In the weeks and months prior to the start of the 2023-2024 season, there was a desperate desire from some Liverpool fans to see the club sign a right-back. Some wanted the Reds to bring someone in as cover for Trent Alexander-Arnold, whilst others wanted it to mean that he could be moved into midfield permanently.
It was felt that Joe Gomez, who was the main cover for the position, was actually a centre-back and was too injury prone to be relied upon anyway. For Jürgen Klopp, the need to bring in another right-back was nowhere near as urgent as it was for those supporters, because he knew who was coming through the ranks.
Conor Bradley has actually saved us millions man. All of us had back up RB on transfer list ever since Milner was doing shifts there. We could easily now get away with signing one defender to replace Matip.
— Sean (@SeanDOlfc) March 4, 2024
Much like in a number of other positions in the Liverpool squad, the manager had faith in the Academy players who he knew were being geared up to be introduced into the first team. Jarell Quansah would go on to establish himself as Liverpool’s fourth-choice centre-back, for example, whilst Bobby Clark would be a decent midfield option.
It would prove to be a season in which the youngsters would help the Reds perform on all four fronts, with many of them having a direct influence over Liverpool’s victory in the League Cup final to such an extent that it was referred to as a victory for Kindergarten Klopp.
Who is Conor Bradley?
Born on the ninth of July 2003 in Castlederg, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, Conor Bradley would go on to play Gaelic football for Aghyaran St Davog’s, his local club. With a church and a Gaelic Athletic Association being the heart of life in the area he grew up, it was hardly surprising that Bradley got involved with the GAA.
His coaches knew that they had a special player on their hands, one who combined hard work and athleticism to ensure that he had a real chance of making it. It wasn’t just in sport where he excelled, with St Patrick’s Primary School saying he ‘was a very gifted pupil across all subjects and he excelled at sports from a very young age’.
Conor Bradley playing against Drumragh in an U16 league final in Trillick four years ago.#gaa pic.twitter.com/sxKLzP0SJS
— Patrick Griffin (@PatMGriffin15) January 11, 2024
During his time in primary school, his P1 teacher sent for the headmaster in order to get him to see Bradley’s ball control with a sponge ball, given that both men were PE teachers. In 2015, he proved he was a multi-talented pupil by becoming Northern Ireland’s cross-country running champion.
The school said, “What marked him out from teaching/coaching perspective was his temperament and his ability to include everyone at play.”
He was nine-years-old when he started playing for St Patrick’s, his local side, joining Liverpool’s Development Centre in Northern Ireland at the same time to get him onto the club’s books.
Liverpool scout Cliff Ferguson said, “The players’ talent gets them to Liverpool, that’s a given, but the rest is down to attitude and Conor’s will to win stood out even at nine years old.”
He soon began to progress through the ranks, being moved up age groups in accordance with his ability. It didn’t take long before he was flown over to join the ranks of the Academy in Kirkby, playing against other talented youngsters that the Reds had on their books.
He said to the Belfast Telegraph, “It’s a bit overwhelming that I’m going to join the club that I support. Hopefully I can take it all in my stride.” He did, establishing himself as a regular starter for the Under-18s.
Making His Debut
Having left Dungannon Swifts to join Liverpool’s Academy in 2019, taking up a full-time scholarship place, Conor Bradley impressed enough to be offered a professional contract just a year later. In truth, the odds were still stacked against him. Even allowing for how difficult it is for youngsters to break into the Liverpool first team, no one from Northern Ireland had done so since Sammy Smyth had in 1954.
It was a little piece of history, therefore, when Bradley made his debut for the club against Norwich City in an EFL tie during the 2021-2022 season, having appeared in a number of pre-season games before being selected in that one.
A Reds debut for Max Woltman and a #UCL debut for Conor Bradley!
What a night at the San Siro for the pair ❤️ pic.twitter.com/UU6HogfKDu
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) December 8, 2021
The Reds won the match 3-0, with Bradley lasting for the full 90 minutes. He also appeared as a substitute when Liverpool beat Preston North End 2-0 in the following round at Deepdale, playing the first-half against Leicester City in the quarter-final. That was his last appearance in the competition, which Liverpool went on to win thanks to victories over Arsenal in the semi-final and Chelsea in the final, with Bradley certainly earning his winners’ medal.
In the June of 2022, Bradley signed on loan with League One’s Bolton Wanderers, eventually being voted as the club’s Player of the Year, as well as the Players’ Player of the Year.
Conor Bradley loves a win at Wembley 🏆 #bwfc pic.twitter.com/O73zjv4KHW
— BoltonWanderersBN (@bn_bolton) February 25, 2024
Having previously played cup games for the Reds, Bradley returned from his loan and was made a part of he first team squad. He got a Premier League debut on the 21st of January when Liverpool hosted Bournemouth at Anfield. Not only did he help the Reds keep a clean sheet in a 4-0 win, he also got an assist for Diogo Jota’s second goal in the game.
Liverpool fans were suitably impressed, but that went even further ten days later when he started against Chelsea in the Premier League and scored his first goal for the club in a 4-1 win. That he also got two assists led to him being named the Man of the Match for the game.
27-year-old Ben Chilwell (Chelsea captain) picking a fight with 20-year-old Conor Bradley. Shameful https://t.co/CCZwdVCN0r
— Farrell Keeling (@farrellkeeling) February 25, 2024
On the 25th of February 2024, Liverpool played Chelsea again, this time in the League Cup final. Bradley started at right-back, helping the Reds to keep a clean sheet prior to being substituted in the 72nd minute.
Liverpool went on to win the trophy thanks to a 1-0 win after a Virgil van Dijk goal in the period of extra-time. It will have meant a huge amount to Bradley to have been involved in the game, given that he took a period away from the game following the death of his father, Joe Bradley, earlier in the month.
That he was able to return to the team and give the level of performances he did in such circumstances is a testament to him as a footballer.
An International Performer
It is not to patronise Northern Ireland as a nation to say that it is hardly a surprise that Bradley has achieved his international debut.
That he has been praised for both his ability and his attitude throughout his career is a sign of how respected he is in his native country, playing for Northern Ireland’s Under-16 side in 2018.
Not only did he play for them but he was also made the youth team’s captain, leading them to winning the Victory Shield thanks to a 3-1 win over Wales. A year later and he appeared in the Under-17s side, which included playing in a 2019 UEFA European Under-17 Championship qualifying match.
Making your international debut at 17 🤩
We're proud of you, Conor Bradley 👏 pic.twitter.com/FcMiEcBs7d
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) May 30, 2021
With all of that in mind, it is hardly a surprise that was called up the senior team. It came in friendly matches against Malta and Ukraine in the May of 2021, making his debut on the 30th of the month. He can on as a substitute in the 85th minute of the game against Malta, replacing Stuart Dallas.
The match, played in Klagenfurt, finished as a 3-0 win to Northern Ireland. In the end, he made five appearances for his national team in 2021, making the same number in 2022 before dropping down to three appearances in 2023.
Given his relative youth, it is entirely fair to suggest that Bradley will be one for the future of Northern Ireland.
