Connor Wood (footballer)

Connor Wood

Wood with Bradford City in September 2020
Personal information
Full name	Connor Oliver Wood [1]
Date of birth	(1996-07-17) 17 July 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth	Harlow, England
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.77 m) [2]
Position(s)	Left back, left winger
Team information
Current team	Tranmere Rovers
Number	27
Youth career
	Buckhurst Hill
2015–2016	Nike Academy
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2013–2014	Soham Town Rangers	42	(0)
2014–2015	Chesham United	31	(0)
2016–2018	Leicester City	0	(0)
2018–2021	Bradford City	103	(2)
2021–2023	Leyton Orient	32	(0)
2023	→ Colchester United (loan)	16	(0)
2023–	Tranmere Rovers	44	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:01, 21 December 2024 (UTC)

Connor Oliver Wood (born 17 July 1996) is an English professional footballer who plays as a left back and left winger for EFL League Two club Tranmere Rovers.

Career

Early career

Wood was born in Harlow, ^[2] playing youth football for Essex-based non-league club Buckhurst Hill. ^[3]

He then played for Soham Town Rangers, Chesham United, Nike Academy and Leicester City. ^{[4] [5]}

Bradford City

Wood signed a three-year contract with Bradford City in June 2018. ^{[6] [7] [8]} He stated he joined the club due to their youth policy. ^[9]

He made his senior debut on 1 September 2018 and scored his first goal on 1 January 2019, ^[10] in his first first-team game since November 2018. ^[11] Later that month he spoke about the club's improved form. ^[12] He began the 2019–20 season in a more attacking role, ^[13] and in October 2019 he spoke about the change in the club's mentality, ^[14] including his determination that the club would 'bounce back' following their first defeat after a run of three victories. ^[15] In November 2019 he was praised by manager Gary Bowyer, ^[16] and later that month Wood spoke about the club's recent lack of form. ^[17]

In February 2020, after captain James Vaughan left the club on loan, Wood said he would still speak to Vaughan for advice. ^[18]

By 18 February 2021 Wood had made 61 successive league starts for Bradford City, including playing every minute in the club's 2020–21 season to date. ^[19] Later that month he praised the maturity and detail of City's interim managers Mark Trueman and Conor Sellars. ^[20]

On 12 May 2021 he was one of nine players that Bradford City announced would leave the club on 30 June 2021 when their contracts expire. ^{[21] [22]}

Leyton Orient

On 16 June 2021 it was announced that Wood would sign for Leyton Orient after the expiry of his contract with Bradford City. ^{[23] [24]} In August 2021 Wood was dropped from the Leyton Orient first team, ending a run of 83 consecutive league games. ^[25] He moved on loan to Colchester United in January 2023. ^[26]

Tranmere Rovers

On 8 September 2023, Wood signed for Tranmere Rovers. ^[27] At the end of the 2023–24 season, he signed a new one-year contract extension. ^[28]

Playing style

Primarily a left back, in January 2019 he began to be used further up the field (as a left winger, a position he had some experience of from earlier in his career. ^[29] He made his first appearance of the 2019–20 season on the left of the front three, ^[30] and continued in a new attacking role for future games. ^[13] In December 2019 he spoke out about being encouraged by manager Gary Bowyer to be more vocal on the pitch. ^[31] In January 2020 he spoke about playing regularly. ^[32]

Career statistics

As of 21 December 2024

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Soham Town Rangers	2013–14 [4]	Isthmian League	42	0	1	0	0	0	7	2	50	2
Chesham United	2014–15 [5]	Southern Football League	31	0	0	0	0	0	6	1	37	1
Leicester City	2016–17 [33]	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2017–18 [34]	Premier League	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Bradford City	2018–19 [10]	League One	22	1	2	0	0	0	2 [a]	0	26	1
	2019–20 [35]	League Two	35	0	2	0	1	0	1 [a]	0	39	0
	2020–21 [36]	League Two	46	1	2	1	2	0	0	0	49	2
	Total		103	2	6	1	3	0	3	0	115	3
Leyton Orient	2021–22 [37]	League Two	32	0	1	0	1	0	2 [a]	0	36	0
	2022–23 [38]	League Two	0	0	0	0	2	0	1 [a]	0	2	0
	Total		32	0	1	0	2	0	3	0	38	0
Colchester United (loan)	2022–23 [38]	League Two	16	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	16	0
Tranmere Rovers	2023–24 [39]	League Two	29	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	29	0
	2024–25 [40]	League Two	15	0	1	0	2	0	3 [a]	0	21	0
	Total		44	0	1	0	2	0	3	0	50	0
Career total			268	2	9	1	7	0	22	3	306	6

1. Appearance(s) in the Football League Trophy.

References

1. "Club list of registered players: As at 19th May 2019" (PDF). English Football League. Retrieved 13 July 2019.
2. Connor Wood at Soccerway. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
3. "Hall of Fame". Buckhurst Hill F.C. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
4. "Profile". Soham Town Rangers F.C. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
5. "Profile". Aylesbury United F.C. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
6. "Connor Wood Joins Bradford City On A Permanent Deal". Leicester City F.C. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
7. Simon Parker (21 June 2018). "Bradford City: Leicester defender Wood signs deal". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
8. "Connor Wood: Bradford City sign Leicester City left-back". BBC Sport. 21 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
9. Simon Parker (26 June 2018). "Bradford City: Change in policy appeals to Wood". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
10. "Games played by Connor Wood in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
11. "WOOD DELIGHTED TO BE BACK". Bradford City A.F.C. 3 January 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2019.
12. Simon Parker (11 January 2019). "Bradford City: Wood backs revival to continue". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 11 January 2019.
13. "Wood making his pitch for Bantams' crossing role". Bradford Telegraph and Argus.
14. "Wood: Bantam mentality totally different to last season". Bradford Telegraph and Argus.
15. "Wood: Bantams will respond to kick up the backside". Bradford Telegraph and Argus.
16. "BANTAMS REACTION: Experiments pay off as Bowyer praises workhorse Wood". Bradford Telegraph and Argus.
17. "Wood: Bantams have clear heads to bounce back against Macc". Bradford Telegraph and Argus.
18. "Bantams defender Wood: I'll still call Vaughan for advice". Bradford Telegraph and Argus.
19. "He's started 61 league games on the bounce so Bantams can bank on Wood to go the distance". Bradford Telegraph and Argus.
20. ""It's as if they've been managing a first team for years"". Bradford Telegraph and Argus.
21. "NINE BANTAMS TO DEPART". www.bradfordcityfc.co.uk.
22. "City wave goodbye to nine – including long-serving defensive duo". Bradford Telegraph and Argus.
23. "LEFT-BACK CONNOR WOOD SIGNS FOR ORIENT". 16 June 2021.
24. "Orient sign defender Wood from Bradford". BBC Sport.
25. "BANTAMS OPPOSITION: Wood won't want bit-part role against old club". Bradford Telegraph and Argus.
26. "Colchester sign Orient left-back Wood on loan". BBC Sport.
27. "Connor Wood: Tranmere Rovers sign ex-Leyton Orient full-back until the end of the season". BBC Sport.
28. "Connor Wood signs new one-year deal". www.tranmererovers.co.uk. 29 April 2024. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
29. Simon Parker (7 February 2019). "Bradford City: Forward-thinking Wood comfortable in new role". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
30. "Bradford City: Five things we learned from Preston loss". Bradford Telegraph and Argus.
31. "Bantams defender Wood learning to use gift of the gab". Bradford Telegraph and Argus.
32. "'I've grown up so much', says Bantam defender Wood". Bradford Telegraph and Argus.
33. "Games played by Connor Wood in 2016/2017". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
34. "Games played by Connor Wood in 2017/2018". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
35. "Games played by Connor Wood in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
36. "Games played by Connor Wood in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
37. "Games played by Connor Wood in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
38. "Games played by Connor Wood in 2022/2023". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
39. "Games played by Connor Wood in 2023/2024". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
40. "Games played by Connor Wood in 2024/2025". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 6 October 2024.