Connor Tobin’s impact on Forward Madison and the Madison community cannot be overstated. A club captain since the team’s inception in 2019, Connor Tobin embodied the Forward Madison spirit to its fullest extent.
Tobin is a seasoned veteran of the American lower divisions, previously having successful stints with Minnesota Stars FC and North Carolina FC. In coming to Madison, Tobin was tasked with helping a newly-created club cement itself within the community as a pillar of positivity and fun, all while leading the team on the field. Tobin went above and beyond helping to accomplish this by interacting with Forward Madison’s supporters through his off-the-field activities like baking cookies for season ticket holders, driving to Kentucky to meet fans and co-founding the USL Players Association.
Additionally, Tobin played a massive role in making Forward Madison a globally-revered club. Tobin was the brains behind the Irruption Tour, a now-yearly trip made by FMFC staff and Forward fans spreading goodwill, soccer spirit, and Wisconsin beer all throughout the country. Tobin continued to foster this global connection with Mingos Worldwide, an initiative developed to keep Forward Madison fans who are not in the Madison area involved and engaged with the club. Most recently, Tobin conceptualized the Friends with Benefits kit that aimed to connect the global soccer community together through the love of the game and beer.
On the pitch, Tobin solidified himself as one of the best defenders in USL League One by anchoring the FMFC defense. In 2020, Tobin started 14 of 16 matches, leading the Flamingos defense that conceded the second-fewest goals in the league. Tobin was named to the USL League One All-League Second-Team after his stellar 2020 performance. Returning to Breese in 2021, Tobin had an Ironman-type season, starting each of the club’s 28 matches and leading the team in minutes played with 2,519. Tobin was named to USL League One’s Team of the Week for Week 8 following a defensive performance that saw the Flamingos concede only 2 goals in a stretch of 4 matches. Tobin added two goals of his own during the 2021 campaign, keeping FMFC in the playoff race until the last match of the season.
Forward Madison FC cannot thank Connor Tobin enough for his contributions to this club, this city. He set a precedent for all future Forward Madison players, coaches, and front office staff to follow with his passion for the game and commitment to give back to the community. The club looks forward to seeing what the future holds for the man Forward Madison fans lovingly refer to as “Turbo”.
