Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | James Alfred Connolly [1] | ||
Date of birth | 2 November 2001 | ||
Position(s) | Central defender | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Bristol Rovers | ||
Number | 2 | ||
Youth career | |||
Blackburn Rovers | |||
2020–2021 | Cardiff City | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2021–2022 | Cardiff City | 0 | (0) |
2022 | → Bristol Rovers (loan) | 24 | (1) |
2022– | Bristol Rovers | 41 | (1) |
2023–2024 | → Morecambe (loan) | 13 | (2) |
International career‡ | |||
2022 | Wales U21 | 1 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:35, 27 April 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 11:24, 15 June 2022 |
James Alfred Connolly (born 2 November 2001) is a Welsh professional footballer who plays as a central defender for EFL League One club Bristol Rovers. He is a former Wales under-21 international.
Connolly began his career with Blackburn Rovers, signing a two-year scholarship contract with the club in June 2018. [2] Despite missing the majority of the 2019–20 season through an injury sustained in October 2019, Connolly had his scholarship extended by a further year [3] being released by the club at the end of the following season. [4] In June 2021, Connolly signed with Cardiff City.[ citation needed ] Connolly was retained by the club ahead of the 2022–23 season. [5]
On 8 January 2022, Connolly joined League Two side Bristol Rovers on loan for the remainder of the 2021–22 season. [6] He made his senior debut later that day in a 2–1 FA Cup third round defeat to Peterborough United, and his league debut came on 22 January 2022. [7] Connolly formed a solid defensive partnership with fellow Championship loanee Connor Taylor, being praised for his composure on the ball and his ability to adapt to the physical demands of League Two football. [8] Connolly scored a first senior goal in a vital match against promotion rivals Port Vale, turning home an Antony Evans cross to give Rovers the lead having fallen behind early on, Rovers going on to win 3–1. [9] Connolly's first season in professional football ended in success as Rovers were promoted on the final day of the season, a 7–0 victory moving Bristol Rovers into third place, beating Northampton Town to automatic promotion on goals scored. [10]
He re-joined Bristol Rovers on a permanent deal, transferring for an undisclosed sum, in June 2022, signing a three-year contract. [11] On 6 August 2022, Connolly scored his first goal since returning to the club on a permanent basis with the second in a 4–0 thrashing of Burton Albion. [12] On 27 August 2022, it was revealed that Connolly had suffered a stress fracture in his back that would see him out of action for a 'long period'. [13] On 29 October, Connolly made his return to first-team football as a substitute in a 4–2 defeat at Derby County. [14]
On 31 August 2023, Connolly joined League Two club Morecambe on loan until the end of the 2023–24 season. [15] He was recalled by his parent club on 3 January 2024. [16]
In May 2022, Connolly was called up to the Wales U21 team for the first time for the final 2023 U21 European Championship qualifiers against the Netherlands and Gibraltar. [17] Connolly made his debut in the latter of these matches as Wales won 2–0. [18]
Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Cardiff City | 2021–22 [7] | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Bristol Rovers (loan) | 2021–22 [7] | League Two | 24 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 1 |
Bristol Rovers | 2022–23 [19] | League One | 30 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 [lower-alpha 1] | 1 | 36 | 2 |
2023–24 [20] | League One | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
Total | 41 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 48 | 2 | ||
Morecambe (loan) | 2023–24 [20] | League Two | 13 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 [lower-alpha 1] | 0 | 17 | 2 |
Career total | 78 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 90 | 5 |
Bristol Rovers
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