David Connolly - Player Profile

David was signed on transfer deadline day, 31st August 2005, for a fee of £2,000,000 from Championship outfit Leicester City. His three-year deal included a proviso that the Foxes receive an additional £1 million dependent on his appearances and goal scoring ratio for Latics. A Republic of Ireland international, he made his Latics League debut on 10th September 2005 at the Hawthorns against West Bromwich Albion. In what was a dream debut he scored his first goal for the club in the 40th minute in a game that resulted in a 2-1 win for Latics. Even sweeter for David was the fact that the player he had replaced in the Latics team (Nathan Ellington) was in the losing Baggies team.

On 8th October 2005 he returned to international football after a two-year lay off in the Irish’s 1-0 win over Cyprus in a World Cup qualifying game. He failed to get a regular first team place in the team and made 5+11 Premiership appearances, scoring once. His last appearance for Latics was a Premiership fixture against Reading at the JJB Stadium on 26th August 2006 which the Blues won 1-0.

He had made just two substitute appearances during the 2006/07 season before being transferred to Sunderland for an undisclosed fee on 31st August 2006. Also joining him at the Stadium of Light was his Latics team mate Graham Kavanagh who also signed for the Mackems on the same day.