
As regular as clockwork, Pete O’Rourke has done his Paudie O’Connor story again.
I don’t know if any of you are friends with Paul Tuplin on Facebook, but he has a running joke. When a certain celebrity has one trick they keep doing, he’ll stick a post out saying, ‘I see Sarah Lancashire has released her show again’ or ‘I see the Killers have released their song again’. It’s obviously a joke (Have you heard ‘In The Car Outside‘ by the Killers? There’s no Brightside to that), but it always makes me laugh. Well, Pete O’Rourke, a journalist I like, always seems to have his Paudie story ready and waiting for plenty of interactions during a transfer window. He’s done his story again.
Blackburn Rovers, Preston North End, and Oxford United are eyeing moves for Lincoln City captain Paudie O’Connor. The centre-back is in the final year of his contract at Lincoln. #Imps #Rovers #pne #oufc https://t.co/arz3R6Xhbg
— Pete O’Rourke (@SportsPeteO) September 30, 2024
A number of Championship and top League One clubs are weighing up moves for Lincoln City captain Paudie O’Connor. The former Leeds man is in the final year of his contract. #Imps pic.twitter.com/YeKiio3UIC
— Pete O’Rourke (@SportsPeteO) July 18, 2024
Okay, so this is the third time he’s pushed it since July, but still, it’s funny.

This time, the news is that while those unnamed clubs are still after Paudie, we’re now offering him a new deal. I think anyone connected with the club would have been able to tell you that. I’d heard discussions were taking place a few weeks ago, but it’s now coming out in the news. Why? I’d imagine it’s an agent trick to try to get a few other clubs interested.
We’ve all heard rumours. Huddersfield want him to replace Helik. Bolton want him to play alongside Santos. A huge number of unnamed (and probably made-up) Championship clubs want him. I could see him at Millwall, personally, or maybe somewhere like Stoke City. Still, those clubs have all been linked by me, inside a handful of words in a speculation piece.
Just like the internet speculation you read.

The facts are these: Paudie O’Connor is close to being our Player of the Season (Tendayi might have a say in that), and he’s top for interceptions in League One this season (third per 90 minutes), second for aerial duels (Ollie Palmer top) and second for aerial duels in his own area. Paudie O’Connor is, for those educated in Irish mythology, an Abhartach (an Irish monster which could be put into suspension. Get it?).
My point is he is one of the best centre-halves in this division, and bigger clubs wouldn’t be doing their job if he wasn’t being watched. We wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t try to keep our captain at the club. Ultimately, I don’t even think it comes down specifically to money (unless a club doubles his money). I think it comes down to ambition. I like Paudie and there’s no doubt he’ll have his head turned by a club offering him the chance to play away at The Stadium of Light, Hillsborough, Pride Park…. no, wait, that was us. Sorry, play away at the Riverside, The Hawthorns, Old Trafford, and places like that.

Here’s another absolute honesty shout. If Paudie doesn’t sign a new deal with us and does choose to look higher up for his football, there will be no malice at all from me. He’s fought for the right to have a choice, and he’s never truly let us down. I would love a good news story about him penning a new deal, it would feel like a key component of our backline had been retained. If he goes, he will do so with the 100% best wishes of almost every single supporter, I’m sure.
If he does choose to leave, those unnamed Championship clubs will be revealed, and Pete O’Rourke will go from having a speculation story to the sort of report he put out on Monday night about James Collins and Lincoln City. One rooted in fact, not agent necessity.
Good article as always Gary, feel the same as you would love him to stay but would be no malice and wish him well if he went. Possibly wait to see how we fare at the end of the season before he makes his decision