Forest Green Rovers announced the signing of former Premier League striker Connor Wickham on a short term deal until January yesterday evening.

The experienced forward became Head Coach Ian Burchnall’s tenth addition this summer, adding more depth at the top end of the pitch.

Here’s a deep dive into the career of the 29-year-old marksman and his footballing journey which now brings him to The Bolt New Lawn.

Senior beginnings in Suffolk:

After spending his early youth years with Reading before moving to Ipswich Town, the centre forward made his debut for the Suffolk outfit in 2009, aged just 16, becoming their youngest ever player.

It was the following season where Wickham began to play more of a part for the Blues making 26 league appearances, scoring his first senior goals in a League Cup first round victory over Shrewsbury Town.

He also won the Championship’s April Young Player of the Month award toward the end of the season netting three times in four games in the month.

Wickham would more than double his league returns in front of goal in the 2010/11 season scoring nine goals in 37 games, prompting him to sign a one year contract extension keeping him at the club until 2014.

But with talk that the young prospect was destined for a move to the top flight, his time at Portman Road would come to an end just over two months later.

Money move to the Premier League:

After five years with the Tractor Boys, Sunderland came knocking and Wickham made the move up North, joining the Black Cats in a big £8m deal in June 2011.

He scored his first goal for the club in a 2-2 draw against Aston Villa in the October but an injury against Manchester United a week later spelled time on the side-lines which largely hindered his progression.

After being in and out of the team for nearly two years, Wickham spent time on loan with both Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United in the Championship, where he began to recapture his form and confidence.

He would then return to his parent club playing a massive part in Sunderland’s late surge to survival at the end of the 2013/14 season, scoring braces against both Manchester City and Cardiff City as they eventually stayed up by five points.

Wickham would go on to play in all but two of the Black Cats’ Premier League games in the following season, scoring five goals, before his time on Wearside was up, as he moved to another top flight club.

London’s calling:

The next destination for Wickham was Crystal Palace, where he signed a five year deal with the Eagles ahead of their third season back in the Premier League.

His best moments in the clubs famous blue and red colours came in the first season where he scored five times including a goal against Manchester City and back to back braces against West Bromwich Albion and former club Sunderland.

A damning knee injury just over a 12 months into his time at Selhurst Park kept him out of first team action for nearly two years, before starting for the side again in January 2019.

Wickham returned to Sheffield Wednesday for another loan spell in 2020 before his injury hampered time in South London came to an end the following year, his final stats reading 11 goals in 50 games.

Short spells with North End and MK:

The 29 year old retuned to the Championship at the start of last season signing a short term deal with Preston North End until January.

But after playing just 32 minutes of football in that time, Wickham was released by the Lilywhites and signed for Liam Manning’s MK Dons in League One.

He managed 13 appearances for the club and scored his only goal in a 2-1 away win, again scoring against his former club Sunderland, coolly sliding home the winner.

After the Dons lost to Wycombe Wanderers in the play-off semi-finals, Wickham was one of six first team players made free agents, being relieved of their duties in Buckinghamshire.

Connor joins FGR:

Wickham touched down in GL6 yesterday, bolstering Rovers’ attacking options, joining Jamille Matt, Josh March and the recovering Matty Stevens.

Signing as one of the more experienced heads in the side, he will be a key addition to the squad with his know-how and knowledge of English football.

The striker could potentially make his debut for FGR this weekend against the side where it all began, as his former club Ipswich travel to Nailsworth.