Connor O'Riordan
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 O'Riordan with Crewe Alexandra in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Connor Patrick O'Riordan[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 19 October 2003 | ||
| Place of birth | Crewe, England | ||
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Blackburn Rovers | ||
| Number | 26 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –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 | 7 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | → Cambridge United (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 2025 | → Crewe Alexandra (loan) | 20 | (3) |
| 2025 | → Doncaster Rovers (loan) | 19 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022 | Republic of Ireland U20 | 1 | (0) |
| 2023–2024 | Republic of Ireland U21 | 6 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 7 February 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals 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 EFL Championship side Blackburn Rovers. He began his career at Crewe Alexandra and has also had loan spells at Raith Rovers, Cambridge United and Doncaster Rovers. He has been capped for the Republic of Ireland U20 and U21 teams.
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]
Cambridge United (loan)
On 12 August 2024, O'Riordan joined Cambridge United on loan for the 2024/25 season.[16] On 9 January 2025, he was recalled from his loan.[17]
Crewe Alexandra (loan)
On 20 January 2025, O'Riordan returned to Crewe Alexandra on loan for the remainder of the season,[18][19] and scored his first goal of the loan spell in a 3–0 victory over Barrow at Gresty Road on 22 February 2024.[20]
Doncaster Rovers (loan)
On 27 June 2025, O'Riordan joined Doncaster Rovers on loan for the season.[21] On 1 January 2026, Grant McCann confirmed that O'Riordan had been recalled by Blackburn Rovers, with the early recall attributed to Blackburn's growing injury crisis.[22][23]