 Instead, he made his Football League debut at the age of 25 during the first of three spells at Walsall, joining on loan in March 1993 before signing permanently the following year.He played a key role in the Saddlers winning promotion to Division Two in 1994–95.He then joined Peterborough United, followed by Birmingham City, whom O'Connor represented in the 2001 Football League Cup Final against Liverpool, which Birmingham lost in a penalty shootout.