Ex-NI footballer 'couldn't get a word in' with Gary Neville during Salford talks
Former Northern Ireland midfielder Michael O'Connor has recalled how Gary Neville convinced him to join Salford City back in 2020., joking that he could barely get a word in during a 45-minute phone call with the Manchester United legend.
O'Connor made the move from Lincoln City but only played a handful of games for the Ammies before coronavirus >Covid struck.
Six months later he returned home to Northern Ireland to join Glenavon and see out the remainder of his career in the Irish League.
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O'Connor is now assistant coach at Coleraine and plays some Over 35s football every Sunday.
His career saw him play for clubs including Crewe Alexandra, Lincoln, Scunthorpe, Rotherham, Port Vale and Notts County, while he also earned 11 caps for Northern Ireland.
Recalling his move to Salford four years ago, O'Connor remembers a lengthy phone call with the club's co-owner Neville.
He told BBC Sportsound: "I was at Salford but then Covid hit in the March. Gary Neville actually signed me.
"I had him on the phone for 45 minutes and I think I got about two words in. So he is exactly as you see of him on the TV.
"During that phone call he was selling me the dream about the training ground and everything else. And he managed to twist my arm.
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"I lived five minutes away from the training ground so it was perfect for me. Especially at that stage of my career as I was 31.
"I spoke with the Lincoln boss who said he was going to go with youth, and told me I wouldn't be there the next year. He said it was a good opportunity financially as well.
"So that made my mind up. I played five or six games (for Salford) before Covid hit. And we decided to move back (to Northern Ireland)."
O'Connor enjoyed an impressive career across the water, featuring in the Championship, League One and Two.
He added: "My first big move was to Scunthorpe, when I was at Crewe. They were playing in the Championship, so I had a good three years there.
"First year we stayed up despite being favourites to go down. We beat Newcastle United at home and Crystal Palace.
"We had these big hitters coming to Glanford Park, which holds 8,000, on a cold Tuesday night. They didn't fancy it.
"We did really well and we had a good squad. Near the end I signed for Rotherham and had two great years there with back-to-back promotions.
"Steve Evans was boss and he just wanted to win. People said he was horrible to work under but I liked him. He wanted to win and I wanted to win, and we got those back-to-back promotions."
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