Barry Conlon
Encyclopedia
Barry John Conlon is an Irish
footballer who plays as a striker and is currently without a club.
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
and R.O.C. de Charleroi-Marchienne
.. 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.
, 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.
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 clubs first team.
, who had suffered relegation with QPR in 1996. 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.
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.
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.
at the start of the 2001–02 season, 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 managed to net 14 goals, leading to interest from high league clubs.
. 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.
. 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.
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.
side Bradford City
on a one-year contract, becoming new manager Stuart McCall
's first signing, along with fellow striker Peter Thorne. His debut came on the first day of the 2007-08
season against Macclesfield Town
when he saw a penalty kick
saved and the rebound scored by Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu
to secure a 1–1 draw. He scored his first goal for the club in his 10th game, converting a last minute penalty at Milton Keynes Dons
on 6 October 2007 in a 2–1 defeat. After missing a number of chances in a game against Brentford
later in October, he came in for criticism from the fans and was dropped from the Bradford starting side for more than a month. However, he turned down two loan moves away from Bradford and scored his first goal from open play to seal a late 2–1 victory over Lincoln City
on Boxing Day 2007. Conlon scored two more penalties before being relieved of penalty duties after missing a vital kick in a 2–0 defeat to Dagenham & Redbridge
on 1 March 2008. Later that month he scored in successive games for the first time for City including one against former side Mansfield. He ended the month with another goal against a former side, this time Darlington
, in a 3–1 win at the Darlington Arena. Conlon earned a new six-month contract, which he signed at the end of the season keeping him at Bradford City until January 2009.
He was largely used as a substitute at the start of the 2008-09 season, but scored his first goal of the campaign during a start against Leeds United
in the Football League Trophy
, as Bradford lost 2–1. His first league goal of the season came just minutes after coming on as a substitute against Luton Town
, to help Bradford gain a point with ten men. Having scored two more goals, Conlon was rewarded with a rare start against Barnet
, when he scored two goals but City could only draw 3–3. Conlon scored his 100th league goal from the penalty spot on the 25 November 2008, grabbing the winning goal in a 3–2 win for Bradford City at Valley Parade against Chesterfield
. He marked the occasion by removing his shirt, revealing a vest with '100' emblazoned across the front, for which he was shown a yellow card. Conlon extended his stay at Bradford for another six months when he signed another new short-term contract in December 2008. In March 2009, Conlon and defender Matthew Clarke were both dropped for a game with Exeter City
and punished following a breach of club discipline. Manager Stuart McCall
said: "It's an internal matter and has been dealt with in the dressing room." Conlon was recalled to the side but made one only more appearance before he was sent on loan.
on loan for the rest of the 2008-09 season. He joined the club on the transfer deadline day along with Peter Sweeney
and Jonathan Lund. He scored the final goal of a 3-0 win against Gillingham
on his debut to help lift Grimsby out of the League Two relegation zone. He scored a penalty in his second game to give Grimsby a 1–0 victory against Aldershot Town
and lift them three points clear of the relegation zone. Conlon proved to be an integral part of the Grimsby team that avoided relegation from The Football League
. Having partnered forwards Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro
and Adam Proudlock
up front, Conlon scored five times in eight appearances to help seal Grimsby's league status.
Following the conclusion of the 2008-09 campaign, he was released by Bradford, and shortly afterwards he signed for Grimsby permanently on a two-year contract. Conlon's season began on a plus point, scoring on the opening day game with Cheltenham Town
, but he soon lost his place in the first team due too two red cards in three games which left him suspended for seven matches, in which his team seemingly struggled too find an adequate replacement who could find the back of the net. Following the dismissal of manager Mike Newell
, Conlon found himself out of favour with new manager Neil Woods
often using him as a substitute. He was also relegated to the reserves, and spent one night in a police station cell because of driving offences only hours before a reserve fixture with Scunthorpe United
. On 13 January 2010, Woods told Conlon, along with Danny Boshell
, Matthew Heywood
and Jamie Clarke that they are free to leave the club in the January transfer window. On 1 March 2010, over a month since Conlon's Grimsby departure, the club held a fans forum giving a chance for the supporters to voice recent club concerns with chairman John Fenty
and manager Neil Woods
. Conlon's release to Chesterfield had been slightly criticized by some supporters because of the fact he was the Grimsby's current seasonal top goalscorer, and was seemingly the only proven goal scorer in the ranks at Blundell Park
. Fenty was asked by a supporter during the forum why Conlon was allowed to leave. Fenty answered that Conlon had become a disruptive influence, having also failed to turn up for training, and with that had not answered phone calls from the club. Conlon later admitted that after an enjoyable loan spell with Grimsby his "heart wasn't in it" when he signed permanently for the club and that his commuting from his Leeds
home had left him exhausted. He also claimed that new manager Neil Woods
was "clueless"
initially on loan. Conlon scored on his Chesterfield debut to give them a 1–0 victory against Torquay United
and lift his new side into the promotion play-off spots. On 23 January 2010, it was announced that prior to his move to Saltergate, Conlon was offered to Accrington Stanley
as part of a six-figure deal to lure striker Michael Symes
to Blundell Park
. Stanley rejected the bid, meaning Conlon's move to Chesterfield went through.
On 1 February 2010, Conlon signed for Chesterfield on a permanent deal after Grimsby agreed to cancel his two-year contract by mutual consent. Conlon, during his time at Saltergate, chipped in with six goals including a number of penalties. As a result of failing to qualify for the League Two play-offs, Chesterfield manager John Sheridan released Conlon, along with 11 other players, on 12 March 2010.
on 15 July 2010 following a trial. In November 2010, police saw Conlon speeding in his Mercedes
. He was stopped and gave a positive drink-drive sample. The following month he was given a three-and-a-half year driving ban after admitting drink-driving; he was also fined £1,175. Consequently, he was released by the club after having his contract cancelled by mutual consent on 21 December.
side R.O.C. de Charleroi-Marchienne
. He left the club at the end of the 2010-11 season.
! colspan=2|Club Performance
! colspan=2|League
! colspan=2|FA Cup
! colspan=2|League Cup
! colspan=2|Total>
! Apps !! Goals !! Apps !! Goals !! Apps !! Goals !! Apps !! Goals>
1997–98
Manchester City
7
0
0
0
0
0
7 0
1997–98
Plymouth Argyle
(loan)
13
2
0
0
0
0
13 2
1998–99
Manchester City
0
0
0
0
1
0
1 0
1998–99
Southend United
34
7
0
0
1
0
35 7
1999–2000
York City
40
11
2
0
1
0
43 11
2000–01
8
0
0
0
2
0
10 0
2000–01
Colchester United
(loan)
26
8
1
0
0
0
27 8
2001–02
Darlington
35
10
1
1
1
0
37 11
2002–03
41
15
2
2
1
0
44 17
2003–04
39
14
1
0
2
0
42 14
2004–05
Barnsley
24
6
1
0
2
1
27 7
2005–06
11
1
0
0
2
0
13 1
2005–06
Rotherham United
(loan)
3
1
0
0
0
0
3 1
2006–07
Darlington
19
6
2
0
0
0
21 6
2006–07
Mansfield Town
17
6
0
0
0
0
17 6
2007–08
Bradford City
42
7
2
0
1
0
45 7
2008–09
30
10
2
0
1
0
33 10
2008–09
Grimsby Town
(loan)
8
5
0
0
0
0
8 5
2009–10
Grimsby Town
4
2
0
0
0
0
4 2
2009–10
Chesterfield
19
7
0
0
0
0
19 7
2010-11
Stockport County
9
0
0
0
1
0
9 0
Career Total
429 118 14 3 16 1 459 122
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
footballer who plays as a striker and is currently without a club.
Conlon's career started with Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
but he moved to Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
before he had played a game. He made his Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
debut with City. He subsequently went on to play for Southend United
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
, York City
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
, Darlington
Darlington F.C.
Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003...
on two separate occasions, Barnsley
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
, Mansfield Town
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
, Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
, Grimsby Town
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
, Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
, Stockport County
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
and R.O.C. de Charleroi-Marchienne
R.O.C. de Charleroi-Marchienne
Royal Olympic Club de Charleroi-Marchienne is a Belgian association football club from the city of Charleroi, Hainaut. As of 2010, they play in Belgian Third Division B.-History:...
.. 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.
Early life
Conlon was the youngest of six sons to Noel and Kitty. Born in DroghedaDrogheda
Drogheda is an industrial and port town in County Louth on the east coast of Ireland, 56 km north of Dublin. It is the last bridging point on the River Boyne before it enters the Irish Sea....
, County Louth
County Louth
County Louth is a county of Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Louth. Louth County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Conlon grew up in Carrickmacross
Carrickmacross
Carrickmacross or Carrickmacros is a town in County Monaghan, Ireland. The town and environs had a population of 4,387 according to the 2006 census, making it the second largest town in the county. The town won the prestigious European Entente Florale Silver Medal Award. It is a market town which...
, County Monaghan
County Monaghan
County Monaghan is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Monaghan. Monaghan County Council is the local authority for the county...
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
Coleraine
Coleraine is a large town near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast and east of Derry, both of which are linked by major roads and railway connections...
that summer. He remained in Dublin for one season before returning to the north east to sign for Dundalk
Dundalk F.C.
Dundalk Football Club is a professional Irish football club based in Dundalk, County Louth. The club currently play in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. Founded in 1903, they are the second most successful team, in terms of trophies won, in the history of the League of Ireland. The...
. At the end of his first season at Oriel Park
Oriel Park
Oriel Park is a multi-purpose stadium in Dundalk, County Louth, Republic of Ireland. It is used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Dundalk F.C. Its current capacity is about 4,500 with 3,000 seats. The ground was opened in 1919.-History:...
, Conlon re-signed for Carrick Rovers before attracting the interest of English clubs.
Queens Park Rangers
He started his professionalProfessional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
career with Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers F.C.
Queens Park Rangers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in White City, Hammersmith and Fulham, west London. As the 2010-11 Football League Championship champions, they now play in the top tier of English football the Premier League, for the first time in 15 years...
(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
Loftus Road
Loftus Road is a football stadium in Shepherd's Bush, London. It is home to the English football team Queens Park Rangers of the Premier League and has a capacity of around 18,500. The four stands are called the Loftus Road End , Ellerslie Road Stand, South Africa Road Stand and the School End,...
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 clubs first team.
Manchester City
Conlon was signed by Manchester CityManchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
, who had suffered relegation with QPR in 1996. He made his debut for the club on 27 September 1997, replacing Georgi Kinkladze as a late substitute against Swindon Town
Swindon Town F.C.
Swindon Town Football Club are a team based in Swindon, Wiltshire. Currently in League Two, Swindon have been managed by Paolo Di Canio since 23 May 2011...
, but appearances were limited to just one league start and seven substitute appearances. Subsequently, he was loaned out 18 months later to Plymouth Argyle
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
, 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.
Southend United
His next port of call was to sign for Southend UnitedSouthend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
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
Roots Hall
Roots Hall is a multi-use sports stadium in Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England, primarily used for football games and is the home of the Football League Two club Southend United. With a capacity of 12,392 Roots Hall is the largest football stadium in Essex, and is the current venue for the final of...
club.
York City
York CityYork City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
signed Conlon for a fee
Fee
A fee is the price one pays as remuneration for services. Fees usually allow for overhead, wages, costs, and markup.Traditionally, professionals in Great Britain received a fee in contradistinction to a payment, salary, or wage, and would often use guineas rather than pounds as units of account...
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
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
on loan, but after playing the 2000–01 season for United, the club decided to not give him a permanent deal.
Darlington
York cashed in on Conlon and sold him to rivals DarlingtonDarlington F.C.
Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003...
at the start of the 2001–02 season, 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
Feethams
Feethams is a cricket ground and the former home of Darlington F.C. for 120 years, from 1883 to 2003, until the club moved into a new stadium on the outskirts of Darlington.- History :...
, 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 managed to net 14 goals, leading to interest from high league clubs.
Barnsley
Following the end of his contract at Darlington, Conlon was free to leave, thus allowing him to sign with BarnsleyBarnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
. Conlon struggled to find the net at Barnsley, and eventually lost his place in the side to players such as Rory Fallon
Rory Fallon
Rory Michael Fallon is a New Zealand footballer who plays for Scottish Premier League club Aberdeen as a forward. He has previously played for Barnsley, Shrewsbury Town, Swindon Town, Yeovil Town, Swansea City, Plymouth Argyle and Ipswich Town. He has been capped by New Zealand at international...
and Michael Boulding
Michael Boulding
Michael Thomas Boulding is an English professional footballer. He can play as a forward or as a winger, and had previously been a promising young tennis player, ranking among the top 20 players in Britain...
. He was loaned to Rotherham United
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
towards the end of the 2005-06
2005-06 in English football
The 2005–06 season was the 126th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:*The rebuilt Wembley Stadium was due to open in time for the FA Cup final in May. However, in August 2005, The Football Association reserved the Millennium Stadium as a backup, as there was some doubt whether...
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.
Darlington (second spell)
Conlon made a surprise return to Darlington at the start of 2006-072006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
. 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.
Mansfield Town
Conlon was allowed to sign for Mansfield TownMansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
on a free transfer along with Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
striker Martin Gritton
Martin Gritton
Martin Francis Jeremy Gritton is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a striker who currently plays for Stockport County. He is a journeyman player and has previously played for Plymouth Argyle, Shelbourne, Torquay United, Grimsby Town, Lincoln City, Mansfield Town, Macclesfield Town,...
. He played 17 games for the club, scoring six times, but was released by the club four months later.
Bradford City
Conlon joined newly-relegated League TwoFootball League Two
Football League Two is the third-highest division of The Football League and fourth-highest division overall in the English football league system....
side Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
on a one-year contract, becoming new manager Stuart McCall
Stuart McCall
Andrew Stuart Murray McCall , usually known as Stuart McCall, is a former footballer who played in central midfield. He played a total of 763 league games during his career, the 13th highest of all British footballers...
's first signing, along with fellow striker Peter Thorne. His debut came on the first day of the 2007-08
2007-08 in English football
The 2007–08 season was the 128th season of competitive football in England.-European competitions:In October 2007 Arsenal equalled the UEFA Champions League record victory with a 7–0 win over Slavia Prague at the Emirates Stadium. The record was broken the following month when Liverpool...
season against Macclesfield Town
Macclesfield Town F.C.
Macclesfield Town Football Club is an English football team. The club was formed in 1874 and is based in the town of Macclesfield in Cheshire. The team play its home games at the 6,355 capacity Moss Rose stadium...
when he saw a penalty kick
Penalty kick
A penalty kick is a type of direct free kick in association football, taken from twelve yards out from goal and with only the goalkeeper of the defending team between the penalty taker and the goal.Penalty kicks are performed during normal play...
saved and the rebound scored by Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu
Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu
Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu is a Congolese professional footballer, formerly an under-21 international.He has played for Amiens SC, Sheffield Wednesday, Preston North End, Colchester United, Cardiff City, Gillingham, Bradford City and had two spells at Darlington.-Career:Ndumbu-Nsungu started his...
to secure a 1–1 draw. He scored his first goal for the club in his 10th game, converting a last minute penalty at Milton Keynes Dons
Milton Keynes Dons F.C.
.Milton Keynes Dons Football Club is an English professional football club founded in 2004 and based since 2007 at Stadium mk, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire...
on 6 October 2007 in a 2–1 defeat. After missing a number of chances in a game against Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
later in October, he came in for criticism from the fans and was dropped from the Bradford starting side for more than a month. However, he turned down two loan moves away from Bradford and scored his first goal from open play to seal a late 2–1 victory over Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
on Boxing Day 2007. Conlon scored two more penalties before being relieved of penalty duties after missing a vital kick in a 2–0 defeat to Dagenham & Redbridge
Dagenham & Redbridge F.C.
Dagenham & Redbridge Football Club , informally known as Daggers, is an English association football club based in Dagenham, in the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, East London. It was formed in 1992 after a merger between Redbridge Forest and Dagenham...
on 1 March 2008. Later that month he scored in successive games for the first time for City including one against former side Mansfield. He ended the month with another goal against a former side, this time Darlington
Darlington F.C.
Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003...
, in a 3–1 win at the Darlington Arena. Conlon earned a new six-month contract, which he signed at the end of the season keeping him at Bradford City until January 2009.
He was largely used as a substitute at the start of the 2008-09 season, but scored his first goal of the campaign during a start against Leeds United
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
in the Football League Trophy
Football League Trophy
The Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
, as Bradford lost 2–1. His first league goal of the season came just minutes after coming on as a substitute against Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
, to help Bradford gain a point with ten men. Having scored two more goals, Conlon was rewarded with a rare start against Barnet
Barnet F.C.
Barnet Football Club is an English football team from High Barnet, London, England, currently playing in Football League Two. The ground is in the town of Barnet within the London Borough of Barnet....
, when he scored two goals but City could only draw 3–3. Conlon scored his 100th league goal from the penalty spot on the 25 November 2008, grabbing the winning goal in a 3–2 win for Bradford City at Valley Parade against Chesterfield
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
. He marked the occasion by removing his shirt, revealing a vest with '100' emblazoned across the front, for which he was shown a yellow card. Conlon extended his stay at Bradford for another six months when he signed another new short-term contract in December 2008. In March 2009, Conlon and defender Matthew Clarke were both dropped for a game with Exeter City
Exeter City F.C.
Exeter City Football Club is an English football club, based in Exeter, which is owned by its fans through the Exeter City Supporters Trust.The club was a member of the Football League from 1920 to 2003...
and punished following a breach of club discipline. Manager Stuart McCall
Stuart McCall
Andrew Stuart Murray McCall , usually known as Stuart McCall, is a former footballer who played in central midfield. He played a total of 763 league games during his career, the 13th highest of all British footballers...
said: "It's an internal matter and has been dealt with in the dressing room." Conlon was recalled to the side but made one only more appearance before he was sent on loan.
Grimsby Town
Conlon signed for fellow League Two club Grimsby TownGrimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
on loan for the rest of the 2008-09 season. He joined the club on the transfer deadline day along with Peter Sweeney
Peter Sweeney
Peter Henry Sweeney is a Scottish professional football midfielder who currently plays for Football League One side Bury....
and Jonathan Lund. He scored the final goal of a 3-0 win against Gillingham
Gillingham F.C.
Gillingham Football Club is an English professional football club based in the town of Gillingham, Kent. The only Kent-based club in the Football League, they play their home matches at the Priestfield Stadium...
on his debut to help lift Grimsby out of the League Two relegation zone. He scored a penalty in his second game to give Grimsby a 1–0 victory against Aldershot Town
Aldershot Town F.C.
Aldershot Town Football Club is an association football club based in Aldershot, Hampshire, England, founded in the spring of 1992 just after the closure of debt-ridden Fourth Division club Aldershot Football Club...
and lift them three points clear of the relegation zone. Conlon proved to be an integral part of the Grimsby team that avoided relegation from The Football League
The Football League
The Football League, also known as the npower Football League for sponsorship reasons, is a league competition featuring professional association football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest such competition in world football...
. Having partnered forwards Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro
Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro
Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro is a French-born professional footballer who originates from Ivory Coast. He plays as a forward and is currently playing for Rochdale. Akpro has notably played French top flight football in Ligue 1 football for Toulouse, having also played for Stade Brestois 29, FC Brussels...
and Adam Proudlock
Adam Proudlock
Adam David Proudlock is an English footballer who plays for AFC Telford United as a striker. He notably played as a professional for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Sheffield Wednesday, having also featured for Clyde, Nottingham Forest, Tranmere Rovers, Ipswich Town, Stockport County, Darlington and...
up front, Conlon scored five times in eight appearances to help seal Grimsby's league status.
Following the conclusion of the 2008-09 campaign, he was released by Bradford, and shortly afterwards he signed for Grimsby permanently on a two-year contract. Conlon's season began on a plus point, scoring on the opening day game with Cheltenham Town
Cheltenham Town F.C.
Cheltenham Town Football Club is an English football club playing in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. Founded in 1887, the team has played at four different grounds, namely Agg-Gardner's Recreation Ground, Carter's Field and now the Abbey Business Stadium, although it is more...
, but he soon lost his place in the first team due too two red cards in three games which left him suspended for seven matches, in which his team seemingly struggled too find an adequate replacement who could find the back of the net. Following the dismissal of manager Mike Newell
Mike Newell (footballer)
Michael Colin "Mike" Newell is an English football manager and former professional footballer. As a player he notably was a member of the Blackburn Rovers team which won the Premier League in 1995, as well also playing for Crewe Alexandra, Wigan Athletic, Luton Town, Leicester City, Everton,...
, Conlon found himself out of favour with new manager Neil Woods
Neil Woods
Neil Stephen Woods is a former English footballer who played as a striker and former manager of Grimsby Town where he also played between 1990 and 1998. He now works as the Head of Youth at Football League One side Walsall...
often using him as a substitute. He was also relegated to the reserves, and spent one night in a police station cell because of driving offences only hours before a reserve fixture with Scunthorpe United
Scunthorpe United F.C.
Scunthorpe United Football Club is an English association football team based in the town of Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, who play in the Football League One....
. On 13 January 2010, Woods told Conlon, along with Danny Boshell
Danny Boshell
Daniel Kevin "Danny" Boshell is an English football player who currently plays for Conference North club Guiseley AFC. Boshell played in the Football League notably for Grimsby Town where he made 118 appearances in all competitions...
, Matthew Heywood
Matthew Heywood
Matthew Stephen Heywood is a professional footballer who plays as a Defender and is currently without a club....
and Jamie Clarke that they are free to leave the club in the January transfer window. On 1 March 2010, over a month since Conlon's Grimsby departure, the club held a fans forum giving a chance for the supporters to voice recent club concerns with chairman John Fenty
John Fenty
John Shelton Fenty born is a Conservative councillor for the Humberston and New Waltham ward of North East Lincolnshire Council.-Business:...
and manager Neil Woods
Neil Woods
Neil Stephen Woods is a former English footballer who played as a striker and former manager of Grimsby Town where he also played between 1990 and 1998. He now works as the Head of Youth at Football League One side Walsall...
. Conlon's release to Chesterfield had been slightly criticized by some supporters because of the fact he was the Grimsby's current seasonal top goalscorer, and was seemingly the only proven goal scorer in the ranks at Blundell Park
Blundell Park
Blundell Park is a football ground in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, England and home to Grimsby Town Football Club. The stadium was built in 1898, but only one of the original stands remain. The current capacity of the ground is 9546, though with the introduction of all seating in the late...
. Fenty was asked by a supporter during the forum why Conlon was allowed to leave. Fenty answered that Conlon had become a disruptive influence, having also failed to turn up for training, and with that had not answered phone calls from the club. Conlon later admitted that after an enjoyable loan spell with Grimsby his "heart wasn't in it" when he signed permanently for the club and that his commuting from his Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
home had left him exhausted. He also claimed that new manager Neil Woods
Neil Woods
Neil Stephen Woods is a former English footballer who played as a striker and former manager of Grimsby Town where he also played between 1990 and 1998. He now works as the Head of Youth at Football League One side Walsall...
was "clueless"
Chesterfield
By the end of the week, he signed for fellow League Two side ChesterfieldChesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
initially on loan. Conlon scored on his Chesterfield debut to give them a 1–0 victory against Torquay United
Torquay United F.C.
Torquay United Football Club, nicknamed the Gulls, are an English association football club based in the tourist resort town of Torquay, Devon. They played in the Conference National in 2008–09, but were promoted to Football League Two after a 2–0 win over Cambridge United on 17 May 2009 at Wembley...
and lift his new side into the promotion play-off spots. On 23 January 2010, it was announced that prior to his move to Saltergate, Conlon was offered to Accrington Stanley
Accrington Stanley F.C.
Accrington Stanley is an English association football club from Accrington in Lancashire, in the North West of England, who play in Football League Two, the fourth-highest division in the English football league system....
as part of a six-figure deal to lure striker Michael Symes
Michael Symes
Michael Symes is an English professional footballer who plays for League One club Bournemouth—his second spell with the club. He plays as a striker....
to Blundell Park
Blundell Park
Blundell Park is a football ground in Cleethorpes, North East Lincolnshire, England and home to Grimsby Town Football Club. The stadium was built in 1898, but only one of the original stands remain. The current capacity of the ground is 9546, though with the introduction of all seating in the late...
. Stanley rejected the bid, meaning Conlon's move to Chesterfield went through.
On 1 February 2010, Conlon signed for Chesterfield on a permanent deal after Grimsby agreed to cancel his two-year contract by mutual consent. Conlon, during his time at Saltergate, chipped in with six goals including a number of penalties. As a result of failing to qualify for the League Two play-offs, Chesterfield manager John Sheridan released Conlon, along with 11 other players, on 12 March 2010.
Stockport County
Conlon signed for League Two team Stockport CountyStockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
on 15 July 2010 following a trial. In November 2010, police saw Conlon speeding in his Mercedes
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...
. He was stopped and gave a positive drink-drive sample. The following month he was given a three-and-a-half year driving ban after admitting drink-driving; he was also fined £1,175. Consequently, he was released by the club after having his contract cancelled by mutual consent on 21 December.
ROC de Charleroi-Marchienne
On March 14, 2011 Conlon signed for Belgian Third Division BBelgian Third Division B
The Belgian Third Division B is one of the two leagues at the third level of the Belgian football league system, the other one being the Belgian Third Division A. This division has existed since the 1952-53 season and is played every year with 16 clubs...
side R.O.C. de Charleroi-Marchienne
R.O.C. de Charleroi-Marchienne
Royal Olympic Club de Charleroi-Marchienne is a Belgian association football club from the city of Charleroi, Hainaut. As of 2010, they play in Belgian Third Division B.-History:...
. He left the club at the end of the 2010-11 season.
Career statistics
! colspan=2|League
! colspan=2|FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
! colspan=2|League Cup
Football League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
! colspan=2|Total>
! Apps !! Goals !! Apps !! Goals !! Apps !! Goals !! Apps !! Goals>
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
Plymouth Argyle F.C.
Plymouth Argyle Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Plymouth, Devon, that plays in Football League Two.Since becoming professional in 1903, the club has won five Football League titles, five Southern League titles and one Western League title. The 2009–10 season was the...
(loan)
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
Southend United F.C.
Southend United Football Club is an English football club based at Roots Hall Stadium, Prittlewell, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, who play in Football League Two. Their home ground is Roots Hall, and the club plan to move into a new 22,000-seater stadium located at Fossetts Farm.-Stadium:The club has had...
York City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
Colchester United F.C.
Colchester United Football Club is an English football club based in Colchester. The club was formed in 1937, and briefly shared their old Layer Road home with now defunct side Colchester Town who had previously used the ground from 1910....
(loan)
Darlington F.C.
Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003...
Barnsley F.C.
Barnsley Football Club are a professional English football club based in the town of Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Nicknamed the Tykes, they were founded in 1887 under the name Barnsley St. Peter's...
Rotherham United F.C.
Rotherham United Football Club are an English professional football club based in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, who compete in League Two, the fourth tier of English football. The club's colours have traditionally been red and white, although these have evolved through history...
(loan)
Darlington F.C.
Darlington Football Club is a professional association football club based in Darlington, County Durham, currently playing in the Conference National. The club was founded in 1883, and originally played its games at Feethams, before moving to the Darlington Arena in 2003...
Mansfield Town F.C.
Mansfield Town Football Club is an English football club from the former mining town of Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. The club was formed in 1897 as Mansfield Wesleyans and changed its name to Mansfield Wesley in 1906 before settling on Mansfield Town in 1910...
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
(loan)
Grimsby Town F.C.
Grimsby Town Football Club is an English football club based in the seaside town of Cleethorpes, in North East Lincolnshire, England, who compete in the Conference National. They were formed in 1878 as Grimsby Pelham and later became Grimsby Town...
Chesterfield F.C.
Chesterfield Football Club is an English football club based in Chesterfield, Derbyshire. The club currently plays in Football League One, the third tier of English football. Despite being the fourth oldest Football League club in England, they have spent most of their existence in the lower...
Stockport County F.C.
Stockport County Football Club is an English football club based in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The club formed in 1883 as Heaton Norris Rovers, shortly afterwards merging with Heaton Norris F.C., and adopted the current name on 24 May 1890 on the creation of the County Borough of Stockport...
- Figures correct as at 3 July 2009. Appearances and goals in the Football League TrophyFootball League TrophyThe Football League Trophy, currently known as the Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an annual English association football knock-out competition open to the 48 clubs in Football League One and Football League Two, the bottom two divisions in the four fully professional top...
excluded.