Connor O'Riordan

Connor O'Riordan

O'Riordan with Crewe Alexandra in 2022
Personal information
Full name	Connor Patrick O'Riordan [1]
Date of birth	(2003-10-19) 19 October 2003 (age 21)
Place of birth	Crewe, England
Height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Position(s)	Defender
Team information
Current team	Cambridge United (On loan from Blackburn Rovers)
Number	29
Youth career
2012–2020	Crewe Alexandra
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2020–2024	Crewe Alexandra	52	(6)
2021	→ Kidsgrove Athletic (loan)	4	(1)
2021	→ Nantwich Town (loan)	1	(0)
2022	→ Raith Rovers (loan)	18	(0)
2024–	Blackburn Rovers	2	(0)
2024–	→ Cambridge United (loan)	4	(0)
International career‡
2022	Republic of Ireland U20	1	(0)
2023–2024	Republic of Ireland U21	6	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 08:38, 16 September 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 13:03, 9 September 2024 (UTC)

Connor Patrick O'Riordan (born 19 October 2003) is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a defender for Cambridge United on loan from EFL Championship club Blackburn Rovers and has also been capped for the Republic of Ireland U20 and U21 teams. He began his career at Crewe Alexandra and also had a loan spell in Scotland at Raith Rovers.

Club career

Crewe Alexandra

O'Riordan signed a scholarship deal with Crewe Alexandra's Academy in 2020. ^[2]

In September 2021, he joined Kidsgrove Athletic ^[3] on a month-long loan before having a similar spell at Nantwich Town the following month. ^[4]

Upon returning to Crewe, he made his Crewe debut on 1 December 2021, being named in the starting line-up for an EFL Trophy knock-out game against Doncaster Rovers at Gresty Road. ^[5] Still an Academy scholar, he made his first league start on 29 January 2022 at Gresty Road against Rotherham United. ^[6] He signed his first professional deal with the club at the end of the 2021–22 season. ^[7]

On 5 August 2022, O'Riordan joined Scottish Championship side Raith Rovers on loan until January 2023, ^[8] making his debut the following day in a 1–0 defeat to Dundee. ^[9]

In his third game following his January 2023 return to Crewe, O'Riordan scored his first professional goal, in a 1–1 League Two draw with Stockport County on 31 January. ^[10] On 25 February 2023, he received his first career red card, being sent off after a second caution in the 87th minute of Crewe's 1–1 draw with Rochdale. ^[11] After suspension, he scored his second Crewe goal in his next game, a 4–3 win over Salford City at Gresty Road on 10 March 2023. ^[12]

Blackburn Rovers

On 24 January 2024, O'Riordan joined Blackburn Rovers on a four-and-a-half-year deal, ^[13] for an undisclosed fee. ^[14] He made his Blackburn debut as a 68th minute substitute in the side's 3–1 win over Stoke City on 10 February 2024. ^[15]

On 12 August 2024, O'Riordan joined Cambridge United on loan for the 2024/25 season. ^[16]

International career

Born in England, he is also eligible to play for Republic of Ireland and Scotland. ^[17]

O'Riordan was capped at under-20 level for the Republic of Ireland in March 2022. ^[18] His first call up for the Republic of Ireland U21 team came in March 2023, for a friendly against Iceland U21. ^[19] He won his first U21 cap, starting against Kuwait, on 19 June 2023. ^[20]

On 2 October 2023, in an apparent switch of allegiance, Scot Gemmill named O'Riordan in the Scotland U21 squad, ^[17] but two days later the defender pulled out to represent Ireland instead, ^{[21] [22]} and on 5 October was named in the country's U21 squad to play Latvia, ^[23] gaining a second U21 cap in Ireland's 2–1 victory on 14 October 2023. ^[24]

Career statistics

As of match played 5 November 2024

Club	Season	Division	League		FA Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Crewe Alexandra	2021–22 [25]	League One	11	0	0	0	0	0	2 [a]	0	13	0
	2022–23 [26]	League Two	18	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	18	3
	2023–24 [27]	League Two	23	3	1	0	2	0	1 [a]	0	27	3
	Crewe Alexandra total		52	6	1	0	2	0	3	0	58	6
Raith Rovers (loan)	2022–23 [26]	Scottish Championship	18	0	1	0	0	0	2 [b]	0	21	0
Blackburn Rovers	2023–24 [27]	EFL Championship	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Blackburn Rovers	2023–24 [27]	EFL Championship	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Cambridge United (loan)	2024–25 [28]	League One	4	0	0	0	1	0	2 [a]	0	7	0
Total			76	6	2	0	3	0	7	0	88	6

1. Appearances in EFL Trophy
2. Appearance in Scottish Challenge Cup

References

1. "EFL squad list 2021/22 & U21 registered contracted players" (PDF). English Football League. p. 44. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
2. "Connor O'Riordan – Defender". www.crewealex.net. Crewe Alexandra F.C. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
3. "Saturday's Transfer List – September 11th 2021". The NPL. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
4. "CONNOR O'RIORDAN JOINS THE DABBERS ON LOAN". Nantwich Town. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
5. "Crewe 2–0 Doncaster". Crewe Alexandra F.C. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
6. "Crewe Alexandra 0–2 Rotherham United". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
7. "Connor O'Riordan: Crewe Alexandra defender signs first professional contract". BBC Sport. 9 June 2022. Retrieved 10 June 2022.
8. "Connor O'Riordan Joins Raith Rovers On Loan". CreweAlex.net. 5 August 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
9. "Raith Rovers 0–1 Dundee". BBC Sport. 6 August 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
10. "Crewe Alexandra 1-1 Stockport County". BBC Sport. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
11. "Crewe Alexandra 1-1 Rochdale". BBC Sport. 25 February 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
12. "Crewe Alexandra 4-3 Salford City". BBC Sport. 10 March 2023. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
13. "O'Riordan is a Rover". Blackburn Rovers Official Site. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
14. "Connor O'Riordan: Blackburn sign Crewe defender on deal until 2028". BBC Sport. 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
15. "Blackburn Rovers 3-1 Stoke City". BBC Sport. 10 February 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
16. "Connor completes Cambridge loan switch". Blackburn Rovers Official Site. 12 August 2024. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
17. Costello, Lee (4 October 2023). "Ireland u21 star named in another country's squad in surprising international switch". Sports Joe. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
18. "O'Riordan Starts For Ireland U20s". CreweAlex.net. 23 March 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
19. Ireland U21s squad named for Iceland game in Cork, FAI, 15 March 2023.
20. "REPORT | U21 | Ireland 3-0 Kuwait - Ireland | Football Association of Ireland". www.fai.ie.
21. Cairns, Craig (4 October 2023). "Connor O'Riordan in Scotland under-21 snub as ex-Raith Rovers star opts for Ireland". Courier. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
22. McCadden, Mark (4 October 2023). "Defender set for Ireland call - just days after being named in Scotland squad". Irish Mirror.
23. "Jim Crawford names 22-man squad for Latvia qualifier". FAI. 5 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
24. "Report: U21: Oko-Flex at the double for Ireland". FAI. 14 October 2023. Retrieved 25 October 2023.
25. "Games played by Connor O'Riordan in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
26. "Games played by Connor O'Riordan in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
27. "Games played by Connor O'Riordan in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
28. "Games played by Connor O'Riordan in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 August 2024.