Ricky Holmes: David Connolly was scary at Portsmouth - but the best player I'd ever seen

When Holmes joined Pompey from Barnet in June 2013, he came across the former Republic of Ireland international for the first time.

The classy Connolly, who had featured in the Premier League for West Ham, scored seven goals in 17 appearances after himself arriving at Fratton Park during the second half of the previous campaign.

However, the striker’s time with the Blues would turn sour after being rejected for the manager’s role and then a bitter fall out with Andy Awford.

Holmes was in awe of the veteran’s talent which also saw him serve at Watford, Leicester and Southampton – but admitted there was another side to his character.

‘David Connolly was some player,’ Holmes told The News.

‘Obviously he was getting on at Pompey and his legs may have gone a bit, but he was still one of the best I have seen.

‘He just didn’t fit into the group, though. He was hard work, really hard work. Some people may say that about me at times, but he distanced himself from all the boys.

‘And he was scary, by the way. He’s a scary man, I will tell you. He might only be little, but he’s scary.

‘In training, if you wouldn’t do what he wanted, such as crossing it in and not to him, he would just give you that stare. You know he’s looking at you thinking “Rick mate, you ain’t no good, what are you doing at this club?”.

‘We had some young players, a good mix of ages in that squad, and he put the young boys into their shell. He wasn’t any good for those boys – he just put in a bit of fear.

‘In terms of myself, when you come to a new club you have a point to prove, no matter who you are. You have to come in and be accepted and, after two weeks, I thought “I don’t like David Connolly”.

‘On the flip side of that, you get him on a one-to-one and he is lovely, completely different, and you found he’s actually a nice guy.

‘He’s intense, but a winner. He always won his shooting competitions. Even if he hadn’t spoken to you for a month, looking you up and down, he would suddenly come over and say “Rick, finishing competition today, me and you”.

‘He’s a great guy in a one-to-one – but scary all the other times.’

Connolly was loaned to Oxford United by Richie Barker during the second half of the 2013-14 season.

Upon his summer return, Awford was the man in charge – and maintained the striker’s exile.

The ex-Wimbledon man’s contract was cancelled by mutual consent in January 2015, following 12 goals in 37 games.

Regardless, Holmes has nothing but admiration for his former team-mate’s ability.

He added: ‘It was his sharpness, his movement, and his finishing was ridiculous.

‘At that stage, I had played only non-league and League Two, so he was the best I had seen.

‘I’ve gone up the leagues since and played with some good players, but at the time Connolly was “Wow”.

‘Compared to what I had been with, he was phenomenal.

‘He probably looked at us and thought “Who is this rabble? What am I training with him for?”. This was a different ball game for him.’

TOMORROW: Richie Barker is a brilliant coach and assistant – but never cut out to be a manager.

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