Terry Connor
Encyclopedia
Terence F. "Terry" Connor (born 9 November 1962 in Leeds
) is an English former professional association football forward. He scored 91 goals from 358 games in the Football League
playing for Leeds United
, Brighton & Hove Albion
, Portsmouth
, Swansea City
and Bristol City
, and was capped
once for the England under-21 team
. Since 2008 he has been assistant manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers
.
aged 17, in a 1–0 win over West Bromwich Albion
on 17 November 1979. He made 108 appearances in total for Leeds over four seasons, scoring 22 goals. He was sold for £500,000 to First Division
Brighton & Hove Albion
in March 1983. However, he was unable to appear in their FA Cup Final
appearance just months later as he was already cup-tied
. The club ended the season relegated. The majority of Connor's games for Brighton came in the Second Division
. His form here won him an England under-21
cap in November 1986, when he played and scored against Yugoslavia under-21. He scored 51 goals in 156 appearances before leaving Brighton as they dropped into the third tier in 1987. He moved along the South Coast to sign for Portsmouth
in a £200,000 deal.
Portsmouth were newly-promoted to the First Division at the time of Connor's arrival, but despite his goals they were relegated after just one season. He remained at Fratton Park
for three seasons before joining Swansea City
for £150,000 in August 1990. After a solitary full season with the Swans in the third tier, he moved to Bristol City
in September 1991. He failed to make much impact at Bristol City, playing just 16 times and scoring once; he was also briefly loaned back to Swansea in autumn 1992. He dropped into non-League football
in summer 1993 when he signed for Conference
club Yeovil Town
.
After retiring he turned to coaching, working under John Ward at Bristol Rovers
before moving across the city to work at Bristol City. Ward later moved to become assistant manager at Wolverhampton Wanderers
, and soon recruited Connor to their coaching staff. Connor served as a coach under a succession of Wolves' managers before being promoted to assistant manager under Mick McCarthy
in August 2008.
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...
) is an English former professional association football forward. He scored 91 goals from 358 games in 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...
playing for 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...
, Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
, Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
, Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
and Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
, and was capped
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
once for the England under-21 team
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
. Since 2008 he has been assistant manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
.
Career
Connor scored on his senior debut for Leeds UnitedLeeds 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...
aged 17, in a 1–0 win over West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
on 17 November 1979. He made 108 appearances in total for Leeds over four seasons, scoring 22 goals. He was sold for £500,000 to First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
in March 1983. However, he was unable to appear in their FA Cup Final
1983 FA Cup Final
The 1983 FA Cup Final was contested by Manchester United and Brighton & Hove Albion at Wembley Stadium.Manchester United were the favourites, as Brighton had been relegated from the First Division that season...
appearance just months later as he was already cup-tied
Cup-tied
Cup-tied is an adjective, used primarily in association football, to describe a player who is ineligible to play in a knockout cup competition after transferring from another club during that competition.-Application:...
. The club ended the season relegated. The majority of Connor's games for Brighton came in the Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
. His form here won him an England under-21
England national under-21 football team
England's national Under-21 football team, also known as England Under-21s or England U21, is considered to be the feeder team for the England national football team....
cap in November 1986, when he played and scored against Yugoslavia under-21. He scored 51 goals in 156 appearances before leaving Brighton as they dropped into the third tier in 1987. He moved along the South Coast to sign for Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
in a £200,000 deal.
Portsmouth were newly-promoted to the First Division at the time of Connor's arrival, but despite his goals they were relegated after just one season. He remained at Fratton Park
Fratton Park
Fratton Park is a football stadium in the English city-port of Portsmouth. It has been the home of professional club Portsmouth F.C. since its construction in 1898.-Description:...
for three seasons before joining Swansea City
Swansea City A.F.C.
Swansea City Association Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Swansea, Wales. One of the most successful clubs in Welsh football, it has won 10 Welsh Cups and led the English Football League First Division in December 1981, before finishing the season in 6th position...
for £150,000 in August 1990. After a solitary full season with the Swans in the third tier, he moved to Bristol City
Bristol City F.C.
Bristol City Football Club is one of two football league clubs in Bristol, England . They play at Ashton Gate, located in the south-west of the City...
in September 1991. He failed to make much impact at Bristol City, playing just 16 times and scoring once; he was also briefly loaned back to Swansea in autumn 1992. He dropped into non-League football
Non-league football
Non-League football is football in England played at a level below that of the Premier League and The Football League. The term non-League was commonly used well before 1992 when the top football clubs in England all belonged to The Football League; all clubs who were not a part of The Football...
in summer 1993 when he signed for Conference
Conference National
Conference National is the top division of the Football Conference in England. It is the highest level of the National League System and fifth highest of the overall English football league system...
club Yeovil Town
Yeovil Town F.C.
Yeovil Town F.C. are an English association football team based in Yeovil, Somerset. The club play in League One after having won the League Two championship in 2004–05...
.
After retiring he turned to coaching, working under John Ward at Bristol Rovers
Bristol Rovers F.C.
Bristol Rovers Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Bristol, that competes in Football League Two. The team plays its home matches at the Memorial Stadium, in the Horfield area of the city....
before moving across the city to work at Bristol City. Ward later moved to become assistant manager at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club that represents the city of Wolverhampton in the West Midlands region. They are members of the Premier League, the highest level of English football. The club was founded in 1877 and since 1889 has played at...
, and soon recruited Connor to their coaching staff. Connor served as a coach under a succession of Wolves' managers before being promoted to assistant manager under Mick McCarthy
Mick McCarthy
Michael Joseph "Mick" McCarthy is an English-born former Irish international footballer who is currently the manager of Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he has been in charge since July 2006....
in August 2008.