Raymond O'Connor (footballer)

Francis Raymond O'Connor (28 January 1913 – q4 1980), generally known as Raymond O'Connor[4][5] but also as Frank O'Connor,[1] was an English footballer who played as a right half in the Football League for Mansfield Town and Darlington. He was on the books of Portsmouth without playing League football for them, and also played non-league football for Jarrow and Gillingham.[1]

Raymond O'Connor
Personal information
Full name Francis Raymond O'Connor[1]
Date of birth (1913-01-28)28 January 1913[2]
Place of birth Jarrow, County Durham, England
Date of death 1980 (aged 67)
Place of death South Shields,[lower-alpha 1] County Durham, England
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)[3]
Position(s) Right half
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1933–1935 Jarrow
1935–1937 Portsmouth 0 (0)
1937–1938 Mansfield Town 18 (0)
1938–1939 Darlington 19 (0)
1939–19?? Gillingham
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Life and career

O'Connor was born in Jarrow, County Durham.[1] After two seasons playing football for his hometown club, he signed for Football League First Division club Portsmouth.[4] He stayed with the club for two seasons, and although he played regularly for their junior teams in the Southern League midweek section[6] and the London Combination, he never appeared in the Football League. Described as "an attacking type of wing half [who] has also appeared at inside forward", he signed on a free transfer for Mansfield Town of the Third Division South in 1937.[7]

He played regularly for Mansfield's league side in the first half of the season, helping them win the Nottinghamshire County Cup as a member of what was described as a full-strength team,[8] and finished the campaign with 18 league appearances.[1] Harry Parkes, who had signed him for Mansfield and then left midway through the season to manage Notts County, wanted to recruit O'Connor to his new club, but he refused the offer of terms, preferring to return to his native north-east of England and join Northern Section club Darlington.[9][5] He played 19 league games during the 1938–39 season,[1] then went south and signed for Gillingham shortly before the Southern League was abandoned for the duration of the Second World War.[10]

O'Connor was a grandson of Alderman Terence O'Connor, who was Mayor of Jarrow in 1938.[5][11] He died in 1980 at the age of 67.[lower-alpha 1]

Notes
  1. O'Connor's death was registered in the fourth quarter of 1980 in the South Shields registration district of County Durham,[2] which covers nearby places such as Jarrow and Hebburn as well as South Shields itself.[12]

References
  1. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData. p. 198. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  2. "England & Wales deaths 1837–2007 Transcription". Francis Raymond O'Connor. Birth date: 28 Jan 1913. Death quarter: 4. Death year: 1980. District: South Shields. County: Durham. Volume: 2. Page: 1382. Retrieved 16 January 2015 – via Findmypast.
  3. "Pompey's list of professionals". Evening News. Portsmouth. 26 August 1935. p. 8 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. "New Pompey players. Half-back and forward". Evening News. Portsmouth. 29 June 1935. p. 10 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. "Sports Review. Darlington recruit". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. 10 June 1938. p. 11 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "Southern League. Portsmouth 'A' vs. Guildford City". Evening News. Portsmouth. 25 November 1936. p. 14 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. "Mansfield Town sign more players". Nottingham Evening Post. 15 July 1937. p. 11 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "County Cup Final. Mansfield Town and Forest at Field Mill". Nottingham Evening Post. 3 November 1937. p. 12 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. "New Notts. manager. Mr. H. Parkes from Mansfield Town". Nottingham Evening Post. 30 December 1938. p. 10 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. 'Sentinel' (25 August 1939). "Sports Gossip. Signings". Northern Daily Mail. West Hartlepool. p. 9 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. "New turn in ferry problem". Sunderland Echo. 2 August 1938. p. 3 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. "South Shields Registration District". GENUKI. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
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