Accrington Stanley captain Seamus Conneely signs new one-year contract

Seamus Conneely back playing with Sligo Rovers in 2014

Seamus Conneely back playing with Sligo Rovers in 2014 Credit: Peter Fitzpatrick (ETPhotos)

Accrington Stanley announced that their captain, Seamus Conneely, has signed a new one-year contract, which will extend his stay at the Wham Stadium until the summer of 2024.

Conneely, 34, has been a mainstay of the Accrington Stanley squad since joining from Sligo Rovers midway through the 2014/15 campaign, a club where he previously played under John Coleman and Jimmy Bell. He was subsequently handed the captain's armband the following summer.

In his nine seasons with Accrington, Conneely has made a remarkable 318 appearances, scored 12 goals, and provided 13 assists. His leadership saw the club lift the Sky Bet League Two trophy in 2018.

Reacting to the contract extension, John Coleman, Accrington's manager said, "We missed Seamus when he didn't play last year and I know he is keen to play every game, but maybe we both have to temper our expectations."

"He's certainly a really good role model around the place, a great captain, and he's been a fantastic servant to the club. We're desperate to create a sense of stability at the club, so having someone of his ilk on board is going to be very beneficial for us."

On his decision to extend his contract, Seamus said, "It's the club of my career. I've played for three other clubs professionally and had good times at all of them, but I think when I look back on my career, this will be the first club I think about. The one that's defined my playing days, so I'm very happy to still be here."

Before his stint at Accrington Stanley, Conneely played in the League of Ireland for Galway United and Sligo Rovers.