Paudie O’Connor’s switch to Reading has sparked debate among Imps fans — but there’s no denying the defender has earned his move.
The centre-back departs Sincil Bank after three years of committed service, joining a League One rival with promotion ambitions and a fresh sense of stability.
Paudie O’Connor has been a stalwart for the Imps since arriving from Bradford City in 2022, wearing the armband and putting in consistently reliable performances. A Player of the Season winner for 2022/23 and a contender each year, he never really let us down, despite a couple of red cards. In many ways, the move to Reading echoes the departure of Regan Poole — another leader snapped up by a rival who recognised his quality.
There’s been talk of O’Connor’s limitations, particularly from corners of social media quick to revise their opinions now he’s left. But that shouldn’t detract from his contribution. Yes, his disciplinary record wasn’t perfect — multiple suspensions last season disrupted the backline — but that doesn’t erase his value. He was a dominant aerial presence, scored goals, and led by example.
The idea that this is a sideways step misses the bigger picture. Reading may be in the same division, but they are a bigger club in fanbase and ambition. Under new ownership, they finally have financial backing again, something they were starved of during recent struggles. Despite off-field chaos, they still pushed for the top six last season without being able to sign anyone. Now, with freedom in the transfer market and continuity in coaching, they look like genuine promotion contenders.
For those doubting whether O’Connor is “Championship quality,” his new four-year deal is telling. Reading aren’t planning to linger in League One — they see him as a key part of a promotion push. And honestly, if he was moving to a lower Championship club like Stoke, questions would arise about relegation battles and squad stability. At Reading, he’s in a side likely to be fighting for the top two, not survival. Right now, the move does nothing to dispel the notion he is, or isn’t, Championship quality. We’re more likely to find out with him wearing the blue of Reading than (sadly) the red and white of Lincoln.
From a Lincoln City perspective, O’Connor’s departure is a blow, but not a disaster. Michael Skubala now has a clearer picture of his defensive options. With Adam Jackson staying and players like Tom Hamer and Lewis Montsma, we could kick off tomorrow and be competitive. We’ll now potentially explore another new addition as well, so there’s scope to build a more settled back four.
O’Connor missing multiple games through suspension last season forced the Imps to adapt, and they often did so effectively. It’s important to note that without O’Connor, City took 12 points from seven matches, including wins against Huddersfield and Reading, hardly lightweights in the division. Our points average without him was 1.71 per game, with him, that dropped to 1.2 per game. We only lost one game without him in the league, against Barnsley. Our goals conceded per game with him was 1.23, without him 1.28 (including the Barnsley debacle), so there was little difference.
I’m not saying he wasn’t massive for us, but that snapshot does suggest (strongly) that there’s life after PoC, just as there was life after Regan Poole.
The criticism that O’Connor isn’t good enough for the Championship misses a broader trend: second-tier sides rarely buy from League One anymore. The gulf between the divisions is growing. Managers like Matt Taylor and Stephen Schumacher have struggled after making the jump, highlighting how big the step up can be. We’ve seen good players here, such as Tayo Edun and Sean Raggett, struggle to make the step, and there are plenty of other examples across the divisions.
Meanwhile, League One is becoming its own battleground of ambition and investment, and thus a better level — Reading, Bolton, Huddersfield, Peterborough and others are treating it like the new First Division. This summer alone, we’ve seen rumoured multimillion-pound moves in League Two — like MK Dons for Aaron Collins — and significant transfer fees floating around the third tier. Clubs aren’t just preparing for the Championship; they’re treating League One like a proving ground of its own.
O’Connor might have stayed in League One but, as anyone who has read or listened to our stuff over the last six months will recall, moving to a League One side likely to challenge for promotion neither proves nor disproves his suitability for the second tier, it merely delays the proof for 12 months (or more).
Reading’s rebuild and promotion push is now possible. They’ve kept the coaching staff from last season, endured their pain off the field, and are now in a position to act. For O’Connor, it’s the perfect storm: a big club, a good fit, and a very real shot at going up. Don’t be surprised if he plays 40+ games next season and leads Reading into the top four. That’s how much faith the club clearly has in him.
So there we have it. Farewell, Paudie, thank you for the good times and good luck in 44 of the 46 games you play next season.
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