Former Lincoln City midfielder Michael O’Connor has landed his first senior managerial role, taking charge of Irish Premiership side Glenavon.
The 38-year-old has been appointed as the new boss at Mourneview Park, stepping into one of Northern Ireland’s most challenging jobs with the Lurgan Blues bottom of the table after 11 straight defeats.
O’Connor, who was capped 11 times by Northern Ireland during his playing career, replaces Paddy McLaughlin, who left the club last month. It marks a return to familiar territory for the former Imp, who spent three years at Glenavon as a player between 2020 and 2023, making 70 appearances before moving into coaching.
Belfast-born O’Connor came through Crewe Alexandra’s academy, turning professional in 2005 and making 89 first-team appearances before a productive loan at City in March 2009. He replaced Lee Frecklington, loaned to Peterborough before a big move, and looked a real talent.
That summer he moved to Scunthorpe United for a reported £250,000, spending three seasons and playing regularly in the Championship and League One. He joined Rotherham United in 2012, playing alongside Frecklington and helping the Millers to back-to-back promotions (League Two runners-up in 2012–13 and the 2014 League One play-off winners). A 2014 switch to Port Vale followed, where he was named Player of the Year in 2014–15 and contributed set-piece quality and leadership across two seasons.
After a spell with Notts County, O’Connor signed for City again in June 2018. He made 67 appearances and scored four goals during the 2018–20 period, playing a key role as the Imps won the 2018–19 League Two title and then adjusted to League One the following season. He scored the first goal of our League One stay against Accrington, but departed for Salford City in January 2020 after Michael Appleton broke up the Cowley squad.
Since hanging up his boots, O’Connor has been steadily working his way up the coaching ladder. He served as assistant manager at Newry City and then joined Dean Shiels’ backroom team at Coleraine, gaining valuable experience before being handed the reins in Lurgan. His appointment is seen as a long-term investment by the Glenavon board, who hope his professionalism and character can bring some stability to a side enduring their worst start to a top-flight campaign in six decades.
The club’s struggles have been stark. Saturday’s 3–0 home defeat to Bangor made it 11 losses from 11, with Glenavon scoring just three goals all season and sitting ten points adrift of nearest rivals Crusaders, who have two games in hand. The board released a short statement confirming the appointment:
“Glenavon FC can announce the appointment of their new manager, Michael O’Connor. He will be joined by Mark Ferguson and Andrew Doyle.”
O’Connor becomes the club’s fourth permanent manager in just over two years, following Gary Hamilton, Stephen O’Donnell and Paddy McLaughlin. Stability has been in short supply at Mourneview Park, something interim boss Davy McDaid – who oversaw the side’s last three matches – has urged the club to address.
“This club can’t go making a rash decision on a manager thinking short term,” said McDaid. “Whoever comes in needs to be given time. Whether they lose six, seven, eight matches, they have to be given time, because if you just keep changing managers every year, you’re not going to get consistency.”
McDaid’s comments underline the scale of the challenge O’Connor inherits. A major summer overhaul saw 13 players depart and 13 arrive, leaving the squad still searching for rhythm and identity.
City fans will doubtless remember him as a solid performer, and the timing is odd – last night I finished an article (going out tomorrow) naming him as one of the most underrated players of the EFL era.
We wish Mickey every success, as he was a top-notch person, as well as a solid, dependable player.
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