Connor Wickham’s Rollercoaster Career Takes Another Dramatic Twist as He Trains with Watford
Once hailed as English football’s next big thing, former Sunderland and Crystal Palace striker Connor Wickham is now fighting for a way back into the game. The 31-year-old, who has had nearly £17 million spent on him over his career, is currently training with Championship side Watford—but will it be enough to reignite his career?
From Record-Breaking Transfers to Uncertain Futures
Wickham’s journey has been a whirlwind of highs and lows. After bursting onto the scene as a teenage sensation, Sunderland smashed their transfer record to sign him for £8 million in 2011, snatching him from Ipswich Town in what was then a historic deal for an EFL player moving to the Premier League. Big things were expected, but despite his towering presence and flashes of brilliance, he managed just 15 goals in 91 appearances on Wearside.
Still, that was enough to convince Crystal Palace to splash out up to £9 million on the striker in 2015. Yet, injuries and inconsistency plagued his time at Selhurst Park, and as the years rolled by, Wickham’s once-promising career began to fade into uncertainty.
A Desperate Search for Redemption
After brief and largely forgettable spells at clubs like Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds United, and Charlton Athletic, Wickham found himself a free agent, seemingly abandoned by the professional game. His last competitive action came in a short-term stint at Charlton, where he managed just one goal in four appearances before being released.
But Wickham isn’t giving up. Now training with Watford, the former England youth international is desperately trying to prove he still has what it takes. Reports suggest he has been working with the club’s academy and even bagged a first-half hat-trick in an under-21 match—a glimmer of the talent that once made him one of English football’s most exciting prospects.
Yet, despite his efforts, there is no clear sign that Watford will offer him a contract. While he has reportedly been “excellent” with the club’s young players, that may not be enough to earn him a return to Championship football.
“I Still Have More to Give” – Wickham’s Determination
Speaking last September, Wickham made it clear that he is not ready to call time on his career just yet.
> “I’m still only 31, really. It feels like I’ve been around for ages. I still want to push myself to be at a good level, at the top level. I’ve still got a few years left where I feel like I can still provide that.”
Wickham has also expressed a desire to play abroad, admitting that he once turned down opportunities to experience football outside of England but is now more open to the idea.
For now, however, his immediate future remains uncertain. Can he convince Watford—or another club—that he still has what it takes to perform at a high level? Or will this be another chapter in a career that once promised so much but never quite delivered?
Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: Connor Wickham is not ready to fade into obscurity just yet.
