Fleetwood Town's Everton loanee knows his future is at stake

Fleetwood Town’s Everton loanee will see his contract expire at Goodison Park this summer and that changes his outlook going forward.

The 23-year-old is in his second season on loan at Highbury and captained the Cod Army in Tuesday’s defeat at Sunderland.

This will be a big summer for a lot of players up and down the EFL as Covid-19’s financial impact may become more plain to see.

But the uncertainty surrounding the future only increases the Liverpudlian’s desire to perform well on the pitch.

Connolly said: “I’m out of contract in the summer, so I need to step up and perform.

“A lot of lads are in a similar situation and are out of contract or fighting for a contract.

“We can’t just be happy where we are in the table. We need to keep on pushing.

“Everyone is working hard in training and results aren’t showing at the minute, but everyone is doing their best to make sure they get a good club in the summer or get another contract here at Fleetwood.

“It’s the first time I’ve been out of contract, and, to be honest, it’s made me a bit hungrier to go out and perform every week.

“You know that your career is on the line – it could be for your next contract.

“You’re doing everything you can, you’re eating well and making sure you don’t cut corners.”

Connolly returned to the club in October, starting his second stint with a 1-0 defeat away to tomorrow’s opponents Accrington Stanley.

He has been a permanent fixture in the team for League One games since then, though the club is in transition with head coach Simon Grayson’s contract running only until the end of the season.

The season ahead will also see changes to the salary cap and hopefully the return of fans to Highbury and clubs across the country.

With so much up in the air, Connolly admits it is difficult to predict what his future holds.

He added: “We’ve got to see what happens at the end of the season.

“We’ll see whether the gaffer stays on full-time and, after that, we’ll see if he wants to keep us or bring new bodies in.

“That’s up to the chairman (Andy Pilley) and what his ambitions are for next season – whether he wants to keep players or let a few go and start a whole new team. That’s up to him.

“I think I’ll have a few chats in the next couple of weeks and go from there.”

Connolly has had spells on loan at five other EFL clubs but has enjoyed most game time at Fleetwood, making 56 appearances to date.

He added: “You have ambitions to go higher up in the leagues.

“The last two seasons I’ve been in League One but before that I’ve been in the Championship and I’ve played a lot of games in the Championship.

“That’s ideally where you’d want to be, if not higher.

“You just have to keep on working hard to make sure you get the best deal possible in the summer.”

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