Joe O'Connor is Hednesford through and through. A virtual one-club man in the Steve
Bull mould.
It's a comparison that makes the 30-year-old Pitmen striker bristle with a bit of pride ?
and also let loose a friendly laugh. "The non-League Steve Bull? Well I've heard
people say that," he says, "I suppose it's because we have both put in loyal
service with one club and not been tempted to move away. It's quite flattering,
really."
Joe has met the Wolves star a few times and functions and gets on well with the former
England man. "Wolves are very popular round this part of the country, and the arrival
at Hednesford of a few lads who have played at Molineux, like Robbie Dennison and Paul
Blades, has added some local interest", says Joe.
He is now one of the Conferences elder statesmen, as it were, after so many of his
contemporaries recent defections to the big-time. But, from his office at a West Midlands
electronics firm, he says: "I've not been too tempted to try a Lee Hughes or Barry
Hayles ? I've always been very happy with my job and at Hednesford Town. I like the area,
the people. Its home and it would take an awful lot to tempt me away. And at 30 its not
likely to happen now."
Joe's stature has grown with the club; in his ten seasons with the Pitmen, they have gone
from the middle reaches of the Beazer Homes League to just a short step from the Football
League. Its been a great ride, though Joe would have mixed feelings if they do win the
championship and go up.
"I've not thought about it too much as there is a long way to go yet, but I suppose
there would be a difficult choice for me if we were to go up. I'm not sure I'd want to
give up my job and go full-time. But I suppose it's a decision many players would like to
wrestle over!"
He reckons the Conference is the toughest league to win. "Its wide open, too. More so
every year. The quality of players and managers and the interest in the league has grown
so much lately. But it is also one that teams have been frightened a bit of ? you don't
like to strike out in front too early because you're there to be shot at. So perhaps we're
well placed at the moment, happy to let Halifax do the running. And we haven't really
turned it on yet, either."
Bryan Robson was impressed with Joe's wonderful two-goal strike at the Riverside Stadium
in the FA Cup Fourth Round last year. And the striker says that although it cost them a
decent league finish, it was a worthwhile trade. "I'll never forget that day as long
as I live. The adrenaline was going and we all played well. The support was amazing and
the whole day was just fantastic.
If I never do anything else in the game, I'll be able to look back on the video of that
game with pride and retire happy! You can't describe what its like to play on a stage like
that against world-class players like Juninho and Ravanelli and do yourself proud."
A day in the Premiership classroom ? even Steve Bull wouldn't mind a bit of that. Way to
go, Joe...
Check out the Stevenage Borough web site, as they say about Carling Lager "probably the best" site in the Conference - if not most of the league