Matthew Connolly

Matthew Thomas Connolly (born 24 September 1987 in Barnet) is a footballer (soccer) who plays as a Defender (football). He currently plays for Queens Park Rangers F.C. having moved there from Arsenal F.C. on 2 January 2008.

He started his career as a youth at Arsenal, eventually making the reserve side. In September 2006 he was made captain of Arsenal's reserves. He made his first-team debut for Arsenal on 24 October 2006, starting a Football League Cup third round match against West Bromwich Albion F.C..

On 23 November 2006 Arsenal announced he was going on loan to Bournemouth until 2 January 2007. In total he played seven games for Bournemouth (five in Football League One and two in the FA Cup), and scored his first goal at senior level in a 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest F.C., on 5 December 2006. He returned to Arsenal as scheduled at the start of January 2007, and came on as substitute for Armand Traoré against Liverpool F.C. in the League Cup Quarter-Finals on 9 January.

On 9 July 2007 Arsenal announced he would be spending the whole of the 2007-08 in English football season on loan to Colchester United F.C., although he eventually was recalled midway through the loan on 2 January 2008. The same day, his transfer to Queens Park Rangers F.C. was announced, after finding first team chances too difficult.

In the meantime, in November, he received his first call-up to the England national under-21 football team, where he joined Arsenal teammate Theo Walcott.