Ex-Hull City and Middlesbrough FC striker could make Championship debut against Tigers – as he bids to transform his life after alcohol issues
The former Republic of Ireland international joined the Wearsiders last month after being released by the Tigers at the end of last season.
Connolly, who spent a loan spell at Middlesbrough in 2021-22, opened up on his struggles with alcohol – which blighted his professional career since bursting onto the scene at Brighton – in an interview to mark World Mental Health Day.
After leaving Hull, the 24-year-old said that he spent a month in rehab with the experience having helped to turn his life around for the better.
Following two goalscoring appearances for Sunderland’s under-21s, backed up by his strong impression in training, Connolly is in contention to feature on Sunday, according to head coach Regis Le Bris.
He said: “He needed to get to know his teammates and the team. We had two opportunities to play with the under-21s and he did very well, he scored which is good for a striker.
“He needed time to connect with a structure, team and teammates and now he’s ready.”
Connolly initially linked up with ex-Hull head coach Liam Rosenior – whom he knew well from his time at Brighton – on loan in January 2023 after previous temporary stints at Luton, Boro and Venezia.
He joined on a permanent basis in the summer and despite scoring 10 goals in 35 appearances for Hull, the forward admits to difficulties away from the pitch.
Speaking in an interview on Sunderland’s website, he said: “I had one of my best seasons last season at Hull but off the pitch my life was a mess.
“The manager at Hull (Rosenior), to be fair, always looked after me and tried to help but it just got to a point where… it wasn’t that life wasn’t worth living, it wasn’t a big dramatic thing, it was just my life was so unmanageable and I couldn’t control what I would do or my alcohol.
“It just got to a point where I needed to go to a treatment clinic and I spent a month there in the summer.
“It wasn’t even the football in the end that was taking the biggest beating, it was my life, my relationships, my family, my friends, everything was just failing and falling apart.”
