“I want to leave an impression, deep down I’d usually enjoy scoring those goals more than others”- Aaron O’Connor on motivation of playing against former sides

We see it all the time, football players scoring against former teams. 

Factors such as heightened emotion like anger or determination, or the familiarity  of tactics  through knowing  the team’s playing style and weaknesses from their time as a player. 

In most cases it comes down to motivation and a desire to prove themselves against a former side.

One of the most famous occurrences was in 2009 when  Emmanuel Adebayor ran the entire length of the Etihad pitch to knee slide in front of the travelling Arsenal away end.

Despite causing huge controversy, he later said he already planned what he was going to do, “Sometimes the emotion takes a big part… You cannot control yourself”.

Players scoring against former sides happens at all levels of the football pyramid. 

Former Mansfield, Luton, Newport and Stevenage striker Aaron O’Connor knows all about that. 

“As a footballer you have to bite your tongue a lot, sometimes people can say some really not nice things, your response and you answer back is how you play on the pitch”.

“I like getting to have my say. When you can’t actually say anything the best way to talk is on the pitch, infact the only way you can really answer back is by scoring or playing well”.

O’Connor scored against former side Luton Town whilst playing for Newport County in 2015, a goal which he said spurred him on even more. 

“When you play against a former side you have extra eyes on you, it’s a different feeling. I always feel the extra desire to score against an old side”

“I want to leave an impression on people when I leave the field . I’d usually not celebrate out of respect, but deep down I’d usually enjoy scoring those goals more than others”.