David Connolly
| Date of birth | 06 June 1977 |
| Place of birth | Willesden |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Weight | 72 kg |
| Height | 1.73 m |
| Position | Forward |
Connolly enjoyed a sensational start to his career, not least for the Republic.
He came to the fore in the qualification campaign for the 1998 World Cup when, whilst still aged 19, he scored an 11-minute first half hat-trick against Liechtenstein.
He was similarly prolific at club level with two hat-tricks in his first seven games for Watford.
Connolly's early scoring exploits soon led to a move to leading Dutch outfit Feyenoord.
Unfortunately, he wasn't able to fulfil his potential in Holland, subsequently losing his place in Ireland's front line.
The diminutive, pacy striker returned to England for the 1998-99 season with an extended loan spell at Wolverhampton Wanderers, making the permanent return to the Football League when he joined Wimbledon in the 2001 close season.
Connolly joined West Ham United in July 2003 for £285,000 in a three-year deal.
He joined Leicester City in July 2004 with a three-year contract.
Connolly joined Wigan Athletic in August 2005 with a three-year contract.
He joined Sunderland in August 2006 with a three-year contract.
Connolly joined Southampton in October 2009 with a contract to June 2010 that was extended to June 2011 in July 2010 and to June 2012 in May 2011.
He joined close rivals Portsmouth in December 2012 with a monthly contract that was extended to June 2015 in May 2013 before it was cancelled in January 2015.
Club history
| Team | Joined | Left | Loan / Trialist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watford | 15 Nov 1994 | 01 Aug 1997 | |
| Feyenoord | 01 Aug 1997 | 07 Jul 2001 | |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | 21 Aug 1998 | 13 May 1999 | L |
| Wimbledon | 07 Jul 2001 | 31 Jul 2003 | |
| West Ham United | 31 Jul 2003 | 20 Jul 2004 | |
| Leicester City | 20 Jul 2004 | 31 Aug 2005 | |
| Wigan Athletic | 31 Aug 2005 | 31 Aug 2006 | |
| Sunderland | 31 Aug 2006 | 30 Jun 2009 | |
| Southampton | 08 Oct 2009 | 30 Jun 2012 | |
| Portsmouth | 31 Dec 2012 | 15 Jan 2015 | |
| Oxford United | 31 Jan 2014 | 31 May 2014 | L |
| AFC Wimbledon | 15 Jan 2015 | 08 Mar 2015 |
Club stats
| Season | Team | Competition | Apps | Subs | Goals | Y | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995-96 | Watford | FA Cup | 1 |
||||
| 1997-98 | Feyenoord | UEFA Champions League | 1 | ||||
| 1998-99 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | FA Cup | 1 |
||||
| 1998-99 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | League Cup | 2 | ||||
| 2000-01 | Feyenoord | Dutch KPN Telecompetitie | 9 | 6 |
5 |
1
|
|
| 2001-02 | Wimbledon | FA Cup | 2 | ||||
| 2001-02 | Wimbledon | League Cup | 1 | ||||
| 2001-02 | Wimbledon | League Division 1 | 35 | 18 |
3
|
2
|
|
| 2002-03 | Wimbledon | FA Cup | 2 | ||||
| 2002-03 | Wimbledon | League Division 1 | 28 | 24 |
1
|
||
| 2003-04 | West Ham United | FA Cup | 4 | 2 |
1
|
||
| 2003-04 | West Ham United | League Cup | 2 | 2 |
|||
| 2003-04 | West Ham United | League Division 1 | 37 | 2 |
10 |
6
|
1
|
| 2003-04 | West Ham United | League Division 1 Play-Offs | 3 | ||||
| 2004-05 | Leicester City | FA Cup | 3 | 2 |
1
|
||
| 2004-05 | Leicester City | League Championship | 43 | 1 |
13 |
5
|
1
|
| 2005-06 | Leicester City | League Championship | 5 | 4 |
|||
| 2005-06 | Wigan Athletic | FA Cup | 1 | 1 |
|||
| 2005-06 | Wigan Athletic | League Cup | 2 | 1 |
1 |
||
| 2005-06 | Wigan Athletic | Premier League | 4 | 13 |
1 |
||
| 2006-07 | Sunderland | FA Cup | 1 | ||||
| 2006-07 | Sunderland | League Championship | 30 | 6 |
13 |
1
|
|
| 2006-07 | Wigan Athletic | Premier League | 2 |
||||
| 2007-08 | Sunderland | FA Cup | 1 |
||||
| 2007-08 | Sunderland | League Cup | 1 |
1
|
|||
| 2007-08 | Sunderland | Premier League | 1 | 2 |
|||
| 2009-10 | Southampton | FA Cup | 1 | 2 |
|||
| 2009-10 | Southampton | Johnstones Paint Trophy | 1 | 1 |
|||
| 2009-10 | Southampton | League One | 9 | 11 |
5 |
1
|
|
| 2010-11 | Southampton | FA Cup | 1 |
1 |
|||
| 2010-11 | Southampton | Johnstones Paint Trophy | 1 | ||||
| 2010-11 | Southampton | League Cup | 1 |
||||
| 2010-11 | Southampton | League One | 8 | 7 |
3 |
||
| 2011-12 | Southampton | League Championship | 17 | 9 |
6 |
1
|
|
| 2012-13 | Portsmouth | League One | 15 | 2 |
7 |
||
| 2013-14 | Oxford United | League Two | 8 | 8 |
4 |
||
| 2013-14 | Portsmouth | FA Cup | 1 |
1 |
|||
| 2013-14 | Portsmouth | Johnstones Paint Trophy | 1 |
||||
| 2013-14 | Portsmouth | League Two | 11 | 7 |
4 |
1
|
1
|
| 2014-15 | AFC Wimbledon | League Two | 2 | 6 |
1 |
Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
Club matches
| Date | Match | Result | Competition | Round | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Oct 2009 | Oldham Athletic v Southampton | W | 1-3 | League One | |
| 24 Oct 2009 | Southampton v Milton Keynes Dons | W | 3-1 | League One | |
| 31 Oct 2009 | Leyton Orient v Southampton | D | 2-2 | League One | |
| 06 Nov 2009 | Bristol Rovers v Southampton | W | 2-3 | FA Cup | 1st round |
| 11 Nov 2009 | Southampton v Charlton Athletic | W | 2-1 | Johnstones Paint Trophy | Quarter-final - southern section |
| 15 Nov 2009 | Southampton v Brighton and Hove Albion | L | 1-3 | League One | |
| 21 Nov 2009 | Southampton v Norwich City | D | 2-2 | League One | |
| 24 Nov 2009 | Hartlepool United v Southampton | W | 1-3 | League One | |
| 05 Dec 2009 | Walsall v Southampton | W | 1-3 | League One | |
| 12 Dec 2009 | Southampton v Tranmere Rovers | W | 3-0 | League One | |
| 19 Dec 2009 | Leeds United v Southampton | L | 1-0 | League One | |
| 26 Dec 2009 | Southampton v Exeter City | W | 3-1 | League One | |
| 28 Dec 2009 | Colchester United v Southampton | L | 2-1 | League One | |
| 16 Mar 2010 | Southampton v Swindon Town | L | 0-1 | League One | |
| 20 Mar 2010 | Milton Keynes Dons v Southampton | W | 0-3 | League One | |
| 23 Mar 2010 | Southampton v Hartlepool United | W | 3-2 | League One | |
| 28 Mar 2010 | Carlisle United v Southampton | W | 1-4 | Johnstones Paint Trophy | Final |
| 13 Apr 2010 | Bristol Rovers v Southampton | W | 1-5 | League One | |
| 17 Apr 2010 | Yeovil Town v Southampton | W | 0-1 | League One | |
| 20 Apr 2010 | Southampton v Oldham Athletic | D | 0-0 | League One | |
| 24 Apr 2010 | Southampton v Carlisle United | W | 3-2 | League One | |
| 01 May 2010 | Gillingham v Southampton | L | 2-1 | League One | |
| 08 May 2010 | Southampton v Southend United | W | 3-1 | League One | |
| 07 Aug 2010 | Southampton v Plymouth Argyle | L | 0-1 | League One | |
| 21 Aug 2010 | Southampton v Leyton Orient | D | 1-1 | League One | |
| 24 Aug 2010 | Southampton v Bolton Wanderers | L | 0-1 | League Cup | 2nd round |
| 28 Aug 2010 | Bristol Rovers v Southampton | W | 0-4 | League One | |
| 31 Aug 2010 | Southampton v Swindon Town | L | 0-3 | Johnstones Paint Trophy | 1st round - southern section |
| 04 Sep 2010 | Southampton v Rochdale | L | 0-2 | League One | |
| 11 Sep 2010 | Swindon Town v Southampton | L | 1-0 | League One | |
| 15 Sep 2010 | Milton Keynes Dons v Southampton | L | 2-0 | League One | |
| 06 Nov 2010 | Southampton v Shrewsbury Town | W | 2-0 | FA Cup | 1st round |
| 20 Nov 2010 | Southampton v Peterborough United | W | 4-1 | League One | |
| 11 Dec 2010 | Southampton v Brentford | L | 0-2 | League One | |
| 05 Apr 2011 | Southampton v Charlton Athletic | W | 2-0 | League One | |
| 16 Apr 2011 | Southampton v Bristol Rovers | W | 1-0 | League One | |
| 23 Apr 2011 | Brighton and Hove Albion v Southampton | W | 1-2 | League One | |
| 25 Apr 2011 | Southampton v Hartlepool United | W | 2-0 | League One | |
| 30 Apr 2011 | Brentford v Southampton | W | 0-3 | League One | |
| 02 May 2011 | Plymouth Argyle v Southampton | W | 1-3 | League One | |
| 07 May 2011 | Southampton v Walsall | W | 3-1 | League One | |
| 06 Aug 2011 | Southampton v Leeds United | W | 3-1 | League Championship | |
| 13 Aug 2011 | Barnsley v Southampton | W | 0-1 | League Championship | |
| 16 Aug 2011 | Ipswich Town v Southampton | W | 2-5 | League Championship | |
| 20 Aug 2011 | Southampton v Millwall | W | 1-0 | League Championship | |
| 27 Aug 2011 | Leicester City v Southampton | L | 3-2 | League Championship | |
| 10 Sep 2011 | Southampton v Nottingham Forest | W | 3-2 | League Championship | |
| 18 Sep 2011 | Southampton v Birmingham City | W | 4-1 | League Championship | |
| 24 Sep 2011 | Burnley v Southampton | D | 1-1 | League Championship | |
| 28 Sep 2011 | Cardiff City v Southampton | L | 2-1 | League Championship | |
| 15 Oct 2011 | Derby County v Southampton | D | 1-1 | League Championship | |
| 18 Oct 2011 | Southampton v West Ham United | W | 1-0 | League Championship | |
| 22 Oct 2011 | Reading v Southampton | D | 1-1 | League Championship | |
| 29 Oct 2011 | Southampton v Middlesbrough | W | 3-0 | League Championship | |
| 01 Nov 2011 | Southampton v Peterborough United | W | 2-1 | League Championship | |
| 05 Nov 2011 | Coventry City v Southampton | W | 2-4 | League Championship | |
| 26 Dec 2011 | Southampton v Crystal Palace | W | 2-0 | League Championship | |
| 30 Dec 2011 | Southampton v Bristol City | L | 0-1 | League Championship | |
| 02 Jan 2012 | Brighton and Hove Albion v Southampton | L | 3-0 | League Championship | |
| 14 Jan 2012 | Nottingham Forest v Southampton | W | 0-3 | League Championship | |
| 23 Jan 2012 | Southampton v Leicester City | L | 0-2 | League Championship | |
| 31 Jan 2012 | Southampton v Cardiff City | D | 1-1 | League Championship | |
| 04 Feb 2012 | Birmingham City v Southampton | D | 0-0 | League Championship | |
| 11 Feb 2012 | Southampton v Burnley | W | 2-0 | League Championship | |
| 14 Feb 2012 | West Ham United v Southampton | D | 1-1 | League Championship | |
| 25 Feb 2012 | Watford v Southampton | W | 0-3 | League Championship | |
| 10 Mar 2012 | Southampton v Barnsley | W | 2-0 | League Championship | |
Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
International stats
| Season | Team | Competition | Apps | Subs | Goals | Y | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995-96 | Republic of Ireland | International Friendly | 2 | ||||
| 1995-96 | Republic of Ireland | US Cup | 1 | 1 |
|||
| 1996-97 | Republic of Ireland | FIFA World Cup | 2 | 3 |
|||
| 1997-98 | Republic of Ireland | FIFA World Cup | 4 | 1 |
1 |
1
|
|
| 1997-98 | Republic of Ireland | International Friendly | 2 | ||||
| 1997-98 | Republic of Ireland | Under-21 Tournament | 1 | 1 |
|||
| 1998-99 | Republic of Ireland | Charity Omagh Fund | 1 |
||||
| 1998-99 | Republic of Ireland | International Friendly | 2 | 1 |
|||
| 1998-99 | Republic of Ireland | UEFA European Championship | 2 |
||||
| 1999-00 | Republic of Ireland | International Friendly | 1 | 1 |
|||
| 1999-00 | Republic of Ireland | UEFA European Championship | 1 | 1 |
|||
| 2000-01 | Republic of Ireland | FIFA World Cup | 3 | 1 |
|||
| 2000-01 | Republic of Ireland | International Friendly | 1 |
||||
| 2001-02 | Republic of Ireland | FIFA World Cup | 2 | 1 |
1 |
||
| 2001-02 | Republic of Ireland | International Friendly | 4 |
||||
| 2002-03 | Republic of Ireland | International Friendly | 1 | 1 |
|||
| 2002-03 | Republic of Ireland | UEFA European Championship | 1 | ||||
| 2003-04 | Republic of Ireland | International Friendly | 1 | 1 |
1 |
||
| 2003-04 | Republic of Ireland | UEFA European Championship | 1 | ||||
| 2005-06 | Republic of Ireland | FIFA World Cup | 1 |
Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.
International matches
| Date | Match | Result | Competition | Round | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 May 1996 | Republic of Ireland v Portugal | L | 0-1 | International Friendly | |
| 04 Jun 1996 | Netherlands v Republic of Ireland | L | 3-1 | International Friendly | |
| 09 Jun 1996 | USA v Republic of Ireland | L | 2-1 | US Cup | |
| 12 Jun 1996 | Mexico v Republic of Ireland | D | 2-2 | US CUP | |
| 30 Apr 1997 | Romania v Republic of Ireland | L | 1-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 8 |
| 21 May 1997 | Republic of Ireland v Liechtenstein | W | 5-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 8 |
| 20 Aug 1997 | Republic of Ireland v Lithuania | D | 0-0 | FIFA World Cup | Group 8 |
| 06 Sep 1997 | Iceland v Republic of Ireland | W | 2-4 | FIFA World Cup | Group 8 |
| 10 Sep 1997 | Lithuania v Republic of Ireland | W | 1-2 | FIFA World Cup | Group 8 |
| 29 Oct 1997 | Republic of Ireland v Belgium | D | 1-1 | FIFA World Cup | 1st leg play-off |
| 15 Nov 1997 | Belgium v Republic of Ireland | L | 2-1 | FIFA World Cup | 2nd leg play-off |
| 25 Mar 1998 | Czech Republic v Republic of Ireland | L | 2-1 | International Friendly | |
| 18 May 1998 | Republic of Ireland v Scotland | W | 3-0 | U21 TOURNAMENT | |
| 23 May 1998 | Republic of Ireland v Mexico | D | 0-0 | International Friendly | |
| 18 Nov 1998 | Yugoslavia v Republic of Ireland | L | 1-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 8 |
| 10 Feb 1999 | Republic of Ireland v Paraguay | W | 2-0 | International Friendly | |
| 28 Apr 1999 | Republic of Ireland v Sweden | W | 2-0 | International Friendly | |
| 29 May 1999 | Republic of Ireland v Northern Ireland | L | 0-1 | Charity Omagh Fund | |
| 09 Jun 1999 | Republic of Ireland v North Macedonia | W | 1-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 8 |
| 13 Nov 1999 | Republic of Ireland v Turkey | D | 1-1 | UEFA European Championship | Play-off 1st leg |
| 17 Nov 1999 | Turkey v Republic of Ireland | D | 0-0 | UEFA European Championship | Play-off 2nd leg |
| 23 Feb 2000 | Republic of Ireland v Czech Republic | W | 3-2 | International Friendly | |
| 26 Apr 2000 | Republic of Ireland v Greece | L | 0-1 | International Friendly | |
| 02 Sep 2000 | Netherlands v Republic of Ireland | D | 2-2 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 2 |
| 15 Nov 2000 | Republic of Ireland v Finland | W | 3-0 | International Friendly | |
| 24 Mar 2001 | Cyprus v Republic of Ireland | W | 0-4 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 2 |
| 28 Mar 2001 | Andorra v Republic of Ireland | W | 0-3 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 2 |
| 25 Apr 2001 | Republic of Ireland v Andorra | W | 3-1 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 2 |
| 15 Aug 2001 | Republic of Ireland v Croatia | D | 2-2 | International Friendly | |
| 06 Oct 2001 | Republic of Ireland v Cyprus | W | 4-0 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 2 |
| 15 Nov 2001 | Iran v Republic of Ireland | L | 1-0 | FIFA World Cup | Europe v Asia play-off |
| 27 Mar 2002 | Republic of Ireland v Denmark | W | 3-0 | International Friendly | |
| 17 Apr 2002 | Republic of Ireland v USA | W | 2-1 | International Friendly | |
| 16 May 2002 | Republic of Ireland v Nigeria | L | 1-2 | International Friendly | |
| 16 Jun 2002 | Spain v Republic of Ireland | L | 1-1 (2-3) | FIFA World Cup | Finals 2nd round |
| 12 Feb 2003 | Scotland v Republic of Ireland | W | 0-2 | International Friendly | |
| 30 Apr 2003 | Republic of Ireland v Norway | W | 1-0 | International Friendly | |
| 07 Jun 2003 | Republic of Ireland v Albania | W | 2-1 | UEFA European Championship | Group 10 |
| 19 Aug 2003 | Republic of Ireland v Australia | W | 2-1 | International Friendly | |
| 09 Sep 2003 | Republic of Ireland v Turkey | D | 2-2 | International Friendly | |
| 11 Oct 2003 | Switzerland v Republic of Ireland | L | 2-0 | UEFA European Championship | Group 10 |
| 08 Oct 2005 | Cyprus v Republic of Ireland | W | 0-1 | FIFA World Cup | Europe group 4 |
Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.