Steve O'Connor

NSL Career: Sydney City, St George, APIA 288 (11) / 1977 - 1989

Socceroos Career: 15 (0) A Internationals / 27 (3) B Internationals

Steve 'Rocky' O'Connor may not have been blessed with the natural ability of some of his defensive contemporaries, but by being a "rock" in defence for his club sides and the national team and possessing the "Aussie fighting spirit", the towering defender enjoyed a highly successful career.

O'Connor started his junior career at Revesby Rovers before moving to Bankstown where he was noticed by Sydney Hakoah manager Dave Marnoch in a state representative game and signed for the club in 1971. Initially a third grade player for Hakoah, O'Connor was quickly promoted to the second grade and made his first team debut at the age of 17. The big defender became a regular in the Hakoah side as the club finished runners-up in the New South Wales Division One in 1973 and 1974

Hakoah became a NSL foundation club in 1977 in which O'Connor was part of the side that won the inaugural championship. Despite having played first team football since the early 1970s, O'Connor's ability to read the play needed improvement and experienced Scottish defender Eddie Thomson helped him to develop his game.

Hakoah narrowly missed out on back-to-back titles in 1978 as West Adelaide equalised late in the final round against rivals Adelaide City to claim their first championship. Hakoah went on to win the Play-Off Series in which O'Connor played in the grand final against Marconi. O'Connor's overall play improved during the 1979 season and the defender earned his first Socceroos call-up in a B international against Polish club Wisła Kraków before making his full international debut in a friendly against New Zealand. 

Hakoah had changed their name to Sydney City in 1979 and finished third in the league before winning back-to-back Play-Off Series. Between 1980 and 1982, O'Connor was part of the City side that completed the first (and only) three-peat in NSL history and finished runners-up in the Play-Off Series in 1980 and 1982. 

O'Connor became one of the best stoppers in the league and earned a Socceroos call-up in 1983, his first since 1979, and became a regular in both the A and B sides. O'Connor was a key part of the City side that finished league runners-up in 1983, Northern Conference Minor Premiers in 1984 and 1985 and played in the 1985 NSL Grand Final in which City lost two-nil on aggregate to Brunswick. 

In City's last season in the NSL, O'Connor was part of the side that won the 1986 NSL Cup (missed the final) before playing in City's 1987 Oceania Cup Winners' Cup victory against New Zealand's North Shore United. Following City's withdrawal from the NSL, the 32 year old O'Connor moved to St George and had an impressive first season as the club finished third before going on to win the NSL's last Play-Off Series. O'Connor spent another season at St George before moving to APIA where he finished his career, hanging up his boots at the age of 34. 

Following his retirement, O'Connor became a youth coach and technical director - with roles in the AIS, NSW Soccer Federation, Young Socceroos, A-League and Hong Kong Football Association. During his tenure as assistant and head coach of the AIS Soccer Program, O'Connor helped to develop a number of players that would forge successful overseas and international careers such as: Mark Viduka, Josip Skoko, Anthony Šerić, Craig Moore, John Aloisi and Mark Bresciano.