon

Barry John Conlon (born 1 October 1978) is an Irish former professional footballer and Head Coach of New York-based LMFC Blue Jaguars

As a player he was a striker from 1996 to 2013.

Conlon's career started with Queens Park Rangers but he moved to Manchester City before he had played a game.

He made his Football League debut with City.

He subsequently went on to play for Southend United, York City, Darlington on two separate occasions, Barnsley, Mansfield Town, Bradford City, Grimsby Town, Chesterfield, Stockport County, R.O.C. de Charleroi-Marchienne and Dundalk.

He has also had a number of other loan spells with other Football League sides and has represented his country at under-21 level in seven games.

Conlon was the youngest of six sons to Noel and Kitty.

Born in Drogheda, County Louth, Conlon grew up in Carrickmacross, County Monaghan where he played football with local team Carrickmacross Rovers from the age of eight to 14.

He also represented the North Eastern Counties Schoolboys League at the Kennedy Cup in Limerick.

During the tournament Conlon impressed scouts from top schoolboy club Stella Maris and signed for the Dublin outfit in time for the prestigious Milk Cup held in Coleraine that summer.

He remained in Dublin for one season before returning to the north-east to sign for Dundalk.

At the end of his first season at Oriel Park, Conlon re-signed for Carrick Rovers before attracting the interest of English clubs.

He started his professional career with Queens Park Rangers (QPR), signing his first contract on 1 August 1996.

This was a couple of months after Rangers had lost their FA Premier League status.

Conlon was added to the Loftus Road squad for their first season back in the First Division.

However, after his first year at QPR he was released.

He failed to make an appearance for the club's first team.

Conlon was signed by Manchester City, who had suffered relegation with QPR in 1996.

Shortly after signing Conlon played for the Republic of Ireland national under-19 football team in the 1997 UEFA European Under-18 Football Championship finals in Iceland.

He scored and got sent off against Switzerland.

He made his debut for the club on 27 September 1997, replacing Georgi Kinkladze as a late substitute against Swindon Town, but appearances were limited to just one league start and seven substitute appearances.

Subsequently, he was loaned out 18 months later to Plymouth Argyle, spending the next six months at the club, scoring two goals in 13 games.

He was released by City at the end of his contract.

He next port of call was to sign for Southend United a month into the 1998–99 season.

Conlon made over 30 appearances for the club, scoring seven goalsin all competitions, but Conlon left no more than 10 months after joining the Roots Hall club.

York City signed Conlon for a fee of £100,000, and he went on to play a pivotal role in the City side during the 1999–2000 season.

In November 2000, he fell out of favour at Bootham Crescent, thus allowing him to join Colchester United on loan, but after playing the 2000–01 season for United, the club decided to not give him a permanent deal.

York cashed in on Conlon and sold him to rivals Darlington in July 2001 for a reported five-figure fee.

Conlon's first season at the club was not as successful as he hoped, but in his three seasons at Feethams, he was loved by some fans who heralded him as a hero, after playing a huge part in keeping Darlo in the Football League.

In his last season at the club, he scored 14 goals, leading to interest from higher-league clubs.

Following the end of his contract at Darlington, Conlon was free to leave, and he signed for Barnsley.

Conlon struggled to find the net at Barnsley, and eventually lost his place in the side to players such as Rory Fallon and Michael Boulding.

He was loaned to Rotherham United towards the end of the 2005–06 season.

He left Barnsley at the end of that season, he made just under 40 appearances for the club in the two seasons, scoring seven times.

Conlon made a surprise return to Darlington at the start of 2006–07.

On his return to Darlington, he scored a hat-trick on his debut, but later lost his place in the team following Dave Penney's appointment as manager.

In January 2007 he left the club for a second time.

Conlon was allowed to sign for Mansfield Town on a free transfer along with Lincoln City striker Martin Gritton.

He played 17 games for the club, scoring six times, but was released by the club four months later.

Conlon joined newly relegated League Two side Bradford City on a one-year contract, becoming new manager Stuart McCall's first signing, along with fellow striker Peter Thorne.