Notts County continue summer signing spree

Jun 30, 2016

Notts County have signed former Northern Ireland international midfielder Michael O’Connor and defender Carl Dickinson.

O’Connor, 28, has turned down a new contract at Port Vale to become John Sheridan’s sixth signing of a busy summer period for the Magpies.

The Belfast-born player has made 267 league appearances, scoring 51 goals from midfield, and has won 11 caps for Northern Ireland’s senior squad.

His arrival was announced less than 48 hours after former Welsh international centre-back Richard Duffy arrived at Meadow Lane.

It’s going to be exciting times

O’Connor told the club website: “With the signings we have made already we are going to have a go at going up into League One next year”.

“I’ve signed a two year deal and in that time I don’t just want to get the club into League One, I want to get them into the Championship”.

“I think it’s going to be exciting times”.

Starting his career in England at Crewe Alexandra as a trainee, O’Connor quickly made an impression at Gresty Road and went on to make 65 league appearances for the Railwaymen before moving on to Scunthorpe United for a £250,000 fee in 2009.

A regular in the starting XI at Championship level, he was part of the team that helped Scunthorpe survive relegation in 2009 and went on to make 97 league appearances for The Iron, scoring 12 goals in the process.

A spell at Rotherham United then followed in 2012, before he joined Port Vale, making 70 appearances in two seasons at Vale Park.

Dickinson has arrived on a two-year deal and was a became a key part of the Stoke side that won promotion to the Premier League where he played five games for the Potters.

He then went on to sign for Watford, where he also had loan spells at Portsmouth and Coventry before joining Port Vale in 2013.

Dickinson quickly established himself in the Valiants starting line-up and was appointed club captain in 2014, making 127 league appearances at the club.

The signing sees Dickinson re-united with Richard Duffy, who was also a regular starter with Port Vale across the last few seasons.

Talking to the club website Dickinson said: “I’m really looking forward to it and can’t wait to get going.

“I’m a leader, I like to be loud in the dressing room and get the lads going.

“I’m going to show people I’m a good defender – I don’t mind dishing it out a little bit, I’m hard working, wear my heart on my sleeve and give everything, day in, day out.”